Aside from the relief we experience with a good night's sleep, our health, overall, is inextricably linked to obtaining a restful sleep. Fatigue, associated with chronic insomnia, can affect blood pressure, heart function, gastrointestinal reflux, and the immune system as well as our cognitive functioning.
Because we are intelligent animals who problem-solve, conceptualize and plan, anxiety and poor stress management strategies can lead to chronic worry and cognitive distortions. This can, undeniably, interfere with our ability to rest and obtain Stage 3 and Stage 4 sleep, which are the restorative levels of sleep.
