Stress and Poor Sleep: How to Support Better Rest and Recovery

Modern life can be busy.

Work, family responsibilities, deadlines, financial concerns and everyday commitments can make it difficult to switch off at the end of the day.

When stress builds up, getting a good night's sleep can become more challenging. And when sleep quality suffers, the next day can feel even more difficult.

This can create a cycle:

Stress → Poor Sleep → Tiredness → More Stress

Understanding the connection between stress and sleep can help you recognise why making time to rest and recover is an important part of maintaining overall well-being.

How Does Stress Affect Sleep?

Stress is a normal response to challenging situations.

However, when your mind remains active at night, it can become harder to relax and prepare for sleep. You may find yourself thinking about work, replaying conversations, worrying about tomorrow or thinking about everything that still needs to be done.

When this happens repeatedly, it can interfere with your ability to establish a consistent and relaxing bedtime routine.

This is one reason why managing everyday stress can be an important part of supporting healthy sleep.

Can Poor Sleep Make Stress Harder to Manage?

The relationship between sleep and stress can work in both directions.

Stress can affect sleep, but sleep quality may also influence how the body responds to stress.

A systematic review by van Dalfsen and Markus examined human research on the relationship between sleep and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, one of the body's systems involved in the stress response.

The review found that both subjective and objective reductions in sleep quality were associated with greater stress reactivity of the HPA axis.

This suggests that poor sleep and the body's response to stress are closely connected.

In simple terms:

When sleep quality suffers, the body's response to stress may also be affected.

This may help explain why a period of poor sleep can sometimes leave you feeling less prepared to deal with everyday demands.

Why Rest and Recovery Matter

Rest is not simply about feeling less tired.

Quality sleep is an important part of overall physical and mental well-being. Giving yourself enough time to rest allows sleep to become a regular part of your daily routine rather than something you only think about when you are exhausted.

When life becomes busy, it can be tempting to sacrifice sleep in order to get more things done.

But consistently making time for rest can be an important part of looking after yourself.

5 Ways to Support Better Sleep

Improving sleep does not always require major changes.

Small, consistent habits can help create a more supportive environment for rest.

1. Keep a Consistent Sleep Schedule

Try to go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time each day.

A consistent schedule can help establish a regular sleep routine.

2. Give Yourself Time to Unwind

Avoid going directly from a busy day into bedtime whenever possible.

Give yourself some time to slow down.

Reading, gentle stretching, quiet activities or simply taking a break from work can help create a transition between your daytime responsibilities and your bedtime routine.

3. Manage Everyday Stress

Stress and sleep can influence one another.

Finding healthy ways to manage everyday stress may help support your overall well-being.

Depending on what works for you, this could include:

• Going for a walk

• Exercising

• Practising breathing exercises

• Spending time with family or friends

• Listening to calming music

• Taking time away from work

• Practising relaxation techniques

  
  

The goal is not to eliminate every source of stress, but to create regular opportunities to slow down.

4. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine

A consistent bedtime routine can help you transition from the activities of the day into a period of rest.

Consider reducing stimulating activities before bed and creating an environment that feels comfortable and relaxing.

5. Make Sleep a Priority

Sleep can easily become the first thing sacrificed when life gets busy.

Instead, try to think of sleep as part of your overall health routine.

Giving yourself enough time to rest is not time wasted.

It is time your body has to recharge.

Where Does Magnesium Bisglycinate Fit In?

Healthy sleep involves more than just what you do at bedtime. Your overall lifestyle and nutritional intake can also form part of the bigger picture.

Magnesium bisglycinate is one form of magnesium that has gained interest in relation to sleep.

Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in more than 300 enzyme systems and contributes to normal nerve and muscle function. It can be obtained from foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and green leafy vegetables.

Research has also specifically examined magnesium bisglycinate and sleep.

In a 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 155 adults with self-reported poor sleep quality, magnesium bisglycinate supplementation produced a modest improvement in insomnia severity after four weeks compared with placebo. The study reported a small effect size, and the researchers recommended further research.

This means magnesium bisglycinate may be considered one nutritional component of a broader sleep-supportive lifestyle.

It should not be viewed as a sleeping pill or as a treatment for stress or insomnia.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep, Stress and Magnesium

Can stress affect sleep?

Yes. Stress can make it more difficult to relax and settle down at bedtime. Ongoing stress may therefore contribute to difficulties maintaining healthy sleep habits.

Can poor sleep affect the body's response to stress?

Research suggests that sleep quality and stress reactivity are connected. A systematic review found that reductions in subjective and objective sleep quality were associated with greater stress reactivity of the HPA axis.

How can I reduce stress before bed?

Creating time to unwind can help establish a more relaxing bedtime routine. Activities such as reading, gentle stretching, breathing exercises, quiet activities or taking a break from work may be useful.

Does magnesium bisglycinate help with sleep?

A 2025 randomized, placebo-controlled trial found a modest improvement in insomnia severity among adults reporting poor sleep quality after four weeks of magnesium bisglycinate supplementation. However, the study found a small effect size and more research is needed.

What is magnesium bisglycinate?

Magnesium bisglycinate is a chelated form of magnesium in which magnesium is bound to the amino acid glycine.

Is magnesium bisglycinate a treatment for insomnia?

No. Current evidence does not establish magnesium bisglycinate as a treatment or cure for insomnia.

It may provide nutritional support as part of a broader healthy lifestyle, but it should not replace appropriate medical advice or healthy sleep practices.

What foods are high in magnesium?

Magnesium is naturally present in foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and green leafy vegetables.

References

1. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium – Health Professional Fact Sheet. Updated January 6, 2026.

2. van Dalfsen JH, Markus CR. The influence of sleep on human hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis reactivity: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;39:187–194. doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2017.10.002.

3. Schuster J, Cycelskij I, Lopresti A, Hahn A. Magnesium Bisglycinate Supplementation in Healthy Adults Reporting Poor Sleep: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nature and Science of Sleep. 2025;17:2027–2040. doi:10.2147/NSS.S524348.