The Link Between Stress & Sleep With Dr. Kelly Olson

Today we're talking to Dr. Kelly Olson, an expert in the area of neuroscience, stress and sleep. We discuss chronic stress and adrenal fatigue, as well as some promising supplements and treatments to support healthy stress response and better sleep habits.

Chronic Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

We're all aware of the negative impacts of stress, how it has a huge impact on aging and can create a low-grade inflammatory response that contributes to a high percentage of illnesses. Of course, there are also positive aspects to some types of stress.

Acute stress can provide a benefit, but you need to be able to control both the physiological and psychological response, particularly as it relates to coming back down afterward. Our bodies are meant to be able to manage this response by bringing down the heart rate and elevated chemical levels associated with stress, but it doesn't always work that way, which leads to chronic stress.

Chronic or prolonged stress is associated with adrenal fatigue. But the problem with treating adrenal fatigue is that most practitioners go after the messenger instead of the source, which is akin to going after the symptom vs. the disease.

Cortisol released from adrenal glands creates a negative feedback loop. But if the receptors aren't there, as happens in adrenal fatigue progression, the system doesn't work the way it should. Unfortunately, controlling adrenal function is often overlooked by doctors. Biofeedback for stress response has the ability to control the neural circuits, and cognitive behavioral therapy also helps people train themselves to be able to come back down from stress.

Getting a Handle on Sleep

The excess of chemicals in the brain like norepinephrine, epinephrine and cortisol can contribute to people's inability to calm brain activity for a good night's sleep. And sufficient and restful sleep is crucial for health and longevity – it's our built-in process to combat stress, formulate memories and get the immune system on track. In order to get a good night's sleep, all of the brain chemicals need to be properly balanced and work in concert together.

Dr. Olson herself has suffered from cortisol inversion and low serotonin, which prevented her from getting the sleep she needed. Over time, she was able to correct this imbalance through a combination of methods targeting neurotransmitters, including adaptogens, 5-HTP and folate support.

Eventually, she was able to get everything into a more normal range.

Dr. Olson recommends these supplements for stress modulation: Ashwagandha, CortiCept, Phenibut and melatonin.