The UK is seeing a rise in stress-related sleep problems, with new findings showing how anxiety disrupts rest and feeds further mental health concerns.

The Mental Health Foundation reports that 74% of adults felt overwhelmed by stress at some point in the past year. Its wider 2024 data shows that 9 in 10 adults experienced high or extreme stress levels over the previous 12 months. More than half worry about how stress affects their physical health, a concern supported by Health and Safety Executive figures showing that work related stress contributed to 17.1 million lost working days in 2024–2025.

Stress can help people stay alert in everyday situations, but when it becomes prolonged its effects quickly turn harmful. Long term stress interferes with biological systems and contributes to mental and physical strain. Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, co founder and medical director of The London Sleep Centre, explains: “When our internal neuro chemical systems are working normally, they regulate biological processes like sleep, appetite, mood and energy levels. If we are stressed, the adreno cortical system is dysregulated and our energy sources are diverted, resulting in sleep disruption and mood changes.”

When cortisol levels remain high into the evening, melatonin production is blocked and the body struggles to transition into sleep. Dr Ebrahim advises: “Before we sleep it is important to de stress, reducing levels of cortisol, and replacing them with increased levels of melatonin, the hormone released in the brain that signals to the body it is time to sleep.”

Poor sleep then heightens daytime anxiety and reduces concentration, productivity and emotional resilience. Research links chronic sleep disruption to increased risks of respiratory issues, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Around a third of UK adults report trouble sleeping, and recent polling from the Mental Health Foundation shows that nearly half experienced irritability, overwhelm or anxiety linked to poor rest in the past month.

A survey by Kalms found that 1 in 4 Britons cite stress as the main cause of their sleep loss. Dr Ebrahim notes: “Many peoples’ sleep issues are worsened through anticipatory stress, whereby we fear an outcome before the event has taken place. When this happens repeatedly, a cycle begins to form. The stress sleep cycle is when feelings of stress stop you from achieving a sufficient night’s sleep, or when the thought of not achieving a good night’s sleep intensifies feelings of stress, thus exacerbating the cycle and making it harder to break.”

Clinically he reports increasingly frequent cases: “I am seeing a growing number of patients whose battle with achieving sufficient sleep is becoming increasingly harder. Managing feelings of angst is something we need to tackle in order to improve the quality of sleep achieved.”

Practical steps that can help break the cycle

Dr Ebrahim recommends several accessible strategies based on clinical practice and UK health guidance.

• Ensure consistency with your bedtime routine. Maintaining regular sleep and wake times supports the circadian rhythm and helps stabilise hormone release.
• Switch off electrical devices. Bright light from screens stimulates the brain and delays melatonin. Turning devices off an hour before bed can improve sleep quality.
• Consider traditional herbal remedies. Kalms Night One-A-Night is used for temporary sleep disturbances, while Kalms Day is used for temporary stress symptoms. Both contain valerian root and are approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.
• Relax and clear your mind. Brief meditation or breathing exercises reduce cortisol levels and can ease pre sleep anxiety.
• Exercise regularly but not before bed. Physical activity supports hormone regulation and mood stability. UK guidelines recommend 150 minutes weekly.

Kalms Night is traditionally used to relieve sleeplessness, while Kalms Day is used to relieve stress. Both products contain valerian root.

With 776,000 UK workers reporting stress related ill health in 2024, tackling the link between anxiety and poor sleep is increasingly important. By adopting simple routines that support relaxation, many people can begin to restore consistent rest at a time when 37% of adults report insomnia symptoms.