The Relationship Between Sleep and Your Mental Health
If you are an adult, you have probably heard that you should get about 7-9 hours of sleep per night. Your health, energy, and metabolism all greatly depend on getting enough sleep.
It is also beneficial to your metal health. People with mental health disorders frequently have trouble controlling their sleep patterns. They may sleep excessively or insufficiently.
This can have an impact on the symptoms of their mental illness. Maintaining a healthy sleep schedule is crucial if you want to improve your mental health. Ebba Terefe discusses the connection between sleep and mental health in this blog.
The Effects of Sleep on Metal Health
Sleeping too little or too much can make you feel exhausted and drowsy. Your mood and level of focus may be affected. If you already suffer from a mental illness that affects your concentration, like depression or ADHD, sleep deprivation (or oversleeping) can make it even more dangerous. Similar to how sleep deprivation can make you feel down, it can also cause depressive episodes or negative thoughts to consume your thoughts.
Your brain's wiring can also be altered by sleep deprivation. Making decisions, adjusting to changes in your life, and controlling your emotions can all be challenging. Sometimes, a lack of sleep has been linked to increased or worsened depressive episodes or suicide attempts.
Mental Health Can Affect Your Sleep Health, Too
Similar to how sleep can impact our mental health, people who are struggling with mental health issues frequently have trouble sleeping. In actuality, the two frequently coexist; sleep issues can exacerbate depressive symptoms, and depression can cause sleep issues.
Depressive symptoms can include poor sleep, more time spent lying awake in bed for longer periods of time, decreased physical activity, and less exposure to bright light, all of which can cause sleep disturbances.
Knowing how sleep and mental health are related will help you take action to enhance both your emotional and sleep quality.
Is insomnia a disease?
The term "insomnia" describes an illness. It usually indicates another illness, sometimes physical, sometimes mental. Sleeplessness can be a sign of conditions like:
Anxiety
Depression
PTSD
Psychosis
How to Manage Sleep and Mental Well-Being
As we discussed above about sleep and mental health, How healthy sleep is essential to mental health. It is possible that you have no control over the things that disrupt your sleep. On the other hand, you can develop routines that promote better sleep. Let us start with these easy suggestions.
1. Stick to a sleep schedule
Each night, try to get no more than eight hours of sleep. As a Psychiatric Ebba Terefe, the recommended amount of sleep for a healthy adult is at least seven hours. The majority of people can get a good night's sleep with just eight hours in bed.
Have a consistent bedtime and wake-up time every day, even on the weekends. Maintaining consistency helps your body's sleep-wake cycle.
If you don't fall asleep within about 20 minutes of going to bed, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you're tired. Continue to stick to your sleep and wake-up times, but repeat as necessary.
2. Be mindful of what you consume.
Avoid going to bed stuffed or hungry. Specifically, refrain from eating substantial or substantial meals right before bed. Discomfort might keep you up.
Additionally, use caution when consuming alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine. Caffeine and nicotine's stimulating effects can disrupt sleep and take hours to wear off. Additionally, alcohol can interfere with sleep later in the night, even though it may initially make you feel drowsy. It harms your well-being as well.
3. Create a Restful and Calm Environment
A calm place is also a good source for your sleep. You can therefore arrange your room however you like. Keep it quiet, dark, and cool. Sleeping in the evening may be more difficult if exposed to light. Avoid using light-emitting screens for extended periods of time right before bed. Consider using room-darkening shades, earplugs, a fan, and other devices to create a space that suits you.
Relaxing activities like taking a bath or using relaxation techniques before bed may improve your quality of sleep.
4. Manage worries
You have to try to solve your worries and concerns before going to bed. Put your thoughts on paper and set them aside for the following day. Managing stress could be beneficial. Begin with the fundamentals, like organizing, prioritizing, and assigning responsibilities. Anxiety can also be reduced through meditation.
5. Include physical activity in your daily routine
Better sleep can be facilitated by regular exercise. However, refrain from exercising too soon before bed. Daily outdoor time could also be beneficial.
Exercises that can help
Some exercises that can help with sleep include:
Yoga
Tai Chi
Pilates
Aerobic exercise
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR)
Strength training
Breathing exercises
Stretching
Exercise can begin to pay off after just 30 minutes a day. However, since intense workouts can make it difficult to fall asleep, you should avoid doing them an hour before bed.
Know when to contact your healthcare provider
You have struggled to fall asleep for months, and altering your sleeping patterns has not made it any better. Your everyday life is being negatively impacted by your insomnia, making it difficult for you to manage. As a psychiatrist, Ebba Terefe Pickerington is concerned that you have to go to your psychiatrist.
In the Ending
Sleep and mental health are deeply connected, each influencing the other. By improving your sleep habits, you can take meaningful steps toward better emotional well-being. Small changes, like sticking to a schedule, creating a calming environment, and managing worries, can make a big difference. If sleep struggles persist, seeking professional help is a sign of strength. Prioritizing your sleep is the first step towards fostering your mental well-being.
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