Connection Between Sleep & Mental Health: All You Need To Know

An essential part of our well-being overall, sleep is often neglected in the talks we have about mental health. But the relationship between sleep and mental health is both complex and tight; it's safe to say that poor sleep can send any number of us into an emotional tailspin. At the same time, the mental health disorders that many of us contend with can also and often do disrupt our sleep. Yet an understanding of the psychological effects of sleep, or of sleep deprivation, is pretty essential to any conversation we have about (cognitive and emotional) mental health.

How Sleep Affects Mental Health

The fundamental function of the brain is to allow an individual to think, feel, and act. One's brain performs these functions almost continuously from the time one wakes in the morning until the time one goes to sleep at night. Even during sleep, the brain remains busy performing vital tasks that make sure a person can function normally when awake. Those tasks include sifting through and storing the day's worth of experiences, thoughts, and feelings as well as recharging the brain's network of neurons.

Controls Mood and Emotional Equilibrium

Deprivation of sleep is associated with a rise in the number of irritable, edgy, and quite anxious people. Sleep deprivation can make one uptight and quite often cause one to fly off the handle for no apparent reason. And...what's the connection between not sleeping and one's emotional state? That might be better understood if we first take a look at the stages of sleep and their parts in maintaining a normal healthy mood. Stages of sleep have a lot to do with how good a person feels about themselves from day to day.

Lowers the Likelihood of Developing Anxiety and Depression Studies have demonstrated that people who have longstanding sleep problems are significantly more prone to becoming anxious and depressed. Missing out on sleep regularly takes a toll on not just our body's chemistry but also our brain's and, by extension, our mind's. It's our brain that reads and interprets incoming signals and stimuli, and disrupted sleep sets our brain chemistry (not to mention its overall function) on the path toward the kinds of changes that make us more susceptible to stress and emotional overload.

Sleep enhances the cognitive processes of attention, decision making, and problem solving. Poor sleep concentration, and memory retention. Cognition is the brain's way of processing, storing, and using information.

Cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, is regulated by sleep. When sleep is interrupted, cortisol levels stay high, causing stress and tension to increase. In addition, not getting proper sleep boosts the chances of developing a mental health disorder.

How Mental Health Affects Sleep

Just like mental health can affect sleep, sleep can influence mental health. It is a well- established fact that sleep deprivation can lead to profound changes in mood and cognition. When a person's mental faculties are compromised, the aspects of life that normally just challenge or frustrate a person can feel insurmountable. And when it comes to cognition, sleep is certainly tied to that in a big way. Although we don't have time to fully cover the area of sleep and mental health in this course, we are going to talk about it from the most relevant direction.

Amplified Insomnia and Sleep DisruptionsAnxiety and stress can lead to racing thoughts, which can make it hard to either fall asleep or remain asleep. Those with depression might have the opposite problem and experience excessive amounts of sleep. Whether a person is sleeping too much or not at all, the condition can contribute to an overall reduction in well-being.

Individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety disorders frequently have nightmares. These can contribute to sleep that is frequently disturbed and to an intensified fear of going to bed.

Circadian Rhythm Disruptions Bipolar disorder and other mood disorders are connected to sleep-wake cycle irregularities. Sleep can get messed up in any number of ways—most of which have already been covered—but when we disrupt our natural sleep-wake cycle, we mess with our internal bodies. Bipolar disorder is one of the more severe mood disorders, and sleep disruptions can trigger mood episodes associated with this condition.

Strategies to Improve Sleep and Mental Health

Balancing sleep and mental health takes more than just luck or fate. It requires practices that lead to restorative slumber. Here are some proven strategies:

1. Eliminate distractions.

2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule.

3. Reduce alcohol consumption.

4. Reduce caffeine.

5. Reduce exposure to light before sleep.

6. Limit blue light from screens.

Keep a Steady Sleep ScheduleGoing to sleep and waking up at the same time each day helps the body regulate its internal clock and promotes sleep of better quality.

1. Prepare a soothering pre-sleep routine. Take part in mellowing diversions like reading, meditating, or listening to gentle music before sleep to lower stress levels and ready your brain for slumber.

2. Restrict Viewing of Devices Preceding Sleep The turquoise light given off by cellular phones, tablet computers, and laptops can disrupt the natural nighttime rise of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and, hence, can make you not-so-sleepy right before you should be going to sleep. Doctors and sleep experts have been cautioning against the benefits of chatting, texting, and posting on social media just before sleep. Avoid all devices for at least one hour before sleep to improve your chances of falling asleep swiftly.

3. Routine Physical ActivityTake Part in Mindful ActivitiesSleep WellPracticing the mindfulness that comes with certain activities can boost your mood and help reduce stress, which is good for your mental health. Activities that can enhance mindfulness include yoga, tai chi, or even simple stretching. You can also work on mindful breathing. Such activities can also be excellent ways to wind down after a long day.

4. Consult a healthcare professional if you have persistent sleep problems or if they are related to mental health issues. You can get valuable guidance and treatment options.

Final Thoughts

The bond between slumber and psychological wellness is unmistakable. Giving precedence to prime sleep can elevate the emotional equilibrium of individuals. Conversely, concerning one's mental health can also amplify the quality of once's sleep. The understanding of the not-so-well-known parts of the psychology of sleep can lead the average citizen down the path of a sleep-filled night and a day filled with a healthier and more fulfilling mind and body.