Quality sleep leads to better mental health. Whether you struggle with mental health issues, or not, quality sleep can improve the way you think and perform. Healthier Sleep spoke with psychologist Dr. Kathy Sexton-Radek about sleep and mental health and how to get quality sleep so you can be at your best.
Effects of Sleep on Mental Health
Some of the positive effects of quality sleep on your mental health include increased energy, alertness, creativity, innovation, and cognition. When we wake up rested and ready for the day, feelings of motivation and positivity follow. On the other hand, poor sleep can lead to brain fog, low energy, reduced abilities, and irritability. The good news is that poor sleep is reversible. Even if you’ve had nights of poor sleep, establishing good sleep habits can turn it around.
Effects of Mental Health on Sleep
Some conditions like anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder reliably disrupt sleep making it lighter and shorter, causing insomnia and awakenings. Overall, this sleep is unrefreshing. Depression is more complicated. Many people with depression experience insomnia, including early morning awakenings and, less commonly, hypersomnia, or too much sleep. Some treatments of depression can also cause insomnia including some antidepressants. There may be an increase of sleep or hypersomnia, along with weight gain and increased eating as a result of seasonal depression, which often occurs during the long dark days of winter.
Poor Sleep Outcomes
Loss of sleep can complicate mental health issues. If you are waking up sluggish with little motivation or energy, it may be difficult get out of bed and do things that promote positive mental health. Mental health issues are complicated and may require multiple treatments. But one thing people can do to improve their mental health is to regulate their sleep. Regulating sleep provides a better long-term solution than drinking the third or fourth cup of coffee to stay awake. While there is no one treatment to cure mental illness, small steps in the right direction will help. It is empowering to know that you are making the difference. Each day can be a victory.
We all have the occasional day when we don’t sleep well and have difficulty concentrating on a task or having the energy to do what needs to be done. When these days happen, Dr. Sexton-Radek suggests taking a small mental break. It may be as simple as stretching for a minute or listening to a favorite song. Or perhaps a “power nap” can be beneficial. However, just as you wouldn’t eat a snack prior to a large meal, taking a nap close to bedtime detracts from the main event of sleep. If you choose to take a nap, make it fewer than 30 minutes before 4 pm so you don’t disrupt your night of sleep.
Steps to Quality Sleep
Quality sleep is achieved through consistent practices. While some factors may be difficult to change, there are actions you can take to improve your sleep.
Consider your sleeping environment. Is it dark, cool, and quiet? Is your bed, pillow, and bedding comfortable? If you answer yes to these questions and are still having difficulty sleeping, you may want to try using a weighted blanket. Studies suggest that weighted blankets may reduce the time to fall asleep, and ratings were very positive for feelings of readiness for the day. Weighted blankets provide a deep pressure touch that can quiet erratic patterns of nerve firings, providing an overall calming effect.
Regulate your sleep with a consistent sleep schedule. The body runs on a 24-hour clock sometimes referred to as circadian rhythm. This clock works best when it is consistent. To keep it on track, go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time each day, aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Create a relaxing bedtime ritual to relax the body and clear the mind to prepare for sleep. Turn off screens one hour prior to sleep. Not only because the blue light signals daytime, but emotions linked to what is being viewed can delay sleep. Upon waking seek out natural light to “turn off” sleep. This tells your body it is time to be alert. Getting natural light during the day, appropriate timing of meals, and exercise will also help keep your clock on track.
Dr. Sexton-Radek also suggests wearables as a motivating way to track sleep. If you have a wearable device, it can give a small peek into how you are doing with your sleep. It should be used to see where you can improve, but don’t obsess about it. That can be counterproductive and keep you awake at night.
Conclusion
Sleep can have a positive impact on your mental health. It can promote creativity, innovation, initiative, energy, and alertness. Sleep is one of the three pillars of health along with diet and exercise. Choose one thing you can do to improve your sleep tonight to promote mental health.
Kathy Sexton-Radek PhD, CBSM, DBSM is a Psychology professor at Elmhurst College and Chair of the IRB and IACUC. She has over 60 peer-reviewed publications of books, book chapters, edited works, and articles on topics of sleep health and sleep medicine.