Understanding the Link Between Sleep and Mental Health
Mar 21, 2022
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It’s easy to understand why a lot of people might choose to forego sleep in pursuit of their goals, as the world we currently operate in is fast-paced and highly competitive. However, the prospect of health should always be viewed in a holistic manner. Mental health is particularly important, as it sets the tone for your overall perspective of life. This will always have a significant impact on your ability to function. While there are many factors that influence mental health, sleep is a factor that is far too often underestimated. Below are bits of information on the relationship between sleep and mental health as well as ways to help improve your sleep quality.
How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?
The first thing to understand is that sleep problems are both a cause and effect of mental health conditions. Poor sleep quality will affect your psychological state and will increase the risk of developing anxiety or depression. If you already have poor sleep quality, you’ll likely find it more difficult to get good sleep due to sleep conditions like insomnia.
What Happens When I Don’t Get Enough Sleep?
Obesity, depression are only a few problems that stem from sleep deprivation. Those who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation are at high risk of developing serious ailments such as hypertension, tachycardia, diabetes, and stroke.
The signs of sleep deprivation will also affect your physical appearance. Those who are sleep-deprived have wrinkled skin and dark circles under their eyes. This can largely be attributed to the increased production of cortisol in the body. A lack of sleep increases stress levels, which, in turn, causes the body to produce higher amounts of cortisol.
Cortisol breaks down collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity and youthfulness. It should also be noted that what you eat before bed can also affect your sleep quality. For instance, foods that are sugary and fatty tend to reduce the production of serotonin, which makes it more difficult to relax while sleeping.
How to Improve Your Sleep Quality
1. Take it seriously
Improving your sleep quality is a good start to improving your overall quality of life. The first lifestyle change should be to put greater importance on sleep. Considering the demands of modern life, it’s not uncommon for people to relegate sleep to the bottom of their priority list.
2. Manage Your Waking Hours
Establishing and adhering to a sleeping routine is a great way to control your body’s wakefulness. Waking up at the same time every day will help you sleep easier at night because you’re able to set a consistent sleeping time. The longer you’re awake, the greater your desire for sleep will be.
By sticking to a strict schedule, you can essentially make it so that your body knows exactly when it’s time to wind down. You can also try performing a relaxing activity every night right before sleeping. This causes your brain to associate these activities with sleep.
3. Keep Mental Stimulation Low Before and During Sleeping Hours
Electronic devices keep your brain on a constant level of alertness, which is the opposite of what we need to fall asleep. A simple lifestyle change like putting away all electronic devices an hour before bedtime will make it easier for the brain to relax.
If you do wake up in the middle of the night, avoid looking at the clock as this also causes your brain to perform mental calculations on how long you’ve slept, and how much longer you can sleep before you have to wake up.
4. Invest in a Quality Bed and Accessories
Investing in quality beds and accessories will significantly improve your sleep quality over the long term. Mattresses are a matter of personal preference, which is why it’s important to expose yourself to different mattress types so that you find the one that suits you best.
Bed accessories are much less complicated because they are merely a matter of using the right blanket and pillow depending on the season. For colder nights, thicker microfiber blankets will serve you better because of their finer threads, which minimize heat loss.
For warmer nights, a thin cotton blanket will serve you best because these blankets are breathable and moisture-wicking. Thicker pillows are also ideal for cold nights, while products like this Cooling Pillow are ideal for hot summer nights.
The impact of sleep on our quality of life is something that cannot be overlooked, especially when we live during a time when stress levels are at their peak. We need to do what we can to mitigate our stress levels before they spiral out of hand.