How does sleep affect my mental health?
You’re probably aware that good sleep is essential for your physical health. But, do you know how important sleep is for your mental health too? Here I’ll explore how getting regular and good quality sleep can benefit your mental wellbeing and suggest ways to get a better night’s rest.
Why is sleep so important for your mental wellbeing?
Sleep is a time for rest and repair. This is important for all areas of your body. And it’s true for your mental health too. When you sleep, your brain processes your memories and thoughts. This can help your brain ‘focus’ on positive events and can boost your mood during the daytime.
Good sleep can also help to reduce the symptoms of common mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety. But even if you don’t have a diagnosed mental health problem, quality sleep can help you to feel less irritable, and more positive.
Getting enough good quality sleep can also help you to:
- be less likely to overeat, and more likely to exercise
- cope with stress better
- have the energy you need to enjoy life
How can a lack of sleep affect my mental health?
If you sleep poorly your mental health can be affected. Prioritising good sleep is one way of reducing the likelihood of poor mental health.
If you don’t sleep for long enough or get good quality sleep, your brain can find it harder to process emotions.
A lack of sleep can make it harder for you to feel positive throughout the day.
How can my mental health affect my sleep?
As well as improving your sleep, it’s important to take steps to look after your mental health. If you feel very anxious a lot of the time, you may experience something known as hyperarousal at night-time. This is where you feel too alert to switch off and rest.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a helpful tool to tackle anxiety. It helps train the brain to challenge unhelpful or scary thoughts and replace them with more realistic ones.
Similarly, if you have depression then you might find you’re more sleepy than usual in the day time. Taking naps can be useful. But they can make it harder for you to fall asleep at night. So it’s important that you limit them to around 20 minutes, and try to stick to a regular sleep cycle. This makes it less likely you will disrupt your natural body clock (circadian rhythm).
Talking therapies and medication can help improve your symptoms of depression. They can help you rest more at night too.
What can I do to sleep better?
There are many other steps you can take to help improve the length and quality of your sleep. Why not start by keeping a sleep diary to track your sleep quality? This will help to show you if anything you do affects how well you sleep. For example, perhaps using screens late at night, or drinking alcohol in the evening means you don’t sleep so deeply. Then you can try adjusting your routine to see if this helps.
You could also try to reduce your stress levels during the day to help you switch off better at night. You might like to try the following.
- Create a routine and stick to it – such as going to bed at the same time each night.
- Spend 10 to 20 minutes practising active relaxation such as breathing techniques or a short meditation. There are many apps and online aids to help.
- Make time for a form of physical movement you enjoy – this could be dancing, yoga, swimming, or just a stroll in the park.
- Limit alcohol and avoid caffeine at least six hours before bedtime.
If you’re regularly struggling to sleep well, consider seeing your GP. They’ll discuss your sleep habits and give you advice and support. Show them your sleep diary, as this may help them to spot any sleep conditions you might have, so you can get the support you need. If you’re continuing to have sleep problems, you may be referred to a sleep specialist
If you’re worried about your mental health, our direct access service aims to provide you with the advice, support and treatment you need as quickly as possible. You’ll be able to get mental health advice and support usually without the need for a GP referral. Learn more today.
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