Today (January 3rd 2023) is the Festival of sleep day in the United Kingdom. To celebrate that festival this blog will focus on the relationship between sleep and mental health.
The true extent of the importance of sleep to maintaining good mental health is currently unclear, but studies show that quality of sleep and mental health are linked with a good quality of sleep correlating to good mental health (Scot et al., 2021). This is shown through the fact that many, if not all mental health problems are associated with disrupted sleep (Scott et al.,2017). If you're having problems sleeping, you might:
be more likely to feel anxious, depressed or suicidal
be more likely to have psychotic episodes – poor sleep can trigger mania, psychosis or paranoia, or make existing symptoms worse
feel lonely or isolated – for example, if you don't have the energy to see people or they don't seem to understand
struggle to concentrate, or make plans and decisions
feel irritable or not have energy to do things
have problems with day to day life – for example, at work or with family and friends
be more affected by other health problems, including mental health problems.
(Mind, 2020)
So, why does a lack of good quality sleep increase the risk of poor mental health? This is because sleep is linked to various different functions in the body including but not limited to; memory, mental operation, learning skills, metabolism and rehabilitation (healing and renewal) (Shamsaei et al., 2019). Overtime sleep distrubances can lower an individuals quality of living and exacberate mental health symptoms.
Reflect on how having a poor night of sleep impacts you and then imagine the effects being long-term
What can you do to support yourself through those symptoms? E.g feeling groggy or unfocused can be improved by using different temperatures such as ice or a hot shower
The things that affect our sleep differ for everyone. They can include:
stresses or worries – for example, issues with money, housing or work
problems with where you sleep – for example, if you sleep somewhere uncomfortable or you're easily disturbed
health conditions relating to sleep, also known as sleep disorders
being a parent or carer
taking medication, including starting or coming off medication
recreational drugs and alcohol
working at night or being a shift worker
current or past trauma
mental and physical health problems, many of which can affect your sleep.
(Mind, 2020)
What can you do to improve your quality of sleep? The below image shows some ways of preparing sleep.
Which of the above will you try?
Am I doing anything to worsen my quality of sleep? E.g exercising before bed may hinder some people from falling asleep or drinking coffee/ caffiene after 12pm
What can I change?
How can I make those changes?
Now you have prepared to sleep and worked through any obstacles as much as you can. What can you do to improve your quality of sleep? There is a practice called sleep hygiene or sleep habits.
Some habits that can improve your sleep health:
Be consistent. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning, including on the weekends
Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
Remove electronic devices, such as TVs, computers, and smart phones, from the bedroom
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime
Get some exercise. Being physically active during the day can help you fall asleep more easily at night.
(CDC, 2022)
Other resources:
Headspace app
Sleep foundation: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene
Therapy sleep hygiene worksheet: https://www.therapistaid.com/worksheets/sleep-hygiene-handout
Thanks for reading. If you have any questions please send me an email at Paulalaceymh@outlook.com or message 07534316412
References
CDC (2022) Tips for better sleep, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/sleep_hygiene.html (Accessed: January 2, 2023).
MIND (2020) Sleep and mental health, Mind. Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/sleep-problems/about-sleep-and-mental-health/#:~:text=If%20you're%20having%20problems,or%20make%20existing%20symptoms%20worse (Accessed: January 2, 2023).
Shamsaei, F. et al. (2019) “The relationship between sleep habits and mental health in Iranian elementary school children,” Sleep Science, 12(2). Available at: https://doi.org/10.5935/1984-0063.20190067.
Scott, A.J., Webb, T.L. and Rowse, G. (2017) “Does improving sleep lead to better mental health? A protocol for a meta-analytic review of Randomised Controlled Trials,” BMJ Open, 7(9). Available at: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016873.
Scott, A.J. et al. (2021) “Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials,” Sleep Medicine Reviews, 60, p. 101556. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556.