April 12, 2024

Sleep & Your Mental Wellbeing

All of us are acutely aware that sleep is important because of the way we feel when we don't get enough of it. But do we know why sleep so important?

When you sleep, your body rests but your brain is incredibly active. Sleep is its opportunity to download the day and effectively reset ahead of tomorrow. It's a necessary part of the body's recovery and it impacts the way you function both mentally and physically.

Consistent rest is necessary for immunity, disease-fighting, metabolism, concentration, memory building, and beyond. It's what helps you reduce the risk of chronic disease and illness, and it impacts every part of your health.

The Importance of Sleep

“Not getting enough quality sleep regularly raises the risk of many diseases and disorders. These range from heart disease and stroke to obesity and dementia.”

The human body is truly incredible. What you eat and drink impacts your sleep and your sleep impacts what you eat and drink. Health professionals believe there are plenty of foods that help with improving sleep, such as tart cherries and fatty fish.

On the flip side, there are foods that interrupt sleep, such as spicy food, alcohol, and caffeinated items. When you don't get enough sleep, your body craves new sources of energy. In turn, this drives poor dietary decisions as you are more likely to consume more caffeine and choose eat things high in fat and sugar which prohibits your ability to sleep, and the cycle repeats itself.

As you lose out on sleep, you will notice the difference in your body and mind.

Mentally, you may notice a loss of concentration. It becomes difficult to focus on work, you may even struggle to come up with the right words. There may be memory issues because you are simply too tired to retain information. Your weight levels may be negatively impacted as well, which can damage your self-esteem.

Additionally, you will notice a change in mood.

That's probably the most obvious – your nerves may be wearing thin; you may have a short fuse; and you may be more likely to snap at people and lose your temper easily.

Everyone is different, but your goal should be to get at least seven hours of sleep. As you start getting into a healthy sleep routine, you can track how well you feel and perform after seven hours, eight hours, or even nine hours of sleep. You may already have a good idea of your perfect number, but if you are one of those people who swears four hours is optimum – you're lying to yourself.

According to the American Psychological Association, “Sleep is essential for a person’s health and wellbeing, according to the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Yet millions of people do not get enough sleep and many suffer from lack of sleep.“

Sleep & Mental Health

According to the Sleep Foundation, “Both sleep and mental health are complex issues affected by a multitude of factors, but, given their close association, there is strong reason to believe that improving sleep can have a beneficial impact on mental health and can be a component of treating many psychiatric disorders.”

Positive mental health and good sleep are best friends. A good night's sleep is essential for maintaining a positive baseline when it comes to overall mental health. A single night of poor sleep can wildly influence your mood and emotions the following day. Imagine how dramatic that influence is with chronic sleep issues.

Anxiety, depression, and other mental issues have a direct tie to a habitual lack of sleep. It's also much harder to deal with and overcome mental health issues when you are worn out and worn down.

Another issue that often comes with this is people with mental health issues will often self-medicate with alcohol, which negatively impacts one's quality of sleep. A lot of people believe it helps them nod off, and while that may be true, it disrupts the sleep. pattern.

If you've ever conked out after having too many drinks, you may recall tossing and turning throughout the night. If you drink alcohol, you should give your body time to fully process it before you sleep. One unit of alcohol takes one hour to process, which means you could have one glass of wine two hours before bed.

Your sleep pattern could benefit from a restful pre-bedtime routine that prepares your body for sleep. For example, reduce your alcohol intake before bed, reduce screen time in the run-up to bedtime, and pick up a book or meditate as you wind down.

When you get into a good bedtime routine, you will notice sleep comes easier, your sleep is more restful, and your mood and mental health will improve.

Daytime Routines Can Really Affect Your Sleep

According to the National Sleep Foundation, “The National Sleep Foundation’s 2022 Sleep in America® poll shows that Americans’ daily routines create some less-than-ideal conditions for a good night’s sleep. As it turns out, many Americans can do a better job at the good daytime behaviors that help improve our sleep.”

The National Sleep Foundation Recommends These Actions During The Daytime:

• Get a little sun
• Exercise
• Keep your mealtimes consistent
• Reduce or eliminate caffeine

“I’m so good at sleeping that I can do it with my eyes closed.” — Anonymous

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