How does sleep affect your mental health?

It is a widely known fact that sleep is essential for our physical and mental health. Getting adequate sleep not only boosts your overall physical wellbeing but also has a tremendous impact on your mental health.

In this article, we are going to explore how getting enough sleep can impact your mental health.

Let’s Start with Some Facts

Did you know that around 70 million Americans suffer from some form of sleep disorder? According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), adults should aim for seven to eight hours of sleep every night. However, the average American adult gets less than seven hours of sleep each night.

Moreover, insufficient or poor-quality sleep can lead to various issues like irritability, tiredness, inability to concentrate, and lethargy. So it’s very crucial to understand how lack of proper rest affects our mental wellbeing.

The Mechanics behind It

Sleep is imperative because it allows the brain and body time required repairing and rejuvenating themselves so they can be ready for action when we wake up in the morning. Our brains are working non-stop throughout the day- processing information while absorbing countless stimuli all around us; hence adequate time needs given them before putting then back on active-duty mode again.

So always remember – there really isn’t any such thing as ‘oversleeping’ – instead choose quality over quantity!

After all, if you don’t give yourself ample downtime slash shut-eye periods during busy times in life (cough Covid19 cough) then things might just go sideways if least expect them too!

The Relationship Between Lack of Sleep & Mental Health

Now let’s dive into how inadequate amounts or quality-less zzzs directly affect our emotional regulation plus psychological well-being:

A recipe for disaster:

One study revealed people who get less than six hours typically have a more negative outlook/mindset.They also engage in repetitive negative thinking patterns which typically lead to feelings of anxiety or depression. As we all know, having a mental illness can directly impact our sleep quality – thus creating this vicious cycle making it extra important for anyone in recovery mode (or not) make sure they’re prioritizing proper rest daily.

That miserable brain fog!

Another study confirmed that those who get less than the recommended 7-hours have a reduced ability to think clearly and critically- ultimately leading to decreased productivity at work and beyond!

So get your forty winks!

Sleep’s Positive Effects on Mental Health

Now that we’ve addressed how lack of shut-eye negatively impacts one’s mood plus cognitive function let’s evaluate ways getting more gives you positive benefits:

  1. Regulating Emotions: Getting enough time helps control reactive behavior while emotionally charged helping people acknowledge potential triggers then handling their emotions with precision.
  2. Enhancing Productivity: Being well-rested can help individuals be much more productive both professionally as well as personally (hi coworker hogging the Keurig)!
  3. Strengthening Memory Performance: Slow-wave sleep stages help consolidate and retain memories by initially storing them there (in short-term storage), & transferring them over into long-term storage once fully rehearsed whilst sleeping period.
  4. Decreasing Anxiety/Depression Levels! There is an ample amount of research showing that poor-quality Zzzs increases rates for major depressive disorder (among other chronic health issues). The fact is simple- sleeping well reduces negative emotional states significantly hence its so significant suggested within therapy strategies.

There are many remedies individualized preferences when it comes down trying improve total restfullness but here several suggestions to try especially if feeling stressed/overwhelmed:

Remedies Description
Melatonin supplements Use natural ingredient melatonin resets circadian rhythm promoting healthy zzzs
Regular Exercise A consistent exercise routine has been proven to allow individuals an easier time falling asleep, as well as achieving longer rest periods.
Essential Oils Certain scents (i.e., lavender) relax the mind and body during bedtime
Keep a Sleep Schedule / Diary! Writing down sleep behavior helps monitor number hours regularly which can lead to bigger conclusions regarding what areas require further improvement.

Remember, small steps towards healthy habits will prove they accumulate into positive big-picture results over time!

Conclusion

As this article presented in humorous fashion, there is no underestimating the importance a quality-filled shut-eye session positively impacting one’s overall mental health! Lack of sleep leads to negative patterns reducing productivity levels while increasing stress plus irritation.

In contrast, sustained slumber allows control of emotions with precision amplifying both memory plus cognitive abilities translating favorably in various aspects of life!

So go ahead & make sure you’re prepping yourself for nightly Snooze sessions- that way our brains stay recharged while tackling all challenges modernity throws our way!

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