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Writer's pictureTracy Smith

Let Yourself Sleep In: Why Quality Rest is Key to Mental Health


Mental Health and Sleep

Sleep is closely connected to mental and emotional health and has demonstrated links to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other conditions. There is strong reason to believe that improving sleep can have a beneficial impact on mental and emotional health. 


How Is Mental Health Related to Sleep?

Each stage of sleep plays a role in brain health, allowing activity in different parts of the brain to ramp up or down and enabling better thinking, learning, and memory. Research has also uncovered that brain activity during sleep profoundly affects emotional and mental health.


Sufficient sleep, especially rapid eye movement (REM), facilitates the brain’s processing of emotional information. During sleep, the brain evaluates and remembers thoughts and memories, and it appears that a lack of sleep is especially harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content. This can influence mood and emotional reactivity and is tied to mental health disorders and their severity, including the risk of suicidal ideas or behaviors. 


Every individual’s situation is different, so the optimal treatment for mental health and sleep problems depends on the person. Because these conditions can have a major impact on quality of life, it’s important to receive proper care, which entails working with a trained health professional.


Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) describes a type of counseling known as talk therapy. It works by examining patterns of thinking and working to reformulate negative thoughts in new ways. CBT for insomnia has a proven track record in reducing sleeping problems.


A large clinical trial also showed that CBT-I could reduce symptoms of many mental health conditions, improving emotional well-being and decreasing psychotic episodes.

Improving Sleep Habits

A common cause of sleeping problems is poor sleep hygiene. Improving sleep hygiene by creating healthy sleep habits and a bedroom setting that is conducive to sleep can go a long way in reducing sleep disruptions.


Examples of healthy sleep habits include:


  • Having a set bedtime and maintaining a steady sleep schedule

  • Finding ways to wind down, such as with relaxation techniques, as part of a standard routine before bedtime

  • Avoiding alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine in the evening

  • Dimming lights and putting away electronic devices for an hour or more before bed

  • Getting regular exercise and natural light exposure during the daytime

  • Maximizing comfort and support from your mattress, pillows, and bedding

  • Blocking out excess light and sound that could disrupt sleep


Finding the best routines and bedroom arrangements may take some trial and error to determine what’s best for you, but that process can pay dividends in helping you fall asleep quickly and stay asleep through the night.


For more insights on how sleep impacts mental health and tips on building better sleep habits, visit the Sleep Foundation’s website.


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