March Mental Health Tip of the Month
“In peace, I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
-Psalm 4:8 NIV-
Sleep Deprived
Twice a year (in most states), we go through a seasonal time change, once in the fall and once in the spring. During these time changes, our sleep can be interrupted due to the changes in time…going to bed later or earlier than we normally would and getting up earlier or later can create a disruption that interferes with our ability to sleep and sleep well. For most of us, it can take a few days to even a few weeks in order for our bodies and sleep patterns to readjust and get back to normal which can create a lot of fatigue, difficulty concentrating, grouchiness, and even anger. These seasonal time changes are just one of many reasons why we may lack sleep and become sleep deprived.
Reasons for Lack of Sleep
There are numerous reasons why a good restful sleep can be difficult to obtain. Sleep apnea is one of those reasons. Sleep apnea is when a person pauses repeatedly in their breathing while they sleep, which can make you very sleepy during the day. Sleep apnea can be helped by losing weight, sleeping on your side, or using a CPAP machine which will keep your airways open at night. Our diet can also contribute to a lack of sleep. Eating spicy foods can keep you up all night with heartburn. Eating a big meal before bed time can keep your stomach digesting food all night instead of resting, which can create interrupted sleep. It can take up to 6 hours for your body to clear half of the caffeine you drink, so drinking too much or too late into the evening can keep you awake. You may think drinking alcohol will help you to fall asleep, but you won’t be able to sleep deeply enough for it to be adequate. You can create a more restful sleep by avoiding eating spicy, fatty foods (especially late at night), alcohol (at least 3 hours before bed) and caffeine (7 hours before bed). Eating a light meal instead of a heavy meal several hours before bedtime can help as well.
Any kind of pain can keep us from having a good night’s sleep. A lack of sleep can also increase your pain. To relieve some pain, try taking a warm bath before bed with some Epsom salts to help soothe achy muscles or joints or using a heating pad. Essential oil creams can also help to relieve some pain and help you to sleep better. People with depression symptoms may sleep more than usual, but it isn’t very restful. Some medications taken for depression can actually interfere with sleep. Talk to your doctor about medication side effects and discuss possible natural remedies as well. Stress can make you toss and turn all night long. For some of us, the only time our minds can think clearly is when we lie down at night to sleep and we may be tempted to worry. This is one of the biggest reasons why people can’t sleep. Try establishing some quiet time or a relaxing activity before bed for your mind to unwind and decompress, preferably something without a screen. Praying, meditating or writing down your thoughts can help to clear your mind before you lay down. Poor sleep habits including insomnia, staying up too late, or engaging in activities that stimulate the mind and body prior to bed can create a lack of sleep as well. Follow some of the good sleep hygiene strategies listed below instead.
Importance of Sleep
A lack of sleep does more than just make you drowsy and cranky. Chronic insomnia can contribute to a variety of health issues, including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and depression. Getting good, quality sleep is crucial for our mental health as well as our physical health. Our mental health impacts our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and can influence our ability to make choices, relate to others, and handle stress. A lack of sleep can affect our mental state in negative ways including worsening already present mental health issues. A lack of sleep can be linked to mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.
Sleep is connected to our emotional health as well as our mental health. Getting sufficient sleep facilitates the brain’s processing of emotional information and a lack of sleep can be very harmful to the consolidation of positive emotional content, which can impact your mood and emotional reactivity and, in its severity, can be tied to suicidal ideas or behaviors. Both mental health and sleep can be affected by a multitude of factors, but because they are closely associated, there is reason to believe that improving your sleep can have a beneficial impact on your mental health as well as your physical and emotional health. Following good sleep hygiene strategies can improve your overall mental well-being and your quality of sleep.
Good Sleep Hygiene
We need about 8 hours of quality sleep per night for optimum brain functioning, physical and emotional health. We have already discussed some of the ways that we can improve our sleep based on some of the reasons why sleep can be inadequate. The following sleep hygiene strategies can help you to create a better sleep routine and increase the quality of your sleep:
- Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Plan to rise between 6-7. Sleeping late can increase risk of depression.
- Keep your bedroom cool, dark and comfortable.
- Try white noise to muffle outside sounds.
- When you are unable to sleep, get out of bed and leave the room. Read or do another activity for 15-20 minutes until you get sleepy.
- Limit your screen time especially at night.
- Engage in moderate aerobic exercise in the morning or afternoon to aid sleep.
- If you smoke, refrain from doing so several hours before bed.
- To get your mind off negative thoughts, practice gratitude. Think of something positive for each negative thought.
- Keep a notepad by the bed to write down pesky thoughts or ideas.
- Avoid napping during the day.
Conclusion
Our minds and bodies need to rest. We cannot keep going without adequate sleep and rest. We have to take care of our minds and bodies if we want to be productive during the day and have good relationships. Quality sleep is critical for health and performance. If you struggle with sleep, try to implement some of the good sleep hygiene strategies into your nightly routine to create good sleep habits for better, more consistent sleep. Saying a simple prayer before bed can be helpful as well… “Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that in my time of rest, You will relax my mind and body so that my sleep will be peaceful and restful so that when I wake, I will feel replenished and ready to start the day strong. Amen.” May God bless your sleep and keep you in perfect peace!