Better Sleep Better Mental Health

Better Sleep, Better Mental Health

Better Sleep, Better Mental Health – We all know what it is like when we have had a bad night’s sleep. We can feel sluggish, headachy and lethargic. We can struggle to concentrate and find ourselves finding it difficult to complete tasks or just get through the day. Not getting asleep can have a profound effect on our mental health.

We spend about a third of our lives asleep. Sleep is essential – It is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. Sleeping helps us to recover from mental as well as physical exertion.

Sleep and health are strongly related – poor sleep can increase the risk of having poor health, and poor health can make it harder to sleep.  Sleep disturbances can be one of the first signs of distress. Common mental health problems like anxiety and depression can often underpin sleep problems.

Perfectionism and anxiety1

There may be all sorts of reasons that we struggle with sleep, we might have physical health issues, life concerns, anxieties or depression. We might be finding work challenging or have problems in our relationships. Whatever the cause, poor sleep will only compound the issues we are facing and make things harder to cope with.

One of the main ways to find better sleep is get into a routine, get up and go to bed at the same time, create a wind down period before bed where you stop looking at screens and do something soothing and relaxing, such as have a bath or shower, read a book or do some gentle yoga or stretching.

Look at your lifestyle, try to cut down on caffeine, alcohol or energy drinks. Exercise more and try not to nap in the day.

You could also review the environment in which you sleep, is it  calm and comfortable or messy and chaotic? I know that I feel calmer at bedtime, if I have made my bed in the morning, because my bedroom feels calmer and less messy. Do you need black out curtains, different bed linen, or softer lighting. Do you need to declutter and tidy your bedroom.

For many people going to sleep they often listen to white noise, or the tv or radio. I have recently found Sleepcasts on you tube that have been created by Headspace a meditation app. They are audio content designed specifically to create the right conditions for healthy, restful sleep.

You may not want to sign up for a headspace subscription but you can find them for free on youtube. This is my favourite one Rainday Antiques. I have found that I have fallen asleep more easily and slept better listening to them.

The other thing that you can do is seek professional support for the things that you are struggling with. If you would like more formal help and would like to make an appointment with Paul, please call Paul on 07843 813 537 or fill in the form on the Contact Page, if he doesn’t answer he is probably in a session, please leave him a message and he will call you back as soon as he can.

Other posts on sleep, on this website that you might find interesting.

Insomnia and Better Sleep

Tips for Better Sleep

Tips for Better Sleep