How Sleep Can Improve Your Mental Health

For those who struggle with mental health concerns, getting regular sleep and rest is so important. In this article are 10 tips on how sleep can improve your mental health.

Feeling lethargic and low on energy can greatly affect your mood. According to the Mayo Clinic, adults need 7 or more hours of sleep per night. Getting the recommended hours of sleep will help you feel more energetic, rested, and ready to tackle the day.

Your body’s cortisol levels are higher during the day and lower at night to prepare your body for sleep. Cortisol is the hormone that helps you be alert and aware. Sleep helps your body stay at the reduced state of this hormone and can reduce your overall feelings of stress.

Sleeping might be the only time that your brain can truly rest, especially if you struggle with racing thoughts. By giving your brain a break at night, you can then spend more time during the day focused on redirecting negative thoughts.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “For adults, getting less than seven hours of sleep a night on a regular basis has been linked with poor health, including weight gain, having a body mass index of 30 or higher, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and depression.”

If you develop a regular sleep schedule, it will help improve your overall health, and therefore, improve your mental health.

While you are sleeping, your body relaxes and your blood pressure decreases, which reduces inflammation levels. If you are not getting a full night’s rest, then your body is not getting a chance to relax and heal.

According to the Sleep Foundation, “The general consensus today is that memory consolidation– the process of preserving key memories and discarding excessive information – takes place during both the non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) stages of your sleep cycle.”

If you have ever tried to go to work after either a couple of hours of sleep or none at all, then you know how difficult it is to concentrate on what you are doing. A good night’s sleep helps increase concentration, clarity, and improves your decision-making skills.

Understandably, your mental health suffers when you are sick. Sleep can help keep your body healthy and work to protect it from illness and strengthen your immune system.

Depression and anxiety are more likely to develop if you have countless nights of restlessness or sleeplessness. That is why it’s important to consult your doctor as well and take steps to improve your sleep quality each night.

When you wake up feeling rested, you are in a better headspace to cope with the difficulties and struggles that you have throughout your day.

Good sleep plays a vital role in mental and overall health. This is why it is important to establish a regular sleep schedule. For more information on the benefits of sleep to your mental health, contact Restore 360. Our therapists are relatable and utilize modern therapeutic techniques to help our patients live whole and fulfilled lives again. Reach out to us at (484) 373-2710 to learn more about our services and how best we can help you live a fulfilled life again.