Have you ever found it challenging to fall asleep when you're feeling angry, sad, or stressed? And when you wake up with poor sleep, do those emotions just seem to intensify? If so, you're already familiar with the strong connection between sleep and mental health.
There’s a significant link between sleep and mental health. They rely on each other—when one is disrupted, the other suffers too. Lack of sleep can trigger or worsen mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression. On the flip side, mental health challenges can make it harder to get a restful night's sleep.
How Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?
Sleep impacts mental health in several ways. Our body, particularly the brain, needs sleep to function properly. Key cognitive functions, like memory consolidation and neural communication, largely occur while we sleep. Without adequate rest, our brain cannot operate optimally during the day.
When we’re sleep-deprived, it becomes harder to remember information, regulate emotions, concentrate, and focus. Over time, poor sleep raises the risk of developing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. Studies show that 50% to 80% of psychiatric patients face chronic sleep issues, compared to just 10% to 18% of the general adult population.
Although further research is necessary to fully understand the intricate relationship between sleep and mental health, the strong connection is evident in how sleep influences various mental health conditions.
Sleep and Specific Mental Health Conditions
Many mental health disorders are negatively affected by inadequate sleep. Below are some of the most common conditions and how sleep plays a role in them.
Depression
Depression is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders, impacting more than 17 million adults annually in the U.S. It’s a mood disorder that affects emotions and mood, often leading to persistent sadness. There are various types of depression, including postpartum depression, persistent depressive disorder (PPD), and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
While no single factor causes depression, prolonged stress and hormonal changes are common contributors, and these factors can also interfere with sleep. Research shows that people with depression are more likely to experience insomnia. Likewise, individuals with sleep problems are more prone to depression. While getting proper sleep won’t cure depression, it can significantly alleviate symptoms when paired with a healthier lifestyle.
Anxiety
Anxiety is another common mental health condition, affecting over 40 million U.S. adults. It manifests in various forms, including feelings of worry, nervousness, and unease that can be hard to control. Persistent or overwhelming anxiety is often indicative of an anxiety disorder. The most common anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and agoraphobia.
Anxiety and sleep are closely intertwined, creating a vicious cycle where anxiety impedes sleep, and lack of sleep exacerbates anxiety. Experts have found that anxiety disorders are often linked to insomnia. Some anxiety forms may require medication to help improve sleep, but certain lifestyle changes can also reduce anxiety. Practices such as maintaining a consistent bedtime, avoiding phone use in bed, cutting out caffeine and alcohol, and managing sleep-related thoughts can improve both sleep quality and anxiety symptoms.
Grief
Most people will experience grief at some point in their lives. It can arise from various situations, including the loss of a loved one, divorce, job loss, or other traumatic events. Grief manifests through both physical and mental symptoms, such as intense sadness, difficulty concentrating, numbness, suicidal thoughts, weight loss, and body aches.
Grief’s impact on sleep varies, with more intense grief often leading to greater sleep disturbances. Complicated grief, which persists and hinders daily functioning, is linked to shorter sleep durations and poor sleep quality. Though grief must run its course, some strategies for better sleep during grieving include emotional processing during the day, journaling, meditation, and seeking support from loved ones.
Loneliness
Loneliness is a normal emotion, experienced by nearly everyone at some point. However, when it becomes chronic, it can have serious effects. Chronic loneliness is characterized by isolation, social anxiety, excessive social media use, body aches, memory issues, and fatigue.
Loneliness not only leads to fatigue but also reduces sleep efficiency. As humans are inherently social, loneliness raises cortisol, the stress hormone, making sleep more difficult. It’s also tied to weight gain and substance abuse, which further deteriorate sleep quality. To combat loneliness, experts suggest reaching out to others—whether friends, family, or a support group.
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs with seasonal changes, particularly when days grow shorter in autumn and winter. It affects about 10 million adults in the U.S. each year. SAD sufferers typically feel depressed, lethargic, and unmotivated during the winter months.
SAD is influenced by changes in sunlight, which signals to the body when to wake and sleep. People with SAD often struggle to sleep with limited sunlight exposure. Treatments for SAD include sunlight therapy, behavioral therapy, and medications.
PTSD
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by deeply distressing events. It affects both those who experience trauma firsthand and those who witness it. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, mood changes, and heightened fear.
PTSD negatively impacts sleep, with many sufferers reporting nightmares. Difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep is common, and PTSD patients are more likely to turn to drugs or alcohol, which further disrupt sleep. Therapy is often needed to help manage PTSD symptoms and improve sleep quality.
ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is common in children, and it also affects adults. Children with ADHD often struggle with impulse control, paying attention, and sitting still. Adults with ADHD face challenges with concentration and restlessness.
Children with ADHD are at a higher risk of insomnia and other sleep disorders. Their overactive minds prevent them from resting, which worsens ADHD symptoms. Treatment may involve medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes.
Bipolar Disorder
Bipolar disorder is marked by extreme mood swings, from mania to depression. Those in a manic state often feel euphoric, energetic, and irritable, while depressive episodes bring sadness and hopelessness.
Bipolar disorder affects sleep in various ways. During manic episodes, sufferers often feel a reduced need for sleep, while depressive episodes bring an increased need for sleep. Treatment often involves medication and psychotherapy.
OCD
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and actions (compulsions) meant to reduce anxiety. Common rituals include washing, counting, or organizing in specific ways.
For people with OCD, these rituals disrupt sleep. Many sufferers report poor sleep quality and disturbances. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), medication, and outpatient programs are common treatments.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe disorder that distorts reality. Symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking, affecting about 1% of the population.
Schizophrenia often leads to sleep problems, including insomnia. Other common disorders associated with schizophrenia include obstructive sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
How to Improve Both Sleep and Mental Health
Since sleep and mental health are so closely linked, it's no surprise that improving one often benefits the other.
Before trying any of these strategies, it's important to consult with your doctor regarding your mental health. Treatment plans should be personalized, as not all treatments work the same for everyone.
Here are some treatments that can enhance both mental health and sleep quality:
Therapy
Therapy is commonly used to address both sleep disorders and mental health issues. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), in particular, has proven to help those dealing with conditions like insomnia, OCD, and anxiety. CBT is a therapeutic method that explores how thoughts and emotions influence behavior, and how those behaviors, in turn, affect thoughts and emotions. In relation to sleep, CBT can assist in forming healthier sleep habits and addressing the racing thoughts that keep you awake.
CBT is often the primary treatment for chronic insomnia. It typically follows three phases: identifying the anxiety or fear, challenging it, and replacing harmful thought patterns with more constructive ones. For insomnia, an example of CBT would be setting a consistent bedtime and sticking to it every day.
Meditation
Meditation can be an effective tool for people dealing with both mental health and sleep disorders. Meditation, an ancient practice, aims to clear the mind and promote mindfulness. Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can help calm the mind, making it easier to fall asleep. Meditation is particularly beneficial for those with insomnia, as it encourages a state of relaxation conducive to sleep.
To begin meditating, simply follow these steps.
Practice Emotional Wellness
According to the National Institutes of Health, emotional wellness refers to the ability to manage the stresses and challenges of life effectively. Emotional wellness is linked to various positive health outcomes, including better sleep.
The University of New Hampshire offers a few ways to assess your emotional wellness. If you recognize many of the following traits in yourself, you likely have good emotional wellness:
While emotional wellness can seem like an inherent trait, certain strategies can improve it. Reducing stress, getting sufficient sleep, adopting helpful coping techniques, practicing mindfulness, and building strong social connections can all contribute to better emotional wellness.
Having a Sense of Purpose
Having a sense of purpose plays a key role in mental health by providing direction, motivation, and self-esteem. When your life feels meaningful, it can also contribute to better sleep quality.
You can discover more meaning in your life by becoming part of a larger community, helping others, and pursuing activities that you love. Talking to a therapist about your life's purpose can also enhance your mental health, which will likely improve your sleep as well.
A 2017 study involving adults aged 60 to 99 showed a connection between a strong sense of purpose and fewer sleep disturbances a year later. The participants with a greater sense of meaning reported fewer symptoms of sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome.
Similarly, a 2020 study comparing older adults with the highest and lowest sense of purpose found that those with a higher sense of purpose were 33% less likely to experience sleep problems, like difficulty falling or staying asleep.
FAQs
How does sleep affect your mental health?
Sleep is vital for your brain and body to function properly, including emotional regulation and stress management. If you’re not getting enough quality sleep, it can worsen symptoms of mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder.
Is there a link between sleep and mental health?
Yes, there is a bidirectional link between sleep and mental health. Both impact each other, meaning that if your mental health is struggling, sleep problems may follow. Conversely, being sleep deprived can impair emotional regulation and hinder daily functioning.
How much sleep is ideal for maintaining good mental health?
The CDC recommends that adults sleep at least seven hours per night. However, depending on your lifestyle and health, you may need between eight and nine hours of sleep to feel fully rested. Consistently getting less than the recommended amount can lead to chronic sleep deprivation, which negatively impacts your mental health. The sleep duration suggested by the CDC varies depending on age.
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