Sleep and Your Mental Health

Your whole life you’ve probably been told that sleep is important. It benefits your body physically in many ways. However, your sleep can also have a direct impact on your mental health as well. If you experience depression or any other kind of mental illness, then you need to understand how your sleep is affecting your mental well-being. 

How Sleep Affects Mental Health 

During sleep, your brain processes everything from your day including your experiences, emotions, new knowledge, etc. This is an essential function because this is when your brain evaluates everything and stores the information as memories. A lack of sleep disrupts this process and research has shown that it especially disrupts the positive content of your day. Without these positive experiences being processed, your mental and emotional state can continue to decline. While sleep problems have often been associated with mental illness, research has shown that it is both the result of mental illness as well as a potential cause for mental health struggles. Improving your sleep can help improve your mood and your overall symptoms. 

Changing Your Habits 

To change your sleep habits, you should start with your nightly routine. Consider including calming activities that lower your heart rate and give your body a chance to slow down. Taking a bath/shower, reading a book, or meditating are great options. Avoid anything that stimulates you. For example, staying off your phone an hour before is a good idea. Next, you need to create the right environment. A cool, dark, and quiet room is the ideal place to sleep. You can achieve this with blackout curtains, an eye mask, fans, noise machines, etc. Having the right environment will make it easier for you to sleep. Make sure you set aside 7-9 hours for sleep each night. 

Other Benefits of Improved Sleep 

While sleep is beneficial to your mental health, it can impact your body in several other ways. Getting adequate sleep has been linked to maintaining a healthy body weight. This is a physical benefit, but it can also improve your self-image and then impact your mental health as well. Your immune system is also improved with more sleep and you’re less likely to get sick. Better sleep also reduces your stress, helps you get along with others more, and it helps you to be more productive during the day. 

Struggling with depression or another mental illness can cause serious disruption to your daily routine. Getting better sleep is just one way you can improve your symptoms. Seeking treatment for your depression can help you find relief. 

TMS Clinics of Canada can provide you with a non-invasive treatment to provide lasting relief. Click here to learn more about TMS therapy.