Health

Mental Health Versus Sleep; The Benefits Of Sleep On Your Mental Health.

Published

9 months ago

9 August 2024

Mental Health Versus Sleep; The Benefits Of Sleep On Your Mental Health

Mental health and sleep are connected in a way that both affects each other. When you get good sleep, you are able to function well, emotionally, socially, and even psychologically, being able to carry out various activities for the day. When you don’t get good and quality sleep, you will find it hard to focus on activities making you feel frustrated, stressed, and burnt out.

A woman with mental health issues sitted on a couch with one hand on her chin

People are increasingly getting aware of mental health and the impacts it has on everyday living. Sleep amongst other factors can help you improve your mental health by allowing for adequate blood circulation.

What Is The Connection Between Sleep And Mental Health?

When you have a mental health issue, you will find it difficult to sleep and rest your mind and body. This state of being restless and not getting enough sleep then worsen the mental health issue you are facing.

For instance, you have to pay your rent in two months but you don’t have the money for it. This keeps you worried and anxious (mental health issue). Since you are in this state, it becomes difficult for you to sleep and rest your mind. Not getting adequate sleep can deprive your brain of the right amount of blood circulation it needs to get nourished and function properly.

Do you also know that how you act, think and behave also affects your physical well being? Let’s take depression for example. A depressed person is always sad and has lost interest in most things about life including their health. This can lead to serious health issues like diabetes, stroke, etc. The presence of these health issue then increases the depression issue making them feel more sad and uninterested about life.

The Science Of Sleep: It’s Impact On Brain Function And Emotions.

It was believed before that your brain is dormant when you sleep but researches made has proven that human brain is active during sleep. This is because it recieves much blood flow during this period.

As you sleep, your brain goes through different cycles. In the first part of the cycle called Non REM sleep, made of four stages, your brain’s learning and memory ability is improved upon.

The four stages in the cycle includes;

Being awake and slowly falling asleep.
Light sleeping where your heart rate and breathing is regulated and body temperature reduces.
Deep sleep is encountered in the last two stages. In this stages, you know nothing of what is happening in your external environment.

In the second part of the cycle called REM, your eye movement and brain waves are similar to that of being awake. Your breathing is increased.

Normally, the cycle will repeat for four to five times before you are fully awake. But with each cycle, the deep sleep you experience in stage three and four in the first cycle part reduces.

Being sleep deprieved affects your brain’s function and negatively impacts your emotions. When you get healthy amount of sleep, it improves your brain’s ability to acquire and retain informations. Research has also shown that waste products from the brain cells are removed effectively. Something that isn’t very possible when you are awake.

Your brain being able to receive adequate rest and enough detoxification enhances how you think, act, and behave. Thereby, reducing mental health issues.

Here are some mental health issues that can affect your mood, behavior and thinking.

Depression.
Anxiety disorders.
Eating disorders.
Addictive behaviors.

Benefits Of Quality Sleep.

Some common things you stand to benefit from getting quality sleep are listed below.

Improved Weight: Getting enough sleep helps the brain function properly and thus helps you control how you eat. Excessive eating can also be a cause of irrational weight gain but eating in the right quantity can help with improved and controlled weight gain.
Improved Productivity: Adequate sleep helps you think clearly, make better decisions, and increases your focus level leading to better performances at work and in life.
Enhanced Mood: Have you noticed how happy you are each morning after getting adequate rest at night? That’s it. Getting enough sleep helps your body relax from the day’s stress.
Improved Learning and Memory: sleep helps to increase blood flow to the brain thereby giving it essential nutrients from the blood and detoxifying the brain of worn out cells.

Practical Tips For Improved Quality Of Sleep.

Experiencing a better state of mental health, you will need to improve the quality of your sleep. Here are easy to understand prayical tips for improving your sleep quality.

Turn off your room light an hour before bed time.
Dim the light from your gadget as those lights make it harder to fall asleep.
Eat your dinner early, at least 2 hrs before bedtime.
Avoid taking caffeine or drinks containing caffeine as it was produced in such a way to deprive you of sleep.
Limit daytime naps by taking at most an hour of sleep during the day if you must.
Learn to manage your worries by jotting down troubling thoughts before bedtime. Learning more on stress management can help you.

Conclusion.

Your mental health affects not just your sleep but every area of your life. You are encouraged to prioritize matters of mental health and see a medical practioner if you can’t manage mental health issues on your own.

Health

Surprising Symptoms Of Vitamin D Deficiency

Published

2 days ago

21 April 2025

Fadire Olusola

Vitamin D are fat-soluble compounds that have numerous nutritional benefits for you.. When you suffer from vitamin D deficiency, your muscles and bones are adversely affected. Because the symptoms of vitamin D deficiency are similar to other ailments, it’s difficult to know. Here are some surprising signs that you lack enough vitamin D.

Fatigue and Tiredness

It’s not uncommon to be tired after a busy day’s work or travel ; however, if it continues after some days, it could be low in vitamin D. You could limit your work and have extended rest to reduce the amount of fatigue. Moreover, taking some vitamin D supplements could help you become more agile.

Recurring Illness

Are you experiencing an illness that keeps coming back l, it could be lack of vitamin D . There have been links showing people with low amounts of vitamin D suffering from repetitive illness. If you find yourself in this situation, talking to your doctor could be ideal.

General Body and Muscle Pain

One of the nutrients that your body needs is vitamin D. People who experience frequent back and muscle pain, could be suffering from low vitamin D. While pain relief drugs can be helpful, taking vitamin D supplements and food rich in vitamin D is recommended.

Bone Fracture and Osteoporosis

People need vitamin D to help strengthen bone structure. Bone structure helps grow bones, which will make you strong enough to carry out your tasks. However, low vitamin D can cause osteomalacia in most adults, which can lead to soft bones.

Hair Loss

While hair loss is generally linked with old age, vitamin D deficiency can also cause it. This is because vitamin D helps regulate the hair cycle and promotes the growth of new hair. In medical spaces, alopecia is a health disorder that leads to hair loss. Those with this condition should take foods rich in vitamin D.

Depression

Various factors cause depression, and they include loss of job, and illness. . However, some research has proven that vitamin D deficiency is one of the reasons why people are depressed. People who are depressed have shown remarkable improvement when they increase their vitamin D intake.

Bottom Line

Vitamin D nutrient supports nerves, muscles and general body health. Low vitamin D can lead to depression, tiredness and frequent illness. You can conduct a blood test to know if you are suffering from vitamin D deficiency, and when it comes out positive, ask your doctor what to take to improve your vitamin D levels.

Health

5 Reasons To Eat More Avocado

Published

2 days ago

21 April 2025

Fadire Olusola

Are you interested in living a healthy life? Do you think fruits and vegetables are ideal for general health? If you can relate with the above questions, then avocado should top your meals today. Avocado remains a good source of key nutrients which includes fibre and healthy fats. Moreso, Avocado contains high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which combat heart diseases. Here are 5 reasons why eating more avocado is recommended.

Excellent for Gut Health

Avocados have immense fiber, which benefits everyone . Having more fibre in your diet is important because you are relieved of digestive complications. Also, fibre helps maintain a good atmosphere for the growth of healthy bacteria. Various health researchers suggest that taking more avocados can help reduce inflammation and combat cancer.

A Good Source of Healthy Nutrients

Aside from fiber, avocados have a high concentration of essential nutrients, which are unavailable in many diets. This fruit contains the following nutrients :

Vitamin C
Fat
Calorie
Vitamin E
Riboflavin
Niacin
Folate
Copper
Manganese
Potassium

These are just some of the nutrients you can find in avocados as it boasts numerous others. These nutrients are available in large proportions in avocados and are beneficial to those seeking good health.

Helps Lower The Risk of Heart Disease

By taking nutrient-dense fruits like avocado in large quantities , you guard against heart illness. The rich nutrients found in this fruit play a huge role in keeping your cardiovascular system in good shape. One of the benefits of eating avocado is that it helps reduce cholesterol levels in the body. Also, the high potassium in it s is ideal for blood pressure regulation and guarding against heart attacks.

Healthy Body Weight Management

There are factors that help manage body weight, and they include regular exercise and a balanced diet. Asides having high calories, it contains abundant nutrients that help maintain good body weight. People who are overweight need to it more and other fibre-based meals to help maintain good body shape.

Ideal for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

Pregnant and breastfeeding women need twice the normal nutrients required. Unfortunately, most women in this state don’t meet the daily requirement, which could cause pregnancy complications. High amounts folate, B6, and vitamins are important for pregnant women. Additionally, avocado is known to help reduce constipation pains, common during pregnancy.

Final Thoughts

Avocados are excellent sources of important nutrients that the body needs. Eating this fruit regularly will help protect against heart disease, enhance body satiety and improve overall diet quality.

Health

Get Fit, Stay Fit: Practical Tips From Experts

Published

5 days ago

18 April 2025

Fadire Olusola

A healthy lifestyle is essential for everyone regardless of age, status, and sex. Meanwhile, whole foods and drugs are considered good for overall well-being, keeping fit is highly recommended. If you want to learn how to stay and keep fit, here are some tips that could benefit you .

30 Minutes of Regular Exercise

Regular exercise is one of the ways you can keep fit. Daily exercise is the best , as 10-minute sessions are great for everyone who wants to be healthy. Some effective exercises you can use are :

Yoga
Running
Skipping
Swimming
Cycling
Dancing

Balanced Diet

Aside from regular exercise, you are advised to eat foods rich in proteins and vitamins and low in fats. Moreover, try to reduce your intake of junk food or avoid it totally. This is because most of these foods are unhealthy and have too many carbs; veggies, whole grains, and fruits are some of the best foods to add to your list.

Control Your Mental and Emotional Needs

Technology has been a blessing, however, many people have substituted real-life interactions with virtual communications. This is unwise for people who want to stay fit, as it affects their mental health negatively. You need more physical interactions with loved ones, as it promotes emotional wellness.

Stop Taking Tobacco and Recreational Drugs

Tobacco and recreational drugs could cause adverse effects on human health. It will limit physical fitness and cause a lot of illness. There has been various research that links tobacco with various kinds of cancer. Also, long-term drug abuse could cause memory loss and cognitive problems.

Limit Alcohol Consumption

While a bit of alcohol can be healthy, too much alcohol can affect fitness in everyone. Excessive alcohol drinking has been linked to several kidney and liver problems. For those 45 years and above, moderation should be their watchword when it concerns alcohol.

Get Adequate Sleep

Another important fitness tip is having a good sleep. While there are jobs that could prevent people from having adequate sleep, prioritising health over money is the best policy. Sleeping for 7-8 hours is highly recommended. This would help the body function properly, as it will be able to rest after the day’s work.

Regular Medical Checkup

Everyone should make sure they visit the clinic at least twice a year. The human body needs to be regularly checked regardless of your current health status. People have died from heart attacks and strokes without warning. If you see symptoms of weakness or tiredness, you should try to see your doctor. Some supplements and drugs could be prescribed to you based on your current health status. .