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

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.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.