Good Sleep & Good Mental Health
Have you ever heard the saying “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today,” when they’re in a bad mood? Well, there’s a reason for that. Maybe it’s a work deadline, a night out with friends or family, needing a new mattress, a medical condition, or binging your favorite show, but not getting a good night’s sleep does have an effect on your mental and physical health. The relationship between sleep and mental health is definitely complicated and complex. Lack of sleep has a demonstrated link to depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and other conditions.
Research is ongoing to understand the true connection between sleep and mental health, but there is a connection between lack of sleep and psychiatric conditions, and the development of different mental health problems. Our brain needs sleep to operate at its maximum capabilities. Lack of sleep can cause confusion, trouble concentrating, difficulty with memory recall, trouble finding the right words, and even feeling overwhelmed easily. This “brain fog” is common in people who didn’t get a full night’s sleep.
Mood changes are another side effect of not getting enough sleep. Have you ever woken up after a late night and felt irritable, increased anger, or high anxiety the next day? It’s because when your brain is sleep-deprived it doesn’t function normally and can suppress the reactivity of the emotional center of the brain. When you sleep your body and brain reset and refresh from the activity of the day. Think of yourself like a computer. If you leave the computer running all the time and never restart it, it becomes slow and performs poorly. We are the same way.
Our brains’ activity fluctuates during sleep. During the different stages of sleep, the increase and decrease of brain activity are important to brain health and allow different parts of the brain to ramp up or slow down warranting better thinking, memory, and learning.
How do you get better sleep? There isn’t a cure-all or quick fix for lack of sleep. Each person is going to be different, and treatments will differ from person to person depending on the situation. If you know you are struggling with anxiety, depression, or stress seeking help from a medical professional would be a great first step. Some over-the-counter sleep aids can also be helpful, but you’ll need to be mindful of side effects.
A good night time routine can also help you get the sleep you need to be at your best the next day. Herbal remedies, therapy, and exercise are also ways to help improve your sleep quality. One of the most important ways of ensuring you get a good night’s sleep is by having a mattress that allows you to relax and drift off into a restful sleep. Your mattress, base, and pillow are major pieces of the good night’s sleep puzzle. If you lie awake at night unable to get comfortable enough to fall asleep, it might be time for a new mattress. Don’t wait on improving your quality of sleep. You deserve to live well and sleep well. If you think a new mattress will help you get the sleep you deserve come in today. We’d love to help you sleep soundly every night.
