Have you ever heard someone say they woke up on the wrong side of the bed?
Well, there’s actually some truth to that idea.
Struggling to get enough shut eye at night cannot only leave you feeling tired and grumpy, but it can also have big impacts on your mental health in the long term.
What makes sleep so important?
“That’s really an age-old question that science is just starting to answer. We’re learning that certain critical processes can only occur during sleep,” said Leslie Swanson, Ph.D., clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.
It turns out getting enough sleep is as essential to our bodies as getting enough food and water.
Deep sleep stages are a crucial time for our mind and body to repair, renew and restore itself.
REM sleep, which is the sleep stage when we dream, allows our brains to process the emotions and memories from our day.
You can think of REM sleep as an emotional tune-up that helps link old memories to new memories as well as cope with emotional events.
Not spending enough time in these important stages of sleep interrupts key functions in the brain and body that keep us happy and healthy.
When you get consistently too little sleep, whether due to insomnia, stress or lifestyle factors, you miss out on the many brain- and body-boosting benefits that sleep brings.
This can leave you feeling unrested and even contribute to poor mental health since the two are closely linked.
“Sleep is something that can positively impact mental health overall, and also if sleep is suboptimal, it can be a challenge in overcoming other mental health concerns,” said Greta Raglan, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan Medical School.
One of the most common sleep complaints tied to mental health is insomnia.
Knowing more about insomnia
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep and is experienced by more than half of individuals who have depression or bipolar disorder.
In some people, insomnia can serve as a warning sign that a new depressive or bipolar mood episode is about to occur.
Insomnia can also increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors if left untreated.
Those who start to experience insomnia and don’t already have a mental health diagnosis are also at a higher risk of developing a new mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorder or psychosis.
“Poor sleep can trigger or worsen mental health symptoms, but mental health struggles can in turn disrupt sleep. This can end up in a vicious cycle with poor sleep and poor mental health feeding each other,” said Swanson.
The good news is that treating sleep problems like insomnia can dramatically improve symptoms from mental health conditions.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is the first-line treatment for insomnia, and research shows it’s highly effective in most people.
CBT doesn’t require medication and involves behavioral skills that can be learned in just a few sessions with a CBT-trained therapist or health care provider, and these skills can provide long term insomnia relief.
Medications may be a helpful short term treatment for some people experiencing insomnia or may be used in conjunction with CBT to improve sleep quality and duration.
It’s important to remember that sleep medications come with side effects and risks, so they’re only used in specific situations and for a limited period of time.
While insomnia is a common cause of poor sleep, other sleep conditions can also make quality sleep challenging and impact mental health.
Circadian disorders are connected to your body’s internal clock, which tells you when you should be awake and when you should be asleep.
When your internal clock is out of alignment with our physical environment, it can cause you to want to go to sleep and wake up earlier or later than conventional, socially-acceptable times.
Shift work can also throw off your internal clock, so those who work late in the evenings or early in the morning can experience sleep issues.
Jet lag is another common example of your internal clock being mismatched with your environment.
Other disruptors of sleep
Hypersomnia, restless leg syndrome and obstructive sleep apnea are other conditions that can hurt sleep.
In obstructive sleep apnea, normal breathing is stopped during sleep.
This is because the muscles in your throat naturally relax when you sleep, and in some people, this relaxation can block the airway, making it difficult to breathe.
Symptoms can include pauses in breathing, snoring, gasping or choking while sleeping.
These symptoms may be noticed more by a bed partner than by the individual themself.
Other symptoms you might experience could be the need to get up in the middle of the night to urinate, fragmented sleep, sleep that isn’t restorative and daytime sleepiness.
“Despite a sufficient number of hours in bed, people may wake up feeling quite tired and not refreshed,” said Anita Shelgikar, M.D., clinical professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School.
An in-lab sleep study or at-home sleep apnea test are used to diagnose the condition.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, commonly referred to as CPAP, can be a very effective treatment.
Other options your doctor might consider, depending on your situation, include oral appliances, adjusting your sleep position, weight management and medication.
If you think you or a family member could be experiencing a sleep disorder, talk with your healthcare provider.
“If you’re struggling to get a good night’s sleep, you’ve been getting enough sleep and still feel tired, or if you have concerns about mood issues and sleep, any one of these are reasons to reach out,” said Shelgikar.
Treating underlying sleep disorders will improve your sleep quality, allowing you to feel more rested during the day and setting the stage for positive mental health.
For those experiencing mental health conditions, treating sleep disorders in conjunction with seeking mental health care can lead to better outcomes.
Even if you aren’t experiencing a sleep disorder or a mental health concern, there are several steps you can take to improve your sleep and protect your mental health in the long term.
4 ways to improve your sleep and protect your mental health
- Take a moment to learn your sleep needs
While there are natural variations in how much sleep each person needs per night, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine provides recommendations for optimal sleep health.
Children need anywhere from 9-16 hours of sleep per night depending on their age, with babies needing more sleep and older children needing less.
Teens should aim to sleep 8-10 hours a night while most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep.
Older adults may find they sleep a little less as they age.
Once you know how much sleep you need, focus on choosing a bedtime that gives you enough time to fully rest.
- Pay attention to when you wake up and fall asleep
As with many other healthy habits, consistency is key.
Sticking to regular bedtimes and wake times—yes, even on the weekends—is good for your physical and mental health, setting a predictable rhythm for your days and nights.
Using alarms or reminders can help you remember when to go to sleep and/or wake up.
You can also make sure your internal clock stays aligned by keeping lights bright during the day and dimming them in the evenings.
If you lose out on sleep one night, it’s okay to make it up later.
Just stick to 1-2 hours of extra sleep on a non-work day.
Sleeping more than that can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep the next night, throwing your usual sleep and wake times out of balance.
- Limit caffeine to the early part of your day
Many enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea because it helps you feel alert and ready to start the day.
The caffeine in these beverages, as well as in sodas and energy drinks, takes time for your body to process.
That means opting for an extra cup in the afternoon can have the unfortunate effect of making it more difficult to fall asleep at night.
To give yourself the best chance of feeling tired enough to sleep at your bedtime, avoid caffeinated drinks during the afternoon and evening.
You may also wish to lower your caffeine intake or opt for decaf if you find it keeps you up at night or makes you feel jittery during the day.
Other substances that can interfere with sleep include cannabis, alcohol and nicotine.
While some people report that alcohol or cannabis helps them relax enough to fall asleep, research shows that these substances negatively impact sleep quality and duration.
It’s best to avoid regular use of these substances before bedtime or stop them altogether if possible.
- Build sleep-positive habits
Setting the stage for good sleep starts well before bedtime. Keeping mealtimes consistent throughout the day, avoiding large meals within two hours of bedtime and engaging in regular physical activity are all proven strategies for supporting positive sleeping and waking patterns.
Establishing a wind-down routine for your evenings and sticking to it teaches your mind and body when it is time to prepare for rest.
A good evening routine could include dimming the lights in your space a couple hours before bedtime and avoiding high energy activities.
It also includes putting away electronic devices, as the bright light they emit can interfere with your body’s internal clock.
Another option? Opt to read a book before bed instead of watching tv or scrolling on your phone.
In all, as you work to build better sleep habits, don’t worry too much about getting everything perfect.
“Just because your sleep doesn’t appear to be perfect, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad sleep. What’s important is that you’re feeling well rested during the day,” said Raglan.
If you care about sleep, please read studies about How sleep affects type 2 diabetes management and findings of Connection between sleep apnea and high blood pressure you need to know.
For more information about sleep, please read studies that Sleeping pill lowers key Alzheimer’s disease markers and Scientists discover the link between sleep apnea and dementia risk.
Written by Stephany Daniel, Michigan Medicine.
