How sleep affects mental health.
Sleep and mental health go hand in hand. Poor sleep can have a negative impact on not only your body, but your mind too. In turn, mental health problems can affect your ability to sleep well – a cycle which is difficult to break – but one which certainly should be broken.
Many of us have spent the past year feeling anxious about Coronavirus, and this has had a big impact on our sleep, with many people experiencing strange dreams and insomnia. This Mental Health Awareness Week, we want to help you to sleep well, amidst the stress and anxiety we are facing.
Why is good sleep so important for our mental health?
A good night’s sleep helps to ‘reset’ the brain and prepare for emotional challenges the following day – much like charging a mobile phone after use – our body and mind need to recharge before tackling the next day.
How sleep affects mental health: Psychological effects of poor sleep
Prolonged poor sleep can lead to:
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Low mood
- Poor cognitive functioning (making mistakes, forgetfulness, slower reaction time/thinking)
- Psychotic episodes
Physical effects of poor sleep
Prolonged poor sleep can lead to:
- Tiredness
- Raised blood pressure
- Increased level of stress hormones
- Increased risk of cardio-vascular diseases such as strokes and heart attacks
- A weakened immune system
How to look after mental health through sleep.
SleepHubs is a holistic solution to better sleep. With some of Europe’s finest Sleep Experts, we can assess, diagnose and treat a variety of sleep issues including the two most common in the UK today; Insomnia and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.
The first step to looking after mental health through sleep is to find out how well you sleep now and determine what your potential issues are. The SleepHubs Check-Up is a simple, free and quick screening tool to help you find out.
Take the SleepHubs Check-Up now.
Go to https://sleephubs.com/sleephubs-check-up to assess your current sleep.
Whatever your score, SleepHubs can help you to improve your sleep and in turn, improve your wellbeing.
Top Tips for better sleep and mental health:
- Avoid using electronic devices after dinner time – the blue light can turn off your melatonin production which helps you get to sleep. Instead, turn off your phones, laptops and TV’s and find a calming activity such as reading before bed.
- Switch your timing of alcohol and caffeine consumption – a cup or two of coffee in the morning is fine, but try to limit your intake later in the day to give your body a chance to process it before bed.
- Regular exercise – try to get outside in the sunlight if you can.
These are just a few of our favourite tips but there are many more steps you can take to sleep better.
Go to https://sleephubs.com/sleephubs-check-up to start your journey to better sleep.