A restful night’s sleep can do wonders for your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. If you have any doubts about that, consider the impact of having not slept well. It can be miserable to be groggy and exhausted the next day. All you can think about is lying down, and it’s difficult to focus on your daily responsibilities, like work.
Did you know that chronic sleep deficiency can actually change your brain activity? Your decision and problem-solving capabilities take a hit. It can be harder to control your emotions, and you might act differently than you normally do. Lack of sleep can particularly take a toll on your mental health. If you already struggle with mental health issues, a lack of sleep can make them even worse. Depression and anxiety symptoms, for example, can be exacerbated.
If you’re experiencing both exhaustion and a mental health problem, there are things you can do to help. Keep reading to learn some tips and tricks for getting your best night’s sleep and thus enhancing your mental well-being.
1. Be Mindful of Medications
It’s a chicken and egg problem: Does insomnia lead to mental health difficulties, or does anxiety keep you from falling asleep? Whichever way you cut it, sleep deprivation and increased anxiety and depression symptoms go hand in hand. The more sleep problems you have, the harder it is to manage your mental health issues. Keeping your mental state in check with proper medication can help that.
If you have mild to moderate depression or anxiety, online mental health medication delivery could be beneficial. This enables you to get your prescriptions conveniently and regularly delivered to your door. You won’t run out and have a break in your dosing schedule. Skipping medication can create a vicious cycle for some when they don’t have their mental health condition managed.
That said, certain medications — including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors commonly prescribed for depression — can cause sleep disruptions themselves. SSRIs may, for instance, keep you from nodding off or staying asleep once you do. If such side effects are what’s causing you to skip doses, contact your healthcare provider to devise a better solution. They may be able to adjust your dosage or dosing schedule or prescribe a different medication, so you can go back to sawing logs.
2. Establish a Sleep Schedule
Have you ever woken up five minutes before your alarm is supposed to go off? Do you find yourself automatically waking up at your normal work time on a Saturday? You likely have experienced this at least a few times in your life, and it happens because of routine. If so, count yourself lucky. Your body gets used to a certain cadence, and you do better when you consistently go to bed and get up at the same time each day.
So avoid staying up super late on a Saturday night and sleeping in on Sunday — you’ll just feel groggy come Monday morning. Instead, establish a regular sleep schedule. Pick a window of time in which you consistently go to bed and wake up each day. Your body will naturally begin adjusting to that, and you’ll find yourself drifting off more easily. And in the mornings, you won’t feel so exhausted.
When talking about getting your best night’s sleep, quantity is undeniably a factor. How much should you sleep? Well, that depends on age; the American Academy of Sleep Medicine says adults should sleep between 7-9 hours a night. This range will generally produce the best results vis-a-vis overall health and cognitive functioning.
3. Create a Serene Bedtime Routine
While quantity is important, it’s not enough to just lie in bed for 7-9 hours a night and call it good. If you have trouble falling asleep or waking up frequently, you’ll probably still be tired in the morning. On top of establishing a sleep schedule, create a serene bedtime routine to ease yourself into a restful slumber. An hour or so before bed, begin to wind down. Just like little kids, adults need to slowly turn down the dial on stimulation before bed.
Screens are so prevalent today, but they can be disastrous to your sleep health. Blue light blocks the melatonin hormone that helps you feel tired. Watching television as you fall asleep or scrolling your phone for hours can make it hard to fall asleep. Your body and eyes are exhausted, but your mind is up. Try unplugging from screens before bed.
Switch to a nightly habit of reading a book or listening to music instead. Soften the lights as it gets closer to bedtime. Cut out caffeine and snacking a few hours before you hit the hay. A nice, warm decaf beverage, like herbal tea, might be calming as well. Whether it’s white noise or a lavender bath, identify what relaxes you and make it part of your nightly ritual.
Don’t Give Up
It can be exhausting being, well, exhausted. It takes its toll on you, especially if you’re in an insomnia spiral. Don’t give up, though. Trying and sticking with a few of these tips can help you get a restful night’s sleep. Even better, it can bolster your mental health.