By Leanna Coy, FNP-BC
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sleep and mood are closely connected
- The risk of developing anxiety and depression is higher for someone with chronic insomnia
- Treatment options are available that improve sleep and mood disorders
Sleep is an important part of your health and wellbeing. When you don’t get a good night of sleep, you may spend the day irritable, angry, less able to focus on tasks, and more stressed. If you’re struggling with longer periods of sleep deprivation or insomnia, your health starts to suffer. Conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity are all linked with chronic sleep problems. Less talked about is the effect lack of sleep can have on your mental health, and how your mental health can impact the quality of your sleep.
How sleep and mental health are linked
Your sleep and mental health are closely intertwined in a bidirectional relationship. This means that when there are problems with one aspect, such as not getting enough sleep, it can compound or exacerbate the other side, such as causing depression symptoms. This is very apparent with shift workers – those people who work evenings, overnight shifts, and rotating schedules. These workers are more prone to developing depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
In the United States, more than one-third of adults are getting less than the recommended minimum of 7 hours of sleep a night. Because sleep and mental health problems affect each other, sleep deprivation can lead to more mental health concerns, which in turn make sleep harder. For someone with insomnia, they are 10 times more likely to experience depression and 17 times more likely to have anxiety. For those who have sleep apnea, the risks for mental health issues triple. Once this cycle of sleep disruption and mental health issues begins, it forms a feedback loop where each problem reinforces the other, perpetuating the cycle.
Adults aren’t the only ones affected. Teenagers require more sleep but are getting less and less thanks to the use of electronic devices after bedtime. Many teens are now sleeping with their cell phones in their beds or on their pillows. Some are on their phones more than 10 times during the night – watching videos, sending and responding to texts – all during a time when they should be sleeping. This disrupted sleep has led 80% of teens to get less than 8 hours of sleep a night, which is the minimum recommended amount for teenagers.
Knowing the close connection mental health has to sleep, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that depression is continuing to rise among teens. The most recent statistics show that more than 40% of teens experience depression each year.
Why this matters
Sleep deprivation can reduce a person’s ability to control their emotions. This is why mental distress increases with insomnia. When someone’s sleep averages less than 6 hours a night, they are 2.5 times more likely to have mental distress – such as anxiety, depression, or an exacerbation of post-traumatic stress symptoms. On the flip side, improved sleep can decrease depression, and the greater the improvement in sleep, the bigger the mental health improvements.
What you can do to take care of yourself
To manage your sleep and reduce the risk of related mental health issues, take care to protect your sleep. Start by consistently going to bed early and waking up early. This simple step has been shown to improve someone’s mental health. This applies even to people who self-identify as night owls. You can also try these steps:
- Keep good sleep hygiene. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
- Aim to sleep for 6-8 hours every night.
- Make the bedroom a relaxing and comfortable place. This may mean removing the television and any clutter.
- Take time to relax before bedtime without using a screen. The algorithms and apps are designed to engage you, not relax you. Some people will use the time before bed to stretch, take a bath, or practice prayer.
- Avoid consuming alcohol too close to bedtime. Alcohol reduces sleep quality and can cause more sleep interruptions.
- Don’t force sleep. If you are having trouble falling asleep, try reading a book until you are sleepy – avoid grabbing that phone and starting the doomscroll.
During the day, you can help prepare your body to relax at night with a regular exercise routine. Eating a healthy, low-sugar diet and limiting caffeine and other stimulants in the afternoon will also help with winding down in the evening.
Getting enough sleep is more than just feeling well-rested in the morning. When you aren’t getting enough sleep, your mental health is impacted. If you’ve already tried steps to improve your sleep but still struggle, it’s time to speak with your healthcare provider. They can work with you to identify issues that may be affecting your sleep and help you explore treatment options. By addressing your sleep issues with professional support, you’re taking steps to improve both your health and mental well-being.