Just like eating and breathing, sleep is one of the main elements that our bodies need in order to have a positive impact on mental health. Sleeping gives our bodies time heal and to repair while letting our brains synthesise out memories and process information. Scientists have discovered that not sleeping enough affects brain and stress hormones. It disturbs thinking and emotional balance. Because of this, insomnia which is the inability to fall asleep worsens mental disorders.
More than 400 years ago, William Shakespeare described the gift of sleep and the distress of insomnia:
O sleep! O gentle sleep!
Nature’s soft nurse, how have I frighted thee, That thou no more wilt weigh my eyelids down And steep my senses in forgetfulness?
– Henry IV, Part 2
Not getting enough sleep takes away our ability to regulate emotions. 50% to 80% of people seeking mental health care for anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) most of the time complaints of issues with sleep. As repetitive thoughts and worries keep you awake, it also might lead to a panic attack, this is cause through anxiety. You might feel unsafe and uncomfortable staying awake in the dark because of the night terrors and the nightmares, this happens when you have gone through a traumatic situation and when it keeps coming as flash-backs. Sometimes when people are isolated, feeling lonely, when they do not have anyone to talk to or when they feel like nobody understand them, mental health issues as well as sleep deprivation can surface.
Poor sleep leads to worrying and Worrying leads to poor sleep. Worrying about sleep is like your mind trying to fight itself.
Since sleep affects mental health you can improve your sleep hygiene by adjusting the light, changing eating and doing habits, including an exercise routine or even writing a journal.
Very informative ! Learned a lot about sleep and how it worsens my anxiety! Going to sleep now !
❤️thanks for reading