We all know that sleep is important. Without the right amount of sleep, things like focus, emotional bandwidth, tolerance, psychical and mental health, motivation, and overall functioning can be significantly impacted. Additionally, it has been found that a lack of sleep can contribute to decreased mental health. Sleep disturbances are often a symptom of several different mental illnesses. Harvard medical school released a newsletter stating that “Chronic sleep problems affect 50% to 80% of patients in a typical psychiatric practice, compared with 10% to 18% of adults in the general U.S. population” (2019).
What kinds of sleep disturbances are there?
Under the umbrella of sleep problems, are insomnia, sleep apnea, restless leg syndrome, or other sleep movement disorders; narcolepsy, nightmares, sleep paralysis, restlessness, waking throughout the night, sleep walking, or other activities while asleep. It also includes sleeping too much or too little in general. The reasons behind these sleep disturbances vary, however there are techniques to aid in a healthy sleep and wake schedule.
What to do about sleep problems?
If you are experiencing these difficulties, you may want to consult a medical professional to rule out medical or physical reasons behind your sleep disturbance. A medical professional will be able to help you with a diagnosis, treatment plan, and implementation of that treatment plan. Should they be unable to pinpoint a diagnosis they may also provide you with referrals to a mental health professional.
A few sleep hygiene tips from a mental health professional are as follows:
- Try not to look at your screens close to your bedtime. Purchase blue light blocking glasses or use a blue light filter on your device.
- If you cannot fall asleep due to racing thoughts, keep a journal next to your bed. Try to get those thoughts on paper and out of your head before bed.
- Only use your bed for sleep or sex. If you like to unwind in your bed, try reading instead of scrolling or watching television.
- Have a consistent bed and wake time and stick to it as much as possible.
- If you are sensitive to caffeine, cut it out earlier in the day to lessen any anxiety.
If you are looking for more tips and tools to deal with your sleep disturbances reach out to your primary care doctor or a mental health professional.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health