Why Sleep Is Crucial to Your Mental Health? 7 Habits That Can Improve Your Sleep Schedule

Updated on July 29, 2024, 05:00 IST

Insomnia can be a trigger for mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. When you’re sleep deprived, it can also increase your anxiety and stress. That’s why it’s important to get a good night’s sleep. Read on to learn how sleep affects your mental health and daily habits that can improve your sleep schedule.

The Importance of Sleep for Mental Health

Sleep is an important aspect of an individual’s overall health. Just like your physical health, sleep is also crucial to your mental health. Millions of people around the world suffer from sleep problems. This not only affects your physical health, but also your mental health. Poor or insufficient sleep has been shown to increase negative emotional responses to stressors and decrease positive emotions, says Columbia University, Department Of Psychiatry.

Insomnia can be a trigger for mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. When you’re sleep deprived, it can also increase your anxiety and stress. According to the Sleep Foundation, your brain activity fluctuates during sleep, increasing and decreasing during different sleep stages that make up the sleep cycle. Research has also revealed that brain activity during sleep has a profound effect on emotional and mental health.

It also says that during sleep, the brain works to evaluate and retain thoughts and memories, and it appears that lack of sleep is particularly detrimental to the consolidation of positive emotional content. This can affect mood and emotional reactivity and has been linked to mental disorders and their severity, including the risk of suicidal thoughts or behaviors.

Here are some habits that can help improve your sleep schedule.

Consistent sleep schedule

Going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, helps regulate your body’s internal clock. This can help improve the quality of your sleep, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.

Do calming activities before bed, such as reading, meditating, or taking a warm bath, as these all signal to your body that it is time to relax. Also, avoid stimulating activities or screens. This can help your body and mind fall asleep.

Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet. Use blackout curtains, earplugs or a white noise machine as this will help create an ideal sleeping environment. A comfortable mattress and pillows can also help you sleep well.

Limit your exposure to blue light. This light, which is emitted by phones, tablets, computers, and TVs, can disrupt your body’s production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. Reducing your screen time at least an hour before bedtime can help you sleep better and maintain your sleep-wake cycle.

Consciously dealing with food and drink

Avoid large meals, caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime. Caffeine and nicotine can stimulate your body and make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

Physical activity during the day can help you sleep better at night. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week, but avoid vigorous activity right before bed.

Short naps can be refreshing, but long or irregular naps during the day can affect your sleep. If you must take a nap, try a short nap of 20-30 minutes early in the afternoon, as this will not affect your sleep.