Lack of Sleep and Mental Health: What You Need To Know

Did You Know That Lack Of Sleep Can Have A Detrimental Impact On Your Well-being?

I definitely have a lack of sleep! I can’t seem to get enough of it! I love my bed, and I need to sleep more than chill in bed. Throughout the pandemic, I got really good at chilling in bed more than actually sleeping in it!

Having a good’s nights rest is so very important for your physical and mental wellbeing.

Benefits to your physical well-being=

Having a good night rest reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.

According to the British Heart Foundation, in a recent study, a link between getting a good’s night rest and reducing the risk of coronary heart disease. Furthermore, the study stated that 6-8 hours of sleep a night were ideal and linked to having a healthy heart.

Having a healthy heart is essential. Sleep has a big impact, as well as lifestyle factors such as having a balanced diet.

Having adequate sleep may prevent you from gaining weight

Your body needs to regulate. With a lack of sleep, your body will automatically produce a hormone that boosts your appetite while simultaneously reducing the production of another hormone that tells your body that it is full.

A reduction in heart problems

Getting less sleep could potentially lead to high blood pressure and possibly heart attacks. Lifestyle matters, people!

Benefits of sleep for your psychological well-being:

Getting a good nights rest enhances your mood!

Nothing beats waking up in a good mood. It sets the tone for the rest of the day. Having enough energy for the day is key to having a good mood. Have you been around someone who was in a grumpy mood because they hardly sleep the night before? Have you been that person before? It’s not nice to be around. It’s not the vibe!

It’s safer to get a decent sleep.

The statistics on driving accidents due to a lack of sleep is scary.

“Driver fatigue (‘falling asleep at the wheel’) is a major cause of road
accidents, accounting for up to 20% of serious accidents on motorways and
monotonous roads in Great Britain.”

Isn’t that wild?!

Lack of sleep can impact your workouts.

If you and your avid fitness junkie enjoy a good workout, you need to know that getting sleep is essential for the recovery process as we as muscle memory. I have noticed that if I don’t get enough sleep and head to the gym, not only do I feel weak; I don’t feel as strong as I normally do. Plus, it takes longer for me to get through a workout as I’m moving much slower. In addition, I fast before going to the gym; therefore, I do not have energy reserved from food, so I need to sleep.

Productivity goes up

If I have a long day ahead of you, having enough sleep can help you stay on top of your game! You will be able to concentrate better and be more alert.

When I was younger, around 16/17, the quality of my sleep started to decline tremendously.

In hindsight, there was a number of factors contributing to my lack of sleep=

Stress

I was feeling overwhelmed. Aside from regular teenage drama and raging hormones, college was intense. I was studying my butt off, trying to get my grades up. To make sure I was studying enough, I woke up extra early to study, exercised and then got ready for school. When I returned home, I studied some more.
I wasn’t getting the sleep I needed, and it was starting to impact my well-being. I began to become incredibly anxious started to retreat into my own world. I had other lifestyle factors that helped relieve stress, but a cloud of anxiety and depression was constantly looming over my head.

I didn’t have a good night time routine.

Getting ready to sleep was a challenge. Before deciding,’ right, I need to go to bed now, I’m tired.’

I would have fallen asleep a couple of times already, sometimes with my phone in hand! I even have evidence. It isn’t good!

I would try to stay up for what, I do not know!

I am an avid sleep fighter.

I would scroll on social media for a while, doing absolutely nothing. The use of electronics before bedtime is not great and doesn’t help with your quality of sleep.

Due to these factors, I experienced symptoms of sleep deprivation. I was drowsy throughout the day, and I struggled to concentrate during my classes.

These factors can increase the risk of the onset of mood disorders such as depression.

This vicious cycle continued for the next few years, and I learned to deal with it and not find a solution for it.

If you would like to know how depression impacted my life, click here.

Here are ways to improve your sleep:

Have a good sleep routine

If possible, have a routine whereby you go to sleep and wake up y everyday y, including the weekends! I work 12-hour shifts which differ every week, so this is something that I will need to adapt to fit my work schedule. If you can do this, try it!

Relieve stress

Exercising is a great way to do this. In this post, I discuss the importance of exercise for your mental health. In addition, journaling is a great way to let off some steam. It is cost-effective and simple to do.

Get help

If your sleep is having a big impact on your daily life, please do tell your doctor. They will provide you with some recommendations on how to improve your sleep hygiene. In addition, if you believe that this contributing to your mental wellbeing as well, speak about it. Thankfully, there are more mental health services than ever before so ensure that you can access services in your local area via face to face or online. Whatever suits you.