Are you constantly looking up at the ceiling, tossing and turning all night so you can find the perfect position to fall sleep. Well, you’re not the only one. According to a 2019 study by tech giant, Fitbit, India is the second-most sleep deprived country, with an individual clocking in about seven hours and a minute of sleep on an average, coming close to Japan’s six hours and 47 minutes. While there are many causes for poor sleep, one cannot deny that in addition to your physical health, your sleep also impacts your mental well-being. Sleep deprivation affects your psychological state and mental health. And those with mental health problems are more likely to have insomnia or other sleep disorders. This is where the concept of sleep hygiene comes into play.
Sleep hygiene refers to healthy sleep habits. Ms Mehezabin Dordi, clinical psychologist, rehabilitation and sports medicine department, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, Mumbai, explains the importance of a good sleep hygiene because of how crucial getting good sleep is for your mental and physical health, as well as your overall quality of life. She says, “There are various factors that impact an individual’s sleep hygiene. Their behaviours throughout the day can affect how well they sleep. Their lifestyle, eating habits, work schedule, evening routine, and many other activities all play a part in their ability to sleep.”
Poor sleep and its effects on mental health
There is a close association between sleep and mental health, as both have an impact on each other. “Regulating your sleep cycle can directly impact your mental health, and also work in the treatment of different psychiatric disorders,” explains Dordi. Research shows that brain activity during sleep has profound effects on emotional and mental health. Sufficient sleep, especially Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, where there is a rapid increase in brain activity leading to intense dreams, facilitates it’s processing of emotional information. Dordi explains, “During sleep, the brain evaluates and remembers thoughts and memories, and it appears that a lack of sleep can be detrimental to the consolidation of positive emotional content. This can influence mood and emotional reactivity, and is tied to mental health disorders and their severity, including the risk of suicidal ideas or behaviours.”
Another way to understand the close connection between sleep and mental health is to understand how sleep is linked to a specific number of mental health disorders such as depression, seasonal affective disorder, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and ADHD, among others. “Sometimes, a lack of sleep can both be a cause or a result of mental health issues,” she points out.
Sleep is essential to maintain one’s overall good health. How you function while awake is dependent on what happens when you’re asleep. Here are some signs that the quality of your sleep needs to improve:
i. It takes an upwards of 30 minutes for you to fall asleep once you’re in bed.
ii. You constantly wake up at night and then lie awake for 20 minutes or more before you can try to sleep.
iii. You’re always tired and have a hard time concentrating during the day. You depend on caffeine to energise you.
iv. You have dark circles, puffy eyes, or irritated skin with constant breakouts.
v. You get hunger pangs, especially for junk food, and have gained weight.
vi. You’re more stressed than usual, exhausted, and are irritable.
vii. You’ve been diagnosed with insomnia.
Maintaining good sleep hygiene isn’t very difficult. Dordi shares some tips to keep in mind:
1. Depending upon their lifestyles and daily schedules, everyone has different sleep needs. She says, “Throughout our lives, our sleep needs fluctuate. You need to keep a check on the quality and quantity of your sleep. Start by creating a sleep schedule or setting a reminder of at least an hour before you’re supposed to start winding down for the day. Ideally, you need seven to eight hours of sleep to keep yourself healthy.”
2. To ensure healthy and restful sleep, avoid spicy or heavy meals at least three hours before bedtime. Also, avoid caffeine after 7PM. “While alcoholic drinks might help you relax and fall asleep in the short-term, they are considered a very poor sleep aid which can cause many health problems if consumed regularly. Minimise the intake of liquid in the late evenings so that you won’t wake up often. Similarly, nicotine is also a stimulant, and smoking can disturb sleep,” she warns.
3. If you are stressed about the day’s events, or about what is to come, chances are you’ll find it difficult to switch off as soon as you climb into bed. She suggests creating a timetable for tasks to maintain good sleep hygiene. “Take half an hour to read a book, take a warm bath, reduce the ambient light, or light a candle and relax. Reducing ambient light will trigger the production of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness.”
4. A minimum of half an hour of physical activity, such as walking, running, cycling, or skipping can have a huge impact on the quality of sleep.
5. Two very important things to keep in your bedroom to get the most out of your sleep: a comfortable mattress and a regulated room temperature. “Keep away all screen lights, and avoid using tablets or other gadgets. Try and make your bedroom more relaxing and dark for a restful sleep,” she says.
6. Maintain a set wake-up time every day. “Waking up at the same time sets your body clock so it automatically knows when your bedtime is,” she shares.
7. Train yourself to use the bedroom only for sleep and sexual activity. “This will condition your brain to see your bed as the place for sleeping. Eating, watching television, and any other activity is not recommended,” she advises.
8. Avoid long naps. Keeping yourself awake during the day will tire you out and help you sleep better at night. “Naps totalling more than 30 minutes increase your chances of having trouble falling asleep at night,” she signs off.
Also Read: 5 Ways How Sleep Affects Happiness And Health
Also Read: Sleep Problems Are The Cause And Consequence Of Poor Mental Health