Mental Health and Sleeping Disorders
What Are Sleep Disorders?
Sleeping disorders and disturbances are extremely common across the world’s population (Fang et al., 2019). These disorders can negatively impact your natural sleep cycles, sleep quality, and sleep quantity. These disturbances in sleep can have a significant impact on your daily functioning, physical and mental health, and overall well-being (APA; American Psychiatric Association, n.d.). However, there are many different treatments, techniques, and strategies to help reset your sleep cycles and get your sleeping patterns back on track, reduce associated mental health concerns, and increase daily functioning and well-being.
Types of Sleep Disorders?
There are a number of different types of sleep disorders that can impact or be impacted by different mental or physical concerns. Some of the most common sleep disorders are insomnia, narcolepsy, and sleep apnea. Some other types of sleep disorders include but are not limited to nightmare disorder, sleepwalking, sleep-related hypoventilation, eye movement sleep behaviour disorder, restless leg syndrome, and circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders (APA, n.d.).
The Connection Between Mental Health and Sleep Disorders
Our sleeping patterns are directly associated with the quality of our mental health (Scott et al., 2021). Empirical research has observed that poor sleep quality and quantity may lead to increased mental health difficulties whereas improved sleep quality and quantity can help reduce mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, and stress (Scott et al., 2021).
Treatment and Techniques To Help Improve Sleep Quality and Quantity
There are a number of techniques and treatment strategies to help improve sleep patterns and cycles.
Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing techniques or progressive muscle relaxation training (PMRT) which involves tensing up and relaxing each of your muscle groups one by one can be helpful strategies to implement before bedtime (APA, n.d.).
Mindfulness-based approaches or mind and body approaches such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture, and massage therapies have been noted as beneficial strategies to implement to help improve sleep cycles (APA, n.d.).
Implementing a healthy, consistent, and well-balanced diet can be helpful to reduce sleep disturbances and in turn increase mental well-being. It is recommended to avoid or limit nicotine, alcohol, sugar, and/or caffeine later in the day before going to sleep and avoid eating large meals in the late evening close to your bedtime in order to promote better sleep quality (Columbia University, 2022).
Regular exercise has been noted as a contributing factor to positive sleep patterns (APA, n.d.). However, ensure you are partaking in physical activity no more than a few hours before your scheduled bedtime to ensure it does not have the opposite effect (Columbia University, 2022).
Create and establish a sleep schedule that helps you get at least 7 hours of sleep a night and avoid naps during the day (APA, n.d.; Columbia University, 2022). Ensure you are going to sleep and waking up at the same time on a regular basis but refrain from going to bed if you are not sleepy (Columbia University, 2022).
Practice stimulus control and control your bedroom environment. Ensure your bedroom environment is a cool temperature and free of bright light and loud noises (APA, n.d.; Columbia University, 2022). Avoid using your phone, working, or watching television in your bed and avoid lying in bed until you are sleepy.
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) consists of stimulus control therapy, cognitive therapy, sleep restriction, and relaxation techniques and has been noted as an effective approach for those experiencing insomnia and those experiencing anxiety, stress, depression, substance abuse, and/or PTSD with insomnia (Taylor & Pruiksma, 2014).
At our clinic, we have therapists like Sumbul and Tara who can help improve your sleep, as well as our Naturopath Dr.Newry. If you are currently dealing with sleep disturbances and are looking towards starting your healing journey please contact us at (647) 267-9853.
References
American Psychiatric Association APA. (n.d.). What are sleep disorders?
https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/sleep-disorders/what-are-sleep-disorders
Scott, A. J., Webb, T. L., Martyn-St James, M., Rowse, G., & Weich, S. (2021). Improving sleep
quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Sleep
Medicine Reviews, 60, 101556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556
Columbia University. (2022, March 16). How sleep deprivation impacts mental health.
https://www.columbiapsychiatry.org/news/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-mental-health
Taylor, D. J., & Pruiksma, K. E. (2014). Cognitive and behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I)
in psychiatric populations: A systematic review. International Review of Psychiatry, 26(2), 205-
213. https://doi.org/10.3109/09540261.2014.902808
Fang, H., Tu, S., Sheng, J., & Shao, A. (2019). Depression in sleep disturbance: a review on a
bidirectional relationship, mechanisms and treatment. Journal of Cellular and Molecular
Medicine, 23(4), 2324-2332. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.14170