Everyone knows that sleep is important. But the quality of your sleep can have a profound impact on your mental health. In fact, studies show that poor-quality sleep may be just as harmful to your long-term physical and emotional well-being as not getting enough of it at all.
Poor sleep has been linked to mood disorders, anxiety, depression, and other issues like obesity and diabetes – just to name a few! That’s because when you don’t get enough high-quality restful sleep (REM), it’s harder for the body to regulate hormones such as cortisol (stress) or serotonin (mood). This can trigger an avalanche effect where one bad thing leads to another until you’re dealing with serious long-term problems. That’s why it’s so important to get a good night’s rest each night.
Anxiety and depression
Depriving yourself of sleep can cause you to be more irritable and impatient with others – two characteristics that may trigger feelings of anxiety and depression. You may also find yourself more likely to overreact and get stressed out.
Long-term sleep deprivation can even cause you to experience chronic stress, which is a major factor in mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
Anxiety is created when your brain doesn’t have enough time to recover at night. This can give you a temporary case of the jitters, but it can also lead to insomnia, which further impacts your mental health on multiple levels.
These issues are some of the main reasons why you need to take care of your sleep and give your body the best possible conditions to recover and de-stress.
First and foremost the easiest way to help your body is with a great bed and a mattress. You may browse beds and mattresses provided on the internet or you can see here to discover something that you like. You need to make sure you have a comfortable, supportive mattress that is right for your body. If you don’t have this then you are forcing your body into positions that are hard on it, which in turn creates more stress. The key is finding the right balance between firmness and softness so that you feel as if the mattress is cradling you and not trapping you.
Mood and emotions
Mood disorders are often connected with an imbalance in neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, so poor sleep can trigger mood swings by hampering the production of these “feel-good” chemicals.
Not getting enough high-quality restful sleep may also affect your brain’s hippocampus, which regulates all sorts of emotions. It can cause you to become more pessimistic and less likely to be able to see a situation from someone else’s point of view. You may become less able to empathize or relate to others.
In addition, sleep deprivation can trigger a serotonin deficiency, which is a major factor in impulsive behaviour and anger management issues. This is a serious problem for a lot of people because more than 50% of the population regularly experiences some form of stress around work or family life – two major factors in poor sleep.
Effects on your energy levels
Getting enough quality sleep at night means the difference between dragging through the day or getting things done. Without proper rest, it’s hard for your body to recuperate properly from physical activity (or lack thereof). Plus, if you’re tired all the time, it can become harder to take care of your responsibilities such as keeping up with work or school—which will impact how fulfilled you feel in life.
Sleep deprivation can also cause you to crave unhealthy foods that offer quick energy, which is why it’s not uncommon for those who are constantly tired to pack on pounds.
Best sleep positions – How to find yours?
It’s important to note that your sleep position can make a big difference for your body because every one of us has a preferred position. This will have a big impact on your level of discomfort and how well you can sleep or relax at night. If you sleep with your spine twisted, for example, it will put unnecessary pressure on certain parts of your body and cause aches and pains throughout the night.
Certain positions even affect circulation, which can leave you feeling lethargic and unable to focus, let alone function at your best. In order to wake up fully rested, make sure you get a good night’s sleep every single night by going to bed at the same time and keeping your sleeping space quiet, dark, comfortable, and cool.
Waking up often
If you wake up often during the night it can leave you feeling exhausted and affect your mood. If you’re up at night for long periods of time it can make it harder to fall back asleep or leave you struggling to feel rested even when you do manage to get some shut-eye.
Many people don’t realize that waking up during the night is a sign of poor sleep quality, which can lead to physical symptoms like headaches, heartburn, and stomach pain. On the flip side, sleeping badly means that mentally you’re not quite getting the rest you need. Lack of sleep can also cause memory loss, trouble concentrating, and a lack of energy to get things done during the day.
What seems like just a few waking hours every night can lead to an accumulation of sleep debt that ends up making you feel constantly tired—even though you’re technically catching up on some sleep. Don’t let this happen to you!
The best thing to do is not fight it and accept that you have to wake up in the middle of the night for a few hours, rather than pull an all-nighter and put your body’s natural biological clock out of sync. By getting good restful sleep each night—without interruption from being woken up or waking up too early—your mind and body will thank you with even better performance when you need it most.
Consequences on your overall health
Not sleeping well can cause you to put on weight and lower your sex drive, which can negatively impact your overall physical health as well as your emotional happiness. Plus, if you’re tired all the time, it makes it much harder for you to eat healthily and exercise regularly – two crucial aspects of a healthy lifestyle that keep your body fit and strong. If left untreated, poor sleep quality may even lead to serious conditions such as obesity or diabetes.
If you’ve been struggling to get enough quality sleep, it may be time for a change. The first step is admitting that there is an issue and committing to making changes – even small ones like setting up your bedroom so it’s conducive to getting the right type of sleep and creating a bedtime routine.
Once you’ve made those adjustments, take steps towards improving your mental health by finding ways to destress during the day or practising mindfulness exercises before bedtime.
Don’t let this problem linger any longer – it can have serious consequences on both your physical as well as emotional well-being. When all else fails, consult with professionals who specialize in helping people improve their lives through better health habits!
Author:
Arthur Brown is a dad of 3 kids and is a keen writer covering a wide range of topics such as health, fitness, Internet marketing, and more! When not writing, he’s found behind a drum kit.
