The Importance of Sleep on Mental Health and Mood
The Importance of Sleep on Mental Health and Mood
“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”
You’ve probably heard this one a lot throughout your life. It sounds tough and strong, almost stoic. And you probably hear it enough that it’s gotten stuck in your head. Like with a lot of sayings, hearing it over and over makes it sound like a statement of fact. Who needs sleep anyway?
In reality, this statement is just another example of hustle culture and the current obsession with getting things done—even at the cost of our health. One thing that often gets sacrificed when it comes to working and even partying is sleep. This lack of sleep really adds up, though, and causes many problems—both physical and psychological.
Besides being cranky, a lack of sleep has many negative effects on your mental health. Below is more information about the importance of sleep, how a lack of sleep can affect you, and what you can do if you find yourself losing sleep due to behavioral health issues or partying.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is important in so many ways. It affects your brain functions, immune system, hormone levels, memory, and—of course—your mood and mental health.
There are a few ways a lack of sleep affects your mental health:
Irritability
Anyone that’s missed a good chunk of sleep knows how irritable, stressed, impatient, and even angry a lack of sleep can make them. In fact:
“University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.”
Depression and Anxiety
A lack of sleep can also dramatically affect the levels of a person’s depression and anxiety.
From the same Harvard Medical School article:
"Sleep problems may, in turn, contribute to psychological problems. For example, chronic insomnia may increase an individual's risk of developing a mood disorder, such as depression or anxiety. In one major study of 10,000 adults, people with insomnia were five times more likely to develop depression. Lack of sleep can be an even greater risk factor for anxiety. In the same study, people with insomnia were 20 times more likely to develop panic disorder (a type of anxiety disorder). Another study showed that insomnia is a reliable predictor of depression and many other psychiatric disorders, including all types of anxiety disorders."
A lack of sleep can also cause major issues like hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and more.
Reach Out for Behavioral Health Support
If you are suffering from a behavioral health, substance use, or dual diagnosis disorder that is leading to a lack of sleep and you would like additional support, reach out to Front Door Health.
Front Door Health provides in-home treatment for patients when they need it. We take a scientific approach to treatment, and we create custom treatment plans for our patients to increase their chances of success. Our treatment process is client-focused and individualized. This means no group sessions with strangers and no “treatment as usual” approach. You are unique and the treatment plan we create for you is designed to meet you where you are along your journey and help you to reach your recovery goals.
Front Door Health is on the cutting edge of behavioral health treatment, and we work with patients that have access to sleep-tracking devices (like smart watches and bands) to better understand the consistency and restfulness of their sleep. We then use this information to better their treatment and improve both their mood and mental health.
We understand that it can be difficult to put your life on hold and take time off work or school. Our in-home treatment allows patients to continue to meet their school, family, pet, and other obligations while receiving the treatment they deserve.
If you would like to learn more about in-home treatment, contact Front Door Health today. We’re happy to answer any questions and provide you with the help you need.
info@frontdoorhealthcenter.com
