In our hectic daily lives the quality and quantity of our sleep is often overlooked. And this is due to a myriad of reasons including children, work, stress, and interpersonal issues, to name a few. For many, this is even the case in the face of regular reminders about how sleep is connected to our mental health on the news and social media.
So, what exactly does happens when we close our eyes? And how can we improve the quality of the rest we are able to get?
I’d venture to guess that everyone has, at one point or another, not gotten enough rest and felt irritable or had trouble concentrating. And this universal experience is really indicative of the larger impact that rest has on our lives. Sleep is a biological function that impacts our hormones, immune system, and metabolism. Likewise, sleep impacts us neurologically in regard to our mood, cognition, and attention. And the list goes on for both as research and science around sleep improves.
In regards to mental health, we know that many diagnoses, like depression, anxiety, and PTSD have symptoms that relate to sleep disturbances. For instance, studies show people who are suffering from depression may find it hard to fall asleep. Some people with anxiety may report similar issues with insomnia, if they find themselves worrying while in bed. PTSD can be associated with anxiety and nightmares that impact the quality and quantity of sleep hours. Likewise, studies have shown that symptoms of mania and psychosis can emerge due to sleep deprivation.
This is all to say, getting an appropriate amount of shut-eye, without interruption, on a regular basis, may be significantly helpful in deterring the onset of mental health symptoms.
So, the science is there, but it doesn’t change the fact that life happens. What can we do?
These are just some general tips to help improve your routine. In some cases, medication or medical intervention, like a CPAP machine, may be necessary. Be sure to visit your primary care doctor on a regular basis to inform them of concerns regarding your sleep. For example, if you wake up in the middle of night, struggle falling asleep, or if someone is concerned about your breathing while you're sleeping.
As previously mentioned, sleep disturbances can be a consequence of a mental health diagnosis. If you feel you are overwhelmed, struggling with your mental health, or just need someone to talk to, you can reach a qualified clinician at Long Island EMDR and schedule an intake appointment at your earliest convenience. To do so, call 631-503-1539 or visit our website.
- Nicholas Costa, Social Work Intern with Hunter College
After a long day, rushing to get your work done, put dinner on the table, and solve the crises everyone runs to you for, you finally get a moment of peace while laying down to sleep. Unfortunately, for many of us, this time can be full of distressing thoughts including memories of the past, fears for the future, and analysis of ourselves. Some even find themselves unable to fall asleep due to these ruminations, making their next day even more tiresome.
Our nighttime thoughts are often a reflection of our daily lives. To a degree, thinking at night is our mind’s attempt to reflect, adapt, and prepare for challenges to come. What this means is that if our days are full of stress then our minds will try to anticipate future stress and prepare us for that stress in our only moment of respite.
Some people find that giving themselves a time, during their waking hours, to feel their stresses and accept them, have less of a tendency to think of these thoughts later on. This can be a difficult task to do, but a number of clinicians at Long Island EMDR can be there to help you get started. Learn about them here.
People who suffer from overwhelming life stress, anxiety, depression, and associated insomnia will often say that their unwanted thoughts make it harder for them to get to sleep each night. This insomnia can lead to decreased work or academic performance, depleted mood, low energy and fatigue, or many other functional impacts.
As silly as it may seem: count sheep. More specifically, there is research that suggests repeating a word or phrase at specific rates (usually 3-4 repetitions a second) can impact our brain’s ability to think of other thoughts. This is called articulatory suppression. This phrase should be neutral so that it doesn’t trigger thoughts of other things to come to mind. Some people find syllables or articles (“the”, “an,” or “a”) as helpful choices.
Others find imagery to be exceptionally helpful in maintaining sleep and getting to sleep. Try this exercise: in your mind, craft a story around yourself doing something that you enjoy most. Do your best to picture the details: sights, sounds, smells, or tastes. By practicing this imagery, you are training your brain to use your imagination to distract yourself from your thoughts. If those intrusive thoughts come to mind, accept that they are there, and push them aside as you author your tale.
Remember, this is a learned skill. It may not come naturally and it may not work the first few tries.
Other things that you may be able to do to focus on your sleep include:
Our brains are very much like a river: the water represents our thoughts and the land represents our mind. If we can place ourselves firmly in the river, and not get carried away with the current, then we can improve our wellbeing. For some, the current, or our intrusive overthinking, will carry us into anxiety, depression, and other negative mental places. So, we look to take some control back and stand up.
Some brief activities can help us to control our thoughts and thus improve our nighttime routines.
