5 Tips For Better Mental Wellness Through Restful Sleep

May 9

By Marcus Narsaiya, RCC

Sleep is essential for our everyday functioning, recovery, enjoyment, learning, and growth. [1] Unrestful sleep with sleep disturbances overnight have been shown to be correlated to intensity of anxiety and depression symptoms experienced by individuals when distressed. [2] When we are stressed and unwell sleep can make the difference between manic impulsive functioning without inhibition, and the breakthrough of psychotic symptoms,[3] including hallucinations and delusions and excessive cognitive disorientation. Sleep is directly related to our ability to process our experiences, recuperate and repair from our daily expenditures, build off of past learnings and integrate new ways of navigating distress within ourselves and the world.

Here are my 5 tips for better mental wellness through restful sleep:

Have a Sleep Routine:

Go to sleep at similar times each day if you can. Set up a routine of activities that gradually lead to your going to bed. This might look like some light physical activity including housework like dishes or taking out the trash, prepping your sleep space by turning on any fans, sound machines, or humidifiers you require and preparing yourself by brushing your teeth and washing your face.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is about making sure your sleep is as restful as possible, and this means making sure your sleep space is clean and comfortable in advance of your wanting to head to sleep.Good sleep hygiene starts with personal hygiene, but includes the cleanliness of your sheets, the freshness of the air you are sleeping in, and the absence of artificial blue wavelengths like those in electronic screens in your sleep space. Consider investing in a HEPA filter for your sleeping space, especially during allergy season, and be sure to wash your sheets and clean your carpets and drapes at least weekly.

Induce Sleep with Stretches or Temperature Changes

Light exercise before sleep has been shown to increase sleep depth and quality. [4] Light exercise might include 15-minute stretch routines, including yoga or seated meditative practices, or an evening after-dinner walk around the neighbourhood. Additionally, you can induce a deeper sleep by putting your body through a temperature decline.[5] Core temperature decreases trigger sleep and can easily be achieved through having a warm cup of caffeine-free tea or warm water before bed. Alternatively take a hot shower or bath before sleeping. An easy trick is to open your bedroom window just as you go to lie down so that your room and body cool as you are readying yourself for sleep. It helps to lower the thermostat in the evenings and save on your heating bill overnight at the same time!

Avoid Caffeine, Alcohol, Cannabis, Energy Drinks, Refined Sugars, and Non-prescribed Medications

All drugs and stimulant chemicals raise heart rate and blood pressure (and body temperature) which prevent us from achieving a deep sleep. To achieve a proper deep sleep, avoid caffeine, alcohol, cannabis, refined sugars, or other stimulants after your dinner time (at least 3 hours before bedtime), and limit your intake of these substances as much as possible within a given week as their impacts last longer than a single day (upwards of 14 hours from consumption). Sometimes a caffeine detox or reduction might be just what the body needs to re-regulate its internal sleep schedule back to its natural rhythms after a stressful day or week.

Go to bed ready for bed!

It’s hard to sleep when you don’t want to be sleeping – make sure you have gotten all your daily stresses and tasks dealt with or contained, ensure you feel exhausted or tired before attempting to go to your bed, and make sure you are transitioning to bed after having spent time elsewhere, so that your bed remains a trigger for sleep. For the best sleep cuing when you get into your bed, use your bed only for sleep and sex.

If persistent sleep disruption remains after all of these tips have been attempted, over-the-counter melatonin or tryptophan are great natural aids that assist the body in the transition of falling asleep, and are most effective when used only on the more stressful nights of any given week versus when taken regularly.

Want more tips on sleep, or looking for some additional ways to contain and manage your stress so that getting a good rest isn’t a battle after your long days? Book a free consultation with one of our team members today to learn more about how better sleep and stress management can help you maximize your wellbeing!

 [1] Gorgoni, M., D'Atri, A., Lauri, G., Rossini, P. M., Ferlazzo, F., & De Gennaro, L. (2013). Is sleep essential for neural plasticity in humans, and how does it affect motor and cognitive recovery?. Neural plasticity, 2013.

[2] Alvaro, P. K., Roberts, R. M., & Harris, J. K. (2013). A systematic review assessing bidirectionality between sleep disturbances, anxiety, and depression. Sleep, 36(7), 1059-1068.

[3] Zanini, M. A., Castro, J., Cunha, G. R., Asevedo, E., Pan, P. M., Bittencourt, L., Coelho, F.M., Tufik, S., Gadelha, A., Bressan, R.& Brietzke, E. (2015). Abnormalities in sleep patterns in individuals at risk for psychosis and bipolar disorder. Schizophrenia Research, 169(1-3), 262-267.

[4] Buman, M. P., Phillips, B. A., Youngstedt, S. D., Kline, C. E., & Hirshkowitz, M. (2014). Does nighttime exercise really disturb sleep? Results from the 2013 National Sleep Foundation Sleep in America Poll. Sleep medicine, 15(7), 755-761.

[5] Raymann, R. J., Swaab, D. F., & Van Someren, E. J. (2008). Skin deep: enhanced sleep depth by cutaneous temperature manipulation. Brain, 131(2), 500-513.