Dr Mathini, a wellness and a fitness coach classify the pillars of one’s mental health and wellness to be; nutrition, physical health, stress management, sleep\rest, substance use and relationships. They work hand in hand and you must find a way to balance, sustain and maintain them.
We all love a good night’s rest but when you lack a good sleep schedule this can be nerve wrecking and adversely affect your day-to-day activities. Since COVID-19, research indicates a rise in the number of people having sleep disturbances that is; trouble falling asleep, poor sleep quality, disrupted sleep cycles and nightmares.
Insomnia is a term that has gained popularity lately with increased number of people having delayed sleeping schedules. Sleep and Sleep Disorders as classified by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention based in the USA, is sleeping more or less than the recommended time which is typically 7 to 9 hours a night. Research has linked chronic sleep deprivation to an increased risk for obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and problems with one’s immune functions.
Research further indicates that sleep disturbances may exacerbate the risk of suicidal behaviors. Athena Akrami, PHD, a neuroscientist, says once sleep is disrupted it can impact one’s mental and physical health which may further cause sleep disruption.
People today are working, exercising, studying and socializing inside their homes, especially their bedrooms which can weaken the cognitive and behavioral association between these areas and relaxation, says Susan Rubman, a behavioral sleep psychologist and assistant Professor at clinical Psychiatry at the Yale school of Medicine.
Increased stressful situations, limited social support and disrupted routines are also known factors to trigger sleep problems. Less sunlight exposure, more screen time, irregular mealtimes and increased alcohol use, all the included affect your circadian rhythm- are likely to exacerbate sleep problems in people working and studying at home. Circadian rhythms are the physical, mental, and behavioral an organism experiences over a 24-hour cycle. Light and dark have the biggest influence on circadian rhythms, but food intake, stress, physical activity, social environment and temperature also affect them.
Establishing healthy routines are paramount to avoid the problems listed above to avoid repeated cycles which might affect your life later in a negative way. The best defense mechanism against insomnia is to improve sleep hygiene or participate in cognitive behavioral therapy. Some of the self-initiatives one can employ include;
Establishing a regular sleep-wake cycle. Go to bed around the same time each night but not until you feel sleepy, and wake up at the same time each day.
Establishing a daytime routine that includes exercise, regular mealtimes and exposure to sunlight which is a good source of Vitamin D naturally. Avoid caffeine within 10hours and alcoholic drinks 3hours of bedtime.
Psychologists also recommend reserving the bedroom for sleep and sex but this might prove difficult if you work at home. Hence, leave your bedroom for extended breaks when possible, especially during the day, also avoid working, watching your television or any other digital entertainment in bed. This can lead to a cognitive and behavioral association between bed and wakefulness.
At night the bedroom should be quiet and cool. Do not use electronic devices such as smartphones or laptops in bed because light generated affects circadian rhythms as indicated above and this can lead to a delayed sleep onset.
Last but not least, if your sleep disturbances let’s say insomnia or sleep apnea persists for more than 3weeks its time to go see a trained clinician.
Quality sleep is crucial for good mental health and the opposite can lead to worsened mental health conditions and mental health problems. Adhering to good sleep hygiene can lead to better mental well-being and better sleeping quality and quantity.
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