Introduction to Our Sleep Patterns
The use of sleep isn’t to recharge the body as a whole. Sleep is essential to support your mental
focus and calm emotions. Poor Sleep creates negative effects on mental and emotional health
because poor sleep causes the brain and body to be unable to cope with all of their daily
responsibilities, including work and family life.
The relationship between Sleep & Mental Health is Directly Related
During sleep, the brain processes all the emotions. The brain stores memories from our day-to-
day lives, takes away any stress and helps the body maintain balance in its environment. If you
are suffering from a lack of quality sleep, then it’s very difficult to regulate the emotional
environment in a healthy manner.
Therefore, small emotional issues may seem unmanageable when you’re not sleeping well, and
the ability to handle pressure will decrease as a result.
There is a strong connection between Lack of Sleep and Mental Health Needs. People who do
not get enough sleep have a hard time handling any form of anxiety or depression. When people
don’t get enough sleep, they’re often racing their thoughts throughout the day, irritable, distracted
and unable to concentrate.
Inadequate sleep can lead to uncertain moods
Feeling tired and deprived of sleep leads to uncertain moods. When one is tired from lack of
sleep, one experiences greater sensitivity to emotion which leads to a higher degree of impatient,
irritated behaviour. Individuals experiencing sleep deprivation experience heightened emotional
responses and decreased ability to manage these emotions.
Chronic lack of sleep negatively impacts motivation in one’s daily activities, and ultimately how
enjoyable one finds those activities.
The emotional disruptions affected by lack of sufficient sleep contribute to the deterioration of
one’s working relationships with colleagues, a decrease in productivity, and a decline in one’s
overall level of life satisfaction.
Absence of Sleep contributes to Emotional Distress
The relationship between sleep deprivation and emotional distress is cyclical. Stress can lead to
poor quality sleep, and in turn chronic sleep deprivation leads to increased levels of stress.
Cortisol, the chemical released in response to stress, leads to an inability to feel relaxed or to
concentrate, because the individual thought processes will be alert when they should be calm.
Continuous exposure to this cycle can lead to the development of chronic mental fatigue,
emotional exhaustion and ultimately burnout if not controlled in a timely manner.
Long-Term Consequences of Sleep Deprivation on Mental Health
A lack of consistent adequate sleep can result in the increased risk of developing mental health
problems over a long period of time. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the severity of common
symptoms of depression, anxiety and mood disorders.
Chronic sleep deprivation may impact memory, the decision-making process and one’s problem-
solving ability.
Continual exposure to overwhelming emotions over a prolonged period can result in individuals
developing an emotional numbness. As a result, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain an
emotional presence or minimize emotional imbalance in the day-to-day lives of those who
experience this emotional overload.
Strategies to Maximize Mental Health By Improving your Quality of Sleep
Although improving your overall quality of sleep may require effort on your part, a few simple
changes can have an unexpectedly significant positive impact on your overall quality of sleep.
By establishing a consistent pattern of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day,
you create a regular cycle for your body’s internal biological clock.
By managing screen time, creating a calming nighttime routine, and eliminating caffeine
consumption in the hours leading up to bedtime, you will greatly increase the overall quality of
your sleep experience.
You can also integrate calming activities, such as meditation practice, slow, gentle stretching, or
even simply breathing deeply out of your abdomen.
This type of activity helps calm both your mind and your body before entering sleep.
Final Thoughts
Sleep’s impact on our mental health goes beyond simply providing us with more energy. Quality
sleep has a considerable impact on clarity of thought, emotional stability, and the body’s ability
to respond to stress and motivates an individual to perform and stay physically fit.
As you prioritize healthy sleep habits, you increase the likelihood that your brain will be rested
and able to be resilient, calm, and emotionally resilient. Quality sleep is not a luxury, but rather
is a necessity of good mental health and emotional wellness.
