How does sleep impact our stress levels and overall well-being? Bitesize insights from psychology.
There is a close relationship between sleep and our overall health and well-being. According to the Mental Health Foundation we spend an estimated third of our lives asleep! This only highlights the importance of getting enough sleep and sleeping well.
It makes sense then that without sleep we cannot function effectively. When we think of our well-being topics such as eating and drinking a balanced diet and exercising may come up, sleep should also be part of this conversation. Sleeping is essential for maintaining our mental and physical health, as it helps to repair and restore our brains and our bodies.
What happens when we sleep?
During sleep, our bodies are in our most vulnerable state and we get some much-needed rest. It is during sleep that important processes take place that affect the way our brains function.
Many scientists dedicate their time to studying the processes that occur whilst we sleep. What has been shared that is there are different stages of sleep, where our bodies prioritise different functions, this is referred to as the sleep cycle. As we progress through the sleep cycle our bodies process information, and consolidate memories, and several brain maintenance processes take place which help us to function effectively during daytime.
Sleep Cycle
There are four stages of sleep which can be separated into non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. During Stages 1-3 of NREM sleep our bodies transition through different biological processes that impact body temperature, our breathing rate and our muscles relaxing. Whereas during Stage 4 (REM sleep) our brains become more active, our body completely relaxes, and as our eyes move rapidly dreams occur.
When people think about monitoring their sleep their initial focus may be on sleep quantity counting the number of hours of sleep that they have managed to get. Yet, sleep quality is also important for it to be truly restorative. It is explained that we need to progress through the sleep cycle multiple times overnight with each sleep cycle lasting roughly 90 minutes. To gain high-quality rest we need to spend enough time in each of the stages including getting enough deep sleep to help us to feel refreshed when we wake.
How do I know if I am getting enough sleep?
We all need to ensure that we receive an adequate amount of good-quality sleep. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to determine how much sleep each person needs, although experts do recommend between 7-9 hours of sleep for adults. Simply put, some people require more sleep than others. What is important to finding out what suits you and trying to achieve this. With adequate sleep, we should be able to think with some clarity and attend to required daily tasks.
Our capacity to sleep is determined by how sleepy we are and our sleep schedule. How sleepy we feel is related to our drive to sleep. Our sleep pattern refers to the regularity and timing of our sleep patterns. It is hoped that if we develop a habit of sleeping at specific times, we will be able to form a better routine linked to our circadian rhythm and will find it easier to sleep at the times we have set for ourselves every day.
What happens when my sleep is impacted?
Your sleep cycle will be impacted anytime you have problems getting to sleep or staying asleep at night. When sleep is disturbed during the night, it can interrupt an ongoing stage in the sleep cycle. Hence, by understanding the sleep cycle we can make sense of how sleep disorders, such as insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome can impact sleep and subsequently health and well-being.
Repeated periods of insufficient sleep quantity and quality result in issues that impact functioning during the daytime, such as fatigue, drowsiness, impaired focus, memory loss, and irritability.
For instance, have you ever felt more emotionally unbalanced and found yourself making more mistakes when sleep-deprived? I can envision many of us nodding our heads away at this, particularly during times of rising stress levels due to our circumstances. It then makes sense that when we don’t get enough quality sleep it starts to impact our well-being and ability to function.
Indeed, poor sleep impacts our mood, energy and concentration levels, and impacts the ways that we interact which can have implications for the important relationships in our lives. Therefore, it is extremely common for people experiencing common mental health complaints such as depression and anxiety to have trouble sleeping adequately.
What can I do to help improve my sleep?
We could all benefit from improving our sleep, for some, this may include making small lifestyle adjustments for good sleep hygiene, for others it may require more specialist help.
Some examples of lifestyle changes may include:
Decrease caffeine intake
Decrease alcohol intake
Limiting time on electronics in the evening
Spending some time outdoors exposed yourself to natural sunlight each day
Creating a regular exercise
Create a winding down routine in the evening (e.g. having a bath an hour before bed)
Set regular times to go to bed and wake up each day
Avoiding eating a heavy meal before bed
Keeping your bedroom cool and dark at night
Trying to avoid sitting or lying on your bed for other activities other than sleeping or having sex
Psychological approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), can be useful for people struggling with sleepless nights as it encourages us to view our sleep habits and address our ‘worry thoughts’ about sleeping. In instances where sleep problems are more severe a combination of therapy and working with a sleep specialist may be recommended. However, it remains that CBT principles are an accessible way to practice improving our sleep, and at MAPP Psychology we collaboratively consider how the problems you are facing may be influencing your sleeping pattern. In hopes of improving your resilience throughout your therapy journey, we can consider this connection and work together to try and find ways to bring about better quality and quantity of sleep.
If you or someone you know is struggling with sleeping problems as part of their difficulties, you can book a free consultation to speak with one of our psychologists.
-Corinne Tatem