Sleep and Mental Wellbeing - Bending Birches NP

Summary

Mental wellbeing is affected by our sleep. Sleep is a time for the brain and body to repair themselves. Inadequate sleep and impaired sleep can cause us to experiences health issues, including mental health issues. Inadequate sleep and impaired sleep may be a result of experiencing mental health issues. We can make choices in our lifestyle to help us sleep better. May 2024 is Mental Health Awareness Month. Make sleep a priority.

May 2024 is National Mental Health Awareness Month. Sleep and mental wellbeing are tightly linked. Let’s explore further.

What Happens When We Sleep

Sleep is an opportunity for the brain to refresh itself. The rested brain allows the body to function optimally. Sleep is not a waste of time.

Russell Foster, PhD, of The University of Oxford summarizes the consequences of inadequate sleep in a brief TED Talk entitled “Why Do We Sleep?” excerpted in the concise article, “Why sleep could be the key to tackling mental illness”:

https://www.ox.ac.uk/research/why-sleep-could-be-key-tackling-mental-illness

Stages of Sleep: What Happens in a Sleep Cycle

When we sleep, we experience several sleep cycles, as a whole referred to sleep architecture. Sleep starts with Non-REM phases. A sleep cycle is comprised of Non-REM phases and REM phases. REM stands for rapid eye movement. During REM phase, we experience the most vivid dreams, our muscles can be paralyzed (except our eye muscles and the muscles which allow us to breathe), and brain activity increases and approaches the level of activity in the brain during wakefulness.

Consult the following website for an easy read about the stages of sleep: sleepfoundation.org/stages-of-sleep

Sleep is a like a shutdown time. The neurons (cells in the brain and nervous system) work together; they fire synchronously. The slow wave synchrony serves the purpose of cleaning up the mess we have created in the brain during wakefulness. The brain consolidates memories and organizes information during sleep.

I recommend listening to The Social Brain podcast episode #25 with Taylor Guthrie and Andrew Cooper-Sansone for a detailed discussion of the neuroscience of sleep, including the evolution of sleep in the evolution of homo sapiens (human beings):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tFuARXsCu0

The Social Brain, episode 25. The Brain Under Covers: The Neuroscience of Sleep

Cultivating Better Sleep

You likely have heard of sleep hygiene practices. In the aforementioned podcast, Taylor Guthrie and Andrew Cooper-Sansone, as well as Russell Foster, mention elements of sleep hygiene.

The recommendations listed below you may have already heard from your health care team.

Use the bedroom for sleep and sex. Why: Engaging in high energy activities in the bedroom provides a psychological reinforcer (think Pavlov) for associating the bedroom with wakefulness.
Do not consume alcohol close to bedtime. Why: Alcohol interferes with sleep architecture.
Be cautious about exercise right before bedtime. Why: Your body needs time to lower its temperature, setting the stage (pun intended) for you to fall asleep. Each person responds differently to sleep at bedtime and the research supports this statement.
Maintain a routine for sleep. Why: The body has 24 hour rhythms called circadian rhythms. The release of hormones, appetite and digestion, temperature control, and the sleep-wake cycle follow a circadian rhythm. One of the hormones released on a rhythmic cycle is melatonin which is important for our sleep-wake cycle.
Maintain a routine for your meals. Do not go to bed hungry. Why: Hunger impedes your ability to fall asleep and to maintain sleep (listen to Cooper-Sansone discuss the impact of ghrelin on sleep in The Social Brain podcast referenced above). A full stomach requires energy for digestion and keeps your body actively engaged in digesting instead of recuperating from a daytime of living.
Be conscious of the temperature of your home when you go to sleep and during your sleep. Why: Cooler nighttime temperatures may benefit your sleep. Feeling too cold when trying to fall asleep may be counterproductive for optimal sleep.
Discuss your medication regimen with the prescribers of the medications. Why: Some medications may adversely affect your sleep architecture.
Do not consume caffeine right before bedtime. Why: Caffeine can impair your sleep architecture. Caffeine, found in coffee, tea, and cacao, is a methylxanthine. Other methylxanthines which may affect your sleep include theobromine (in tea and cacao), and theophylline (found naturally; also active ingredient in Albuterol). Methylxanthines antagonize adenosine receptors. Adenosine is correlated with us feeling sleepy. Caffeine is associated with increasing the impact of light on circadian rhythms.
Limit your exposure to electronic devices at bedtime. Why: High energy wavelength light (blue light in the visible light range) affects your sleep center via exposure through your eyes and interferes with sleep.

Sleep, Mental Wellbeing, and Learning

Learning is our ability to integrate new information. Learning something creates a sense of competence. Recall the post on mental wellbeing, inspiration, and motivation. Feeling competent, along with having some control over the ability to make decisions and being socially connected, affects our motivation.

Motivation and mental wellbeing have a bidirectional relationship. Motivation is needed for learning. Motivation is needed to be able to pursue mental wellbeing. Learning helps us feel motivated to continue to learn. Learning contributes to our mental wellbeing.

Call to Action for Mental Wellbeing and Sleep

Consider your sleep-wake cycle. How is your sleep? Are you creating an environment which promotes sleep? Can you make any changes to your sleep routine?

Your mental wellbeing depends on adequate and restorative sleep. Prioritize sleep during May 2024, Mental Health Awareness Month

Sleep better. Be safe. Be well.

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your healthcare team. Contact your health care providers to discuss your medication regimen and health conditions and how they may affect your sleep and mental wellbeing. Do not stop any of your medications. Always consult the prescriber of your medications before adjusting your medications.