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Published on June 21, 2023

Why Good Sleep Hygiene is Important to Your Mental Health

Sleep Hygiene

What is sleep hygiene? 

Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe habits and practices that help you get a good night’s sleep in order to be alert and awake during the day. Just like good dental hygiene is important for your teeth, gums and overall health, good sleep hygiene will help keep you physically healthy and helps develop immunities to combat disease. Quality sleep also plays an important role in your mental health.

Experts agree that sleep and mental health go hand-in-hand. While the exact relationship between the two is complicated, many diagnosed with psychological disorders have sleep-related symptoms. Anxiety, depression and other diagnoses can impact your ability to fall asleep or cause a tendency to oversleep. The reverse is also true; your sleep habits can exacerbate a mental health condition. Addressing both, rather than focusing on one or the other, can be the most effective path to optimal treatment.

Chronic poor sleep quality is associated with depression, anxiety and other conditions. There are many factors that can influence good sleep hygiene. Nutrition, environment and behaviors all play a part in whether or not you are able to achieve consistent, restful sleeping hours.

Nutrition
Avoiding inflammatory foods, caffeine, too much sugar and alcohol close to bedtime can help ensure better sleep.

Environment
Creating a comfortable, quiet space with low light to sleep in will offer a calm environment for falling and staying asleep.

Behavior
Avoiding phone use, watching the news and exertion that raises your heart rate close to bedtime are just a few behaviors that will help improve the quality of your sleep.

The brain is very active during sleep, carrying out many important functions including forming memories and consolidating older ones, learning and remembering physical tasks, even making decisions. Lack of sleep interrupts these processes. It also impacts mental functioning the next day, increasing stress and making us more sensitive to typical inconveniences and quicker to anger. These side effects can be amplified for those with a mental health diagnosis.

Often sleep problems and poor mental health reinforce each other. If you are having trouble sleeping and are concerned about its effect on your mental wellbeing, it’s important to discuss it with your primary care provider and/or mental health care professional. Below are some additional strategies you can try to improve your sleep hygiene:

  • Maintain a regular bedtime each night when possible.
  • Exercise earlier in the day to avoid elevated heart rate before bedtime.
  • Put do-not-disturb settings on your smartphone during sleep hours.
  • Seek out natural sunlight during the day.
  • Journal stressors before going to bed and revisit to-do’s in the morning.
  • Keep track of your sleep routines, disruptions and nightmares.

You can visit this article on the Psychology Today website to learn more about the links between sleep and mental health.

Kerry Pierce, M.D., is a psychiatrist at MyMichigan Health.