While quality sleep is essential for our physical health, studies show that poor sleeping habits can directly lead to poor mental health as well. Getting the right amount of sleep every night can help your mood, memory and concentration — while sleep deprivation has been linked to depression, anxiety and other mental health issues.
What you can do
- Measure how much sleep you get. Most adults need at least seven hours or more of sleep each night. If you are consistently sleeping for less, then it’s time to take appropriate action.
- Improve your sleep quality. There are many things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep, including:
- Avoid caffeine past the early afternoons. Substances like nicotine and caffeine take time to wear off completely.
- Limit electronics before bedtime. Phone and computer screens emit bright lights that trick our brain into thinking it’s daytime. Instead, listen to music or read a book.
- Sleep consistently. We need a regular sleep schedule in order to fully rest our bodies and minds. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to lose sleep over the night and nap during the day — you simply cannot recover lost hours of sleep.
While it can take time to find a sleeping routine that works for you, it’ll be worth it when your health and well-being improves. Need help? Is poor sleep impacting your mental health? If you need more help, or just want a place to start, visit our Employer Toolkit to download the flyer that best corresponds with your current or prospective Business Health Trust plan.