How Sleep And Mental Health Are Fully Intertwined
Getting sleep is a lot like putting your phone on the charger.
After a full day of use, the brain is depleted and tired.
Without adequate sleep, it remains on low power and isn’t able to fully restore its function.
Sleep allows us to process our memories and emotions—reducing stress levels and repairing neural pathways.
At first, you will notice the struggle of feeling groggy, moody and tired.
But, over time, that feeling of sleep deprivation can become a normal feeling you don’t really notice.
It continues to affect your brain, though—whether you notice it or not.
When you aren’t able to achieve the deep levels of sleep that allow the mind to reset, you face serious consequences that impact your psychological state.
Does Sleep Affect Mental Health?
It’s very difficult to completely track the mechanisms of sleeplessness on mental health.
In many cases, it is a vicious cycle of harm that spirals if unchecked.
There is no question that sleep is intimately related to our mental health and wellness.
Depression
Studies estimate that anywhere from 65%-90% of adults with depression also experience a sleep problem.
In most cases they have insomnia, but around 20% struggle with sleep apnea.
Sleep issues also increase the risk for developing depression.
A study done in Michigan found that those who reported sleep struggles were 4x more likely to report major depression within three years.
Studies have also found that patients who struggle with both depression and insomnia are less likely to benefit from treatments than those who are able to get a full night’s sleep regularly.
They are also more likely to relapse if they do find relief from antidepressant therapy.
Patients with both depression and insomnia are also more likely to struggle with suicidal thoughts and die by suicide.
When you don’t get enough sleep, you struggle to regulate your emotions.
This irritability and moodiness can play a big part in exacerbating or provoking depression.
Anxiety Disorders
Sleep affects more than half of adults with generalized anxiety disorder.
It is also a common problem for people who have panic disorders, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In one case, a link was found with insomnia being a risk factor for developing an anxiety disorder.
About 27% of patients with insomnia developed an anxiety disorder.
But, insomnia or sleeplessness is often a symptom that follows anxiety.
Anxiety typically causes hyperactivity of the mind and unsubstantiated worries that affect everyday life and sleep.
Insomnia can also worsen the symptoms of anxiety and hinder recovery, creating an added source of stress and worries.
Bipolar Disorder
The highs and lows of BPD swing from mania (high) to depression (low).
Sleep patterns change based on the emotional state of those with bipolar disorder.
During low depressive periods, those with BPD tend to sleep excessively.
While, during high manic periods, those with BPD don’t usually feel as much of a need to sleep.
These sleep disruptions often occur before the start of an episode.
Research has found that sleeping issues can start manic and depressive periods.
Sleep disruptions can also worsen these extreme moods.
There is such a close relationship that treatment for insomnia has been found to reduce the effects of bipolar disorder.
ADHD
A lot of people with ADHD struggle to get adequate sleep.
One study found 67% of adults with ADHD struggled to get a good night’s sleep.
It’s so prevalent, most ADHD experts will check for sleep problems as a well-known sign and symptom when diagnosing ADHD.
Those with ADHD struggle to keep a regular schedule or tune out distractions.
Similar to anxiety disorders, ADHD can cause the mind to race when it’s time for bed.
Medications that treat ADHD will often provoke wakefulness as well.
Sleep problems can cause symptoms similar to ADHD, including reduced attention span and lowered impulse control.
Seasonal Affective Disorder
This subtype of depression is something that impacts people’s sleep cycles more than many cases.
This condition is tied to times of the year with reduced daylight hours—often worsening during the fall and winter for those in northern climates.
The disruption of the circadian rhythm makes it hard for people with seasonal affective disorder struggle to control their sleep.
Someone with this disorder may get too much sleep or too little, which worsens the feelings of depression and grogginess.
Schizophrenia
Those who struggle with schizophrenia experience hallucinations and delusions.
It can cause very disordered thinking and makes it hard to tell what is real and what isn’t.
This can make it hard to sleep in a way that is similar to anxiety.
The concerns might make it hard to wind down and quiet the mind.
But, the lack of sleep can make it even harder to think clearly.
After a lot of sleep is lost, sleep deprivation can even add to hallucinations and impaired reasoning.
The majority of patients with schizophrenia have sleep issues like insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea and periodic limb movement disorder.
Autism
Autism includes a wide range of neurodiverse individuals.
In some of the tougher cases, there is a struggle to control impulses and emotions.
Studies have found that those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are more likely to have sleep struggles, which contributed to worsening the symptoms of ASD.
Addressing these issues can have a major impact on health and behavior struggles for those with more severe ASD cases.
Alzheimer’s
This progressive neurodegenerative condition leads to a decline in mental capabilities that affects those in older age.
The disorder slowly kills some of the nerve cells in the brain.
Many who struggle with Alzheimer’s also struggle with restlessness and a kind of anxiety that leads to insomnia.
But, as with so many of the other mental disorders, a lack of sleep exacerbates the symptoms of Alzheimer’s.
Studies have found that chronic sleep deprivation can speed up the disease and loss of memory.
The toxins normally release during the day are cleared during sleep, so when that can’t happy the brain struggles.
Researchers suggest that regularly getting substantial amounts of sleep is a key part of slowing or delaying Alzheimer’s disease.
Calming the Mind to Improve Sleep Patterns
The importance of sleep is crucial in every part of our lives, but even more important for sustaining a healthy mental state.
A lack of sleep can cause increased neurological issues and provoke serious disorders within the brain.
This is one reason why Anointed Nutrition has focused so much time and research on creating the right natural aid for sleep.
Our sleep supplement includes key ingredients that help the mind wind down, enables deeper sleep and supports a regulated circadian rhythm.
Calming ingredients in our blend include:
- Melatonin
- Lavender Oil
- Chamomile Oil
- GABA
- 5-HTP
- Phosphatidylcholine
These are all broken down into nanoparticles through our patented NanoZorb technology—allow FAST absorption through the membranes of the mouth.
Within just 10-20 minutes, you will start to feel the effects of your mind calming and your body relaxing.
This is the first step to improving your sleep patterns.
Over time, our Sleep supplement will help you get into a better pattern of adequate sleep that will support your mental health.
If you believe stress is adding to your restlessness, try our Sleep and Stress bundle!
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