Do you feel depressed or anxious? Do you have difficulty concentrating? Are you often irritable? Forget pills and therapists - you may not be getting adequate sleep.
In "Are bad sleeping habits driving us mad?" (New Scientist, 2009), author Emma Young discusses how current research suggests poor sleep may cause psychiatric illnesses or lead to incorrect diagnoses.
Researchers were always aware of a correlation with poor sleep and mental health; however, "The assumption that poor sleep was a symptom rather than a cause of mental illness was so strong that nobody questioned it."
The article continues citing research indicating insomnia may be a cause of depression and put people at greater risk for future mental health problems. Poor sleep may induce abnormally elevated or irritable moods indicative of manic episodes present in Bipolar Disorder. Sleep disorders could also impair attention which may be misdiagnosed as Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.
Sleep disruption may contribute to behavioral and psychological problems in several, yet undiscovered ways. Two of them are:
- Stress hormone levels increase and contribute to feelings of anxiety.
- The brain's ability to process emotion and react to emotional stimuli in an appropriate way is disrupted.
If you are having trouble sleeping consider these 14 ways to improve sleep quality:
- Exercise - At the minimum, engage in moderate exercise 3 to 4 times per week for 30 minutes. Regular exercise can help you fall asleep faster and deepen your sleep. However, avoid exercising 2 to 3 hours before going to bed, the increase in endorphins may interfere with your ability to fall and remain asleep.
- Weight Loss - Losing weight can improve or reverse mild cases of sleep apnea.
- Reduce Sugar Consumption Before Bed - sugar raises the body's insulin level to metabolize it which leads to increased energy.
- Drink Water - dehydration will cause you to wake up thirsty.
- Decrease Caffeine/Nicotine Use - both are stimulants and will keep you awake.
- Decrease Alcohol Use - it may help you pass out, but you will remain in the first stages of sleep and never enter the more deep, restorative phases. Alcohol also causes dehydration.
- Limit television and internet use - develop a bedtime ritual that allows you to wind down and relax, providing the body with cues for sleep preparation. Heavy computer and television use before bedtime may effect sleep demand and sleep quality.
- Learn Relaxation Techniques
- Develop A Natural Circadian Rhythm - go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Go to bed and arise the same time everyday to establish a regular rhythm and sleeping pattern. Don't overcompensate by sleeping in on weekends to make up for missed sleep.
- Avoid Naps - if you must take one make it early in the day and set an alarm clock for no later than 1 hour.
- Create A Peaceful Environment - keep your bedroom clean, uncluttered, and stress free.
- Only Use Your Bed For Sleeping - doing anything else can confuse your body's association with when it needs to be alert and when to prepare for rest.
- Take A Warm Bath - after a warm bath the body's temperature drops. A decrease in body temperature is associated with sleep.
- Use A Comfortable Bed And Pillow - this is the most obvious, but probably the most overlooked. Make certain your current bed and pillow are not the reason for difficulty sleeping.
Damon Clark is a Clinical Psychology doctoral student and co-founder of the Honolulu, Hawai'i based health and fitness business SOHI Fitness
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5648383
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