Sleep is considered the cornerstone of good mental health. Sleep is crucial for maintaining good mental health because it supports emotional regulation, cognitive function, stress management, brain and physical health as well as overall well-being. Prioritizing good sleep hygiene can significantly improve your mental health and quality of life. According to the CDC and the National Sleep Foundation, sleep can be improved in the following ways:
*Establish a bedtime routine. Find something that makes you feel relaxed, then repeat it each night to help you release the day’s tensions. This could include meditation, deep breathing, yoga, tai-chi, journaling, a craft, progressive relaxation, or other. There are many relaxation methods that help induce sleep. Ask a health or mental health provider to help you to find one that works for you.
*Keep your bed for sleeping. If you are used to watching TV or doing work in bed, you may find it harder to relax and to think of the bed as a place to sleep.
*Don’t change your bedtime. You should go to bed, and wake up, at the same time each day, even on weekends. This will help your body to get into a sleep rhythm and make it easier to fall asleep and get up in the morning.
*Avoid napping or sleeping during the day. Limit daytime sleep to about 30 minutes.
*Put your work away, at least one hour (but preferably two or more) before bed. This will give your mind a chance to unwind so you can go to sleep feeling calm, not tense or anxious.
*Avoid TV, phone use or computer use within an hour of going to bed. It is more stimulating to the brain than you recognize, and it will take longer to fall asleep.
*Avoid caffeine after 3PM. Also, some medications, including cold/sinus, pain relievers such as Excedrin, pills for PMS, and diet pills contain caffeine.
*If you cannot fall asleep, after 20 minutes get out of bed and find something quiet to do for 20-45 minutes before trying again. You do not want your brain to associate wakefulness, or tossing and turning, with the bed.
Talk to a sleep specialist if you still cannot sleep.
Jeannette Barber, LCSW-C has been a licensed psychotherapist for over 30 years, working in various settings. She trained other therapists while working for the largest mental health system in the state. Jeannette has been in private practice as the owner and practitioner of Guiding Path Therapy of Maryland LLC since 2018. For more information about her practice, visit jeannettebarber.com
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