Good Sleep Supports Mental Health

When you’re able to get a good night’s sleep, you feel better – emotionally, psychologically, and physically. However, unfortunately, many people suffer from insomnia, sleep apnea, or other sleep disorders that prevent good sleep. Yet, this in turn, contributes to mental illness, such as anxiety, depression, and even suicidal thinking.  A University of Michigan study found a strong correlation between insomnia and suicide.

Here are a few tips on how to get a good night’s sleep and support your mental health:

• Maintain a healthy sleep hygiene.  Just like you might brush your teeth every day, shower, and wash your face to support cleanliness and physical hygiene, a regular sleep hygiene can also be supportive. Use this link to discover ways to create a sleep hygiene for yourself.
• Study the connection between mental illness and lack of sleep. If you already suffer from depression or anxiety, explore the ways that lack of sleep may be both contributing to your mental illness and causing it. With more information about your particular illness and its relationship to sleep, you might empower yourself to make better decisions that support your psychological health.
• Talk to a professional about your mental illness. If you’re experiencing symptoms of psychological illness, it’s important to involve a mental health professional who can develop a plan for treating your illness, guide you toward greater health, and support you through the challenges of experiencing symptoms. Ventura Community Counseling is a low-cost counseling center, making mental health services more affordable so that you don’t neglect an essential part of your wellbeing.