November is Men’s Mental Health Awareness month. Mental health is just as important, if not more, than physical health and it’s something that’s often overlooked in men.

There are many factors that affect your mental health and lack of sleep is one of them. If you have ever asked yourself “How does sleep affect your mental health?” then read on to find the answer.

In this article, we’ll discuss the connection between sleep and mental health, go through the different ways one can affect the other and also give you some suggestions on how to improve your sleep and mental health as a result.

How are sleep and mental health-related?

It’s proven that sleep and mental health share a close correlation. Certain mental health problems can affect your sleep habits, and poor sleep can have a negative effect on your mental health.

If you find it hard to fall asleep or wake up often in the middle of the night there might be a reason for it that is related to your mental health, such as stress or anxiety disorder. And if you can’t sleep comfortably at night you become distracted, grumpy or depressed, which can prevent you from being efficient at your daily tasks and cause you even more stress.

What can cause sleep problems?

There are a number of reasons you might be having sleep problems and they differ from person to person. These can include:

• Stress or worries – stressing about issues regarding your daily life such as money, housing or work, can often keep you up at night and prevent you from getting a good night’s rest.
• Where you sleep – nothing ruins your sleep quite like an uncomfortable old mattress or noise coming from your neighbours.
• Sleep-related health conditions –sleeping disorders such as insomnia can also rob you of your night’s rest.
• Taking medication – certain medications can affect your sleep schedule, especially when you start taking a new medication or come off one you’ve been taking previously. Always make sure you read the labels before taking a medication.
• Alcohol or recreational drugs – Taking recreational drugs or abusing alcoholic substances can disturb your sleep and have you waking up in the middle of the night.
• Working night shifts – If you do mostly night shifts during the week, you tend to sleep during the day which can flip your whole sleep schedule.
• Physical and mental health problems – A number of physical conditions such as chronic pains, asthma, or others can manifest into disordered sleeping. Mental illnesses can also negatively affect your sleep sometimes.

How can mental health affect your sleep?

Just how not enough sleep can affect your mental health, some mental health problems can affect your sleep pattern and cause a lack of sleep. For instance:

• Anxiety disorder can cause repetitive intrusive thoughts and worries, which can keep you awake. In some severe cases, you can even experience panic attacks while trying to fall sleep.
• Depression and seasonal affective disorders can make you sleep more than usual, including sleeping more often or spending more time in bed. Sometimes depression can also cause insomnia.
• Going though traumatic experiences in the past can cause nightmares, night terrors or flashbacks that can greatly disturb your sleep. It can also cause you to feel unsafe or uncomfortable in the dark.
• Psychosis or paranoia can cause you to hear voices or have hallucinations that are frightening or disturbing, making it hard to sleep.
• Mania may often cause energy outbursts that make you not want to sleep, or in some cases have racing thoughts that can lead to insomnia.
• Some psychiatric medications can also have side effects that include insomnia, nightmares, disturbed sleep or oversleeping. Stopping psychiatric drugs can have a similar effect as well.

What can you do to improve your sleep hygiene and mental health?

Identifying what is causing your lack of sleep is the key step to fixing your problems with. Depending on the cause there might be a number of different things you can try to improve your sleep habits and as a result your mental health as well. Here are some of the thing you can do that can benefit your sleep and mental health:

• Create a relaxing environment – Your bedroom is your sanctuary so you want to make sure it’s organised and comfortable. Your mattress can also affect the quality of your sleep which is why if you’re not getting great sleep you might also want to consider changing your mattress.
• Manage your daily worries – A lot of the time, stress from your daily life can manifest into your sleep, so a good idea to clear your thoughts before bed is to keep a diary where you can vent or make a to-do list of the things you need to tackle the next day.
• Exercise – Physical activity releases dopamine and can promote better sleep. Avoid exercising too close to bedtime, however, as you might feel too energized to fall asleep after a good workout session.
• Practice yoga or meditation – Meditation can help relax your mind and take off the stress you’ve built up during the day.
• Seek professional help – If nothing else helps and you keep having restless nights it’s always best to speak with a professional. Ask your GP to refer you to a therapist or seek a counselor yourself, getting the needed help in time and identifying the cause of your lack of sleep can save you a lot of sleepless nights.

Remember that if you’re struggling, you don’t have to go through it alone and there’s always someone you can speak to. Charities such as Mind, Mental Health UK or Rethink offer support and resources if you’re struggling with a mental illness or have suicidal thoughts.