The new theme and slogan for World Sleep Day 2022 are Quality Sleep, Sound Mind, Happy World. How does quality sleep help maintain mental health? How might better sleep help people focus during the day?
Most of us have had more worries in this couple of years. Considering we've been through several lockdowns and restrictions, it's no surprise mental health remains a focus for many of us. So how do we easily improve our mental health without adding to the list of things to worry about? Recent research shows three pillars to optimal mental health - sleep, exercise, and diet.
The findings quickly concluded that they're essential to us in that order: good quality sleep first, then regular exercise and then a healthy diet. As a matter of fact, sleep quality was the strongest lifestyle predictor of depression. People who had better sleep quality and those who slept inside the range of 8 to 12 hours per night reported fewer symptoms of depression.
So good sleep is a crucial factor in your mental well-being, but it's the quality, not the quantity, that we should be focusing on.
This potent stimulant continues to impact your body for six to eight hours after you ingest it. Drinking it later may not stop you from getting to sleep, but it can affect the quality of your sleep and make it more likely that you wake up during the night.
2. Donβt drink alcohol before bed
Alcohol may make you feel drowsy when you drink it, keep you out of the deeper stages of sleep, and disrupt your sleep quality. We suggest waiting for at least one hour per alcoholic drink that you have before going to bed.
3. Donβt eat too late
Your body digesting a big dinner will also stop you from getting quality sleep. The National Sleep Foundation says that you should be eating meals at least two to three hours before bedtime.
4. Exercise is good, but not before bed
Exercise is good for tiring your body and helping to bring on deep, quality sleep - just donβt do it right before bedtime as your body needs time to relax from its heightened state of activity.
5. Limit screen time before bed
This is a big one to be aware of when we're spending more time at home. The constant scrolling through social network posts and light from your phone keeps your brain awake and will stop you from falling asleep and reducing your sleep quality. Don't bring your devices to bed!
6. Get morning light
Don't stay in bed with the blinds closed after waking up. Get up and let the sunlight in. This helps your internal body clock and sleep-wake cycle running normally. Cortisol, a stress hormone, has been linked to sleep disruption, but exposure to sunlight drastically reduces these nighttime cortisol levels.
1. Avoid caffeine after 2pm
This potent stimulant continues to impact your body for six to eight hours after you ingest it. Drinking it later may not stop you from getting to sleep, but it can affect the quality of your sleep and make it more likely that you wake up during the night.
2. Donβt drink alcohol before bed
Alcohol may make you feel drowsy when you drink it, keep you out of the deeper stages of sleep, and disrupt your sleep quality. We suggest waiting for at least one hour per alcoholic drink that you have before going to bed.
3. Donβt eat too late
Your body digesting a big dinner will also stop you from getting quality sleep. The National Sleep Foundation says that you should be eating meals at least two to three hours before bedtime.
4. Exercise is good, but not before bed
Exercise is good for tiring your body and helping to bring on deep, quality sleep - just donβt do it right before bedtime as your body needs time to relax from its heightened state of activity.
5. Limit screen time before bed
This is a big one to be aware of when we're spending more time at home. The constant scrolling through social network posts and light from your phone keeps your brain awake and will stop you from falling asleep and reducing your sleep quality. Don't bring your devices to bed!
6. Get morning light
Don't stay in bed with the blinds closed after waking up. Get up and let the sunlight in. This helps your internal body clock and sleep-wake cycle running normally. Cortisol, a stress hormone, has been linked to sleep disruption, but exposure to sunlight drastically reduces these nighttime cortisol levels.
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