Many of us use sleep tracking devices such as smartwatches etc. When explaining to someone why mental health is so important I turn to the sleep example. If the mind is generating emotions before you sleep then the quality of your sleep is affected. Tiredness will lead to weakened thinking and that’s the last thing you need if you are going through challenges. It becomes a loop and that’s when we say things like ‘take a break’ but even after that break we end up fading after a few days. It’s essential to understand if your sleep is taking a hit.
Some people fall asleep in seconds and others take a period of time. Both types of people are susceptible to damaging their sleep depth if their mind is generating emotionally stimulating thoughts prior to sleeping.
Deep Sleep is somewhat the aim of the game here, it is when your mind has little-zero thoughts. It’s hard to understand why some nights you get more or some nights you get less, it can be down to how tired you are and how healthy you are mentally and physically. If you know it is down to mental health then this is a great thing to get sorted because that skill alone will help you in handling other areas of life.
A few things I cover as a therapist are finding out how you handle trending topics on your mind. If you use the time before you sleep to think clearly or emotionally about then it’s ideal you train yourself to do that at a different time slot in your day, we’d look to change the time, location, and atmosphere in which you handle those thoughts so that your time before sleeping is freed up.
Relieving yourself from any responsibility you have to think about something is essential prior to sleep. Then the next sleep is knowing what to do with your mind now that you have nothing essential to think about. This time slot can turn into a beautiful asset to your life if you allow yourself to free up for a set amount of time mentally and physically.
Thirty minutes prior to sleep, do an activity that makes you present in the moment, that’s why reading stories, meditating, or gratitude-related writing proves to be a success. You are genuinely in control of your ability to sleep and whether you choose to get advice on this or not, you should look to track what worked for you in the past and mold it into something simple and applicable daily.
Feel free to reach out for any advice and further questions, One thing to always keep in check when it comes to mental health is your ability to sleep well.
1 Comment
I have suffered from sleep deprivation for years. More so of late. I actually don’t know I am functioning. I used a sleep app and was amazed how much I don’t sleep and it seems I have about 2 or less hours of deep sleep. Probably why I am so forgetful. Can’t remember dates. Times If I don’t write it down well it’s 8/10 forgotten. I go gym I eat sensibly Currently under a lot of emotional stress which isn’t helping at all