Whether you’re struggling to sleep some nights or finding yourself awake for most of the week, there is no better time than during Mental Health Awareness month to explore the link between sleep and anxiety or depression. With sleep deprivation causing so many negative effects on our health, finding a way to overcome this can be huge.
There is a complex relationship between sleep and anxiety, as well as depression. While anxiety and depression could be the reasons you aren’t getting enough sleep, they can also be the outcome of not sleeping enough. This makes it a difficult mental challenge to overcome.
According to the Sleep Foundation, “People with insomnia have greater levels of depression and anxiety than those who sleep normally. They are 10 times as likely to have clinical depression and 17 times as likely to have clinical anxiety.”
For people with a history of insomnia, sleep problems are magnified during times of high stress – which would explain why many people reported having sleep issues during the height of the Coronavirus lockdown and the subsequent weeks that followed. A constant flow of anxiety-provoking news can cause havoc with our sleep.
Other factors that could impact sleep and anxiety
- An uncomfortable sleep environment
- Poor diet
- Not enough exercise
- A mattress with insufficient support
- Too much screen time
- No real bedtime routine
A recent article from Harvard Health Publishing indicated that while a lack of sleep is often a symptom of various psychiatric conditions, sleep deprivation is also one of the causes of many mental health problems. A good night’s sleep can leave us feeling refreshed, energised and ready to take on whatever the day has to throw at us. However, bad sleep seems to make our day a little harder. We feel sluggish, foggy and can’t seem to focus on anything for too long. Consistently bad sleep could eventually take its toll on our mental health because it wreaks havoc on the brain and challenges concentration, creativity, problem-solving skills and emotional regulation.
Steps to take for a better night’s sleep
- Consider a consulting a professional for advice – whether it’s someone to help you work through your emotional challenges, or if it’s someone to help you with physical pain that you’re experiencing.
- Assess whether your body is adequately supported and if your bones are properly aligned while you’re sleeping. If your mattress is uncomfortable, you will have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep and when you wake up, you might experience pain and body aches.
Look for a mattress with orthopaedic support
It’s not uncommon for people to sleep on a mattress past its expiration date or to have a low-quality mattress to begin with. This can have detrimental consequences on your sleep quality, so look for a mattress manufacturer with technology that focuses on orthopaedically correct support.
Through constant research and development, and collaboration and studies with orthopaedic surgeons all over the world, the Sealy team has established the best ‘criteria’ for optimal sleep. Building upon the recommendations of these world class orthopaedic surgeons, Sealy constructs mattresses with unique spring systems for body support, topped with foam and comfort layers with pressure relieving properties – meaning the body is in its natural position to fully relieve muscular tension. This is known today as Sealy’s exclusive Posturepedic Technology™, which targets the heaviest part of your body, with reinforced support where you need it most. Only Sealy with exclusive Posturepedic Technology™ mattresses give you deep-down push back support for exceptional all-over comfort.
Sealy Posturepedic Technology™ supports your sleep by providing:
- Pressure relieving comfort for undisturbed sleep: from Ultra-Plush to Extra-Firm, built with premium materials.
- The support you need: deep-down orthopedically correct push-back spring system, surrounded with a superior edge support system.
- A system where everything works together to give you the same great comfort and support for a long time: extra durability that repays your investment day after day.
Sleep is an important factor of a healthy lifestyle because adequate amounts of sleep lead to boosted immunity and mental wellbeing.