5 Tips for Quality Sleep; How are you with sleep? How many hours a day do you sleep? How aware are you of the relationship between your sleep patterns and mental health? Sleep, which is at the bottom of Maslow’s pyramidal table called “Hierarchy of Basic Needs”, is one of our most basic needs. Sleep is an activity that renews not only our body but also our brain.
However, poor quality and insufficient sleep can negatively affect our mental health. When sleep quality is poor qualitatively and quantitatively, attention/memory disorders, emotional lability, and even delusions can be seen; normal working efficiency decreases. Sleep psychology is a field of psychology that deals with the behavioral, cognitive and psychological factors underlying normal and irregular sleep.
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5 Tips for Quality Sleep; Sleep psychologists apply evidence-based psychological approaches to the prevention and treatment of sleep disorders. These approaches may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBTi) for insomnia, relaxation training, and mindfulness training. Because sleep disorders affect overall health, sleep psychologists can work closely with other members of the sleep team, including doctors, surgeons, and dentists, to treat emerging health issues.
There have been numerous studies examining the relationship between sleep and mental health among adults. In one of these studies, both short sleep (defined as <5 to <7 hours of sleep in the study) and long sleep (defined as >8 to >9 hours of sleep in the study) were identified as risk factors for the development of depression. Looking at our headline, “Does sleep have hygiene too?” You might think, but yes, sleep also has hygiene. Sleep hygiene is a term that describes good sleeping habits. So what can you do for sleep hygiene?
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Make sure your sleeping hours are regular
For a good quality sleep, make sure to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Go to bed only when you feel sleepy. Do not force yourself to sleep. Make sure your bedroom is well ventilated and tidy.
Stop using electronic devices before sleep
One of the reasons that affect our sleep quality is our smartphones and tablets. According to many studies, the use of electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets before going to sleep causes difficulty in falling asleep and lowers the level of the sleep hormone melatonin . For good sleep, stop using your smartphone at least three hours before your bedtime.
Pay attention to what you watch before you go to sleep
If you watch violent movies and TV series before going to bed, it is not surprising that you sleep poorly. Instead of exposing your mind to the toxic images of such movies and TV series, you can listen to relaxing music or meditate before going to sleep.
Benefit from “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”
If you suffer from chronic insomnia, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can come to your aid. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in 2001, CBT worked better than progressive muscle relaxation or a placebo treatment in people suffering from insomnia. CBT reduces one’s false beliefs about sleep and also addresses the behavioral aspects of work, such as what to do when lying in bed and when unable to sleep.
Make stress management a part of your life
One of the effects of stress, which is a part of the lives of us modern world people, is that it can cause sleep deprivation. Chronic stress can cause anxious thoughts at night, delaying a person’s ability to fall asleep. Moreover, insufficient sleep can cause more stress. This can lead to a vicious circle. Just as stress is a part of our life, stress management should also be a part of our lives.
Conclusion
Taking a relaxing bath before going to sleep, taking advantage of the aromatherapy oils that make it easier to fall asleep, will help us in the stage of falling asleep. Again, avoiding drinks containing caffeine two or three hours before going to sleep will also make it easier for us to sleep. As the Dalai Lama said, the best meditation is sleep.
Do yourself a favor and make quality sleep a priority for your physical and mental health. It should not be forgotten that the psychological and physical health needs of individuals and which strategies can be most effective for them differ. Be sure to consult your doctor for guidance on your sleep health.
