How to Improve Your Sleep and Feel Happier

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Most of us would like to sleep better. Chronic sleep deprivation is a surprisingly common problem affecting over 35% of adults in the United States. Whether you’re staying up too late, tossing and turning all night, or waking up earlier than you’d like, inadequate sleep can have a serious impact on your mental health. Research shows that sleep is closely linked with our happiness. Keep reading to learn how you can sleep your way to happiness, confidence, and mental resilience!

Is anxiety affecting your ability to get a good night’s sleep? Frame of Mind Counseling can address your issues and teach you coping skills and strategies. (225) 663-5495

The Link Between Sleep and Happiness

Lack of sleep can lead to irritability, moodiness, stress, and symptoms of depression.

• Fatigue can make it difficult to do simple tasks or engage in the activities you enjoy, leading to anger and frustration.
• The emotional center of your brain, the amygdala, is more reactive when you’re sleep-deprived, so you’re more likely to lose your patience after a night of tossing and turning.
• Sleep deprivation can hurt your self-esteem by wreaking havoc on your skin and contributing to weight gain.

Simple Ways to Sleep Better

If you’re having a hard time falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting up in the morning, try incorporating some healthy sleep habits into your daily routine.

• Try not to make sleeping pills your treatment of choice. These drugs can cause serious side effects and do nothing to treat the underlying cause of your sleep problems.
• Instead, try adopting good sleep hygiene practices to treat insomnia at its roots.
• For example, avoiding alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and electronics before bed can lead to significant improvements in sleep quality.
• Engage in a relaxing activity before bed, such as yoga, to help your body wind down.
• Exercising will help you fall asleep faster and spend more time in the most restorative phase of sleep known as slow-wave sleep.
• Listen to music or relaxing sounds using a wireless speaker or earbuds.

When to Consult a Professional

If you’ve tried everything and you’re still not sleeping well, it’s worthwhile to talk to a professional.

• Hire a wellness professional to help you develop healthy habits that will improve your sleep.
• Work with Frame of Mind Counseling if anxiety or depression is keeping you up at night.
• If you think you might have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about your concerns so you can get a proper diagnosis and begin treatment.

Sleep is intricately linked with our mental well-being. If you’re not getting the sleep you need, you could be robbing yourself of your happiness and creating all kinds of physical and mental side effects in the long term. Start looking for ways to improve your sleep today so you can enjoy the joy-inducing effects of a good night’s sleep!

• Cheryl Conklin
  Guest Blogger