Did you know we spend about one-third of our lives asleep (Robotham et al., 2011)? Given the significant amount of time we spend sleeping, you may wonder what sleep is and why it’s so important. Though you might assume sleep is a passive process, your brain and body are actually hard at work while you’re asleep!
While you’re sleeping:
- You cycle through 4 distinct sleep stages, including rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep. Most of our dreaming occurs during REM sleep!
- You process information and consolidate memories (Worley, 2018).
- You build the capacity to manage stress and process emotions (Howarth & Miller, 2024).
- You grow as you build and repair body tissues (Worley, 2018).
Even though sleep is important, around 1 in 4 Canadian adults is not getting enough good-quality sleep (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2019). A lack of sleep can have detrimental effects on our physical health, as well as our mental health.
Sleep and Mental Health
Most of us have experienced the effects of a poor night of sleep at one time or another. If you’ve spent the night tossing and turning, you might notice you don’t feel your best. While one night of poor sleep may seem insignificant, ongoing sleep disruptions can have a major impact on your health, mood, and stress level. Mood fluctuations, poor concentration, and a reduced capacity to cope with stress are common after a poor night’s sleep. Over time, poor sleep can take a toll on your overall health and well-being. Understanding how sleep can impact your mental health and how to improve your sleep habits can lead to better quality sleep and improved well-being.
The Link Between Sleep and Your Mood
Sleep impacts your mental health, but poor sleep can also be a symptom of poor mental health. Some research describes this as a “bidirectional” relationship between sleep and mental health (Howarth & Miller, 2024). While good-quality sleep gives you the capacity to process stress and emotions, poor-quality sleep can have the opposite effect. Increased stress, anger, and hostility are all linked to poor sleep quality. A lack of sleep over time can also heighten your emotions and lower your capacity to manage stress (Worley, 2018). This means that the longer you go without good sleep, the harder it is to manage your emotions, your work, and the stress you may encounter in your daily life.
The Impact of Sleep on Your Mental Health
Since sleep has such a large impact on your mood, stress levels, and ability to function, it makes sense that it can also impact your mental health overall. Sleep disturbances, like insomnia, can co-occur with mental health disorders, such as anxiety or depression (Howarth & Miller, 2024). In fact, long term sleep problems can contribute to the development of chronic mental health issues like depression and anxiety (Worley, 2018). The connection between your mental health and sleep disruptions can be a difficult cycle to manage, as poor mental health can worsen sleep disruptions, and sleep disruptions can negatively impact your mental health. It’s clear to see that taking sleep concerns seriously is a key component of maintaining good mental health, including preventing and treating mental health disorders. It can seem impossible, though, to get a good night’s sleep! Fortunately, there are many ways to address sleep problems and to build a healthy sleep routine. Good sleep is integral to your health, and improving the quality of your sleep is more than just minimizing sleep disruptions (Allen et al., 2019)! Keep reading to learn more about steps you can take to improve your sleep.
Building Better Sleep Habits
Though it may seem simple, your bedtime routine has a large impact on the quality of your sleep. These habits and practices are referred to as sleep hygiene and can go a long way in helping you get a good night’s sleep. Just like other hygiene practices, like brushing your teeth or taking a shower, sleep hygiene includes concrete steps you can take to promote and maintain your physical and mental health.
Sleep hygiene consists of the following practices:
- Make sure your bedroom temperature is comfortable for sleep—not too hot or too cold. While the ideal temperature can vary from person to person, it is generally recommended that your bedroom is a few degrees colder than your comfortable daytime temperature (Robotham et al., 2011).
- To improve your sleep environment, consider taking steps to block out light and sound in your bedroom during the night. If your bedroom is too bright, or you work night shifts, blackout curtains can be a helpful solution. If you sleep in a noisy area, wearing earplugs may enhance your sleep quality.
- Spending time in the sun during the day can positively influence our sleep/wake cycle, also known as our circadian rhythm. Exposure to natural light helps align our sleep routine with environmental signals. By stepping outside into the sunlight during the day and dimming the lights in the evening, we can better regulate our body’s natural cues for sleep. Dimming the lights at night signals to the body that it will soon be time to sleep (Howarth & Miller, 2024).
- Establishing a set bedtime that allows you to get at least 7 hours of good quality sleep is important. While the amount of sleep needed varies from person to person and can be affected by factors such as age and gender, consistently getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night may indicate a sleep disturbance (Worley, 2018).
- Putting electronics away about an hour before bedtime is important. It can be difficult to disconnect from social media, television, or your computer, but limiting your screen time in the hour before bedtime can promote relaxation, and a healthy sleep routine.
- Build a relaxation routine.
- Avoid caffeine and nicotine late in the day. As stimulants, caffeine and nicotine increase your heart rate and adrenaline production, making it harder to wind down.
- Limit alcoholic drinks before bedtime. While alcohol can help you fall asleep, it can significantly disrupt your sleep quality, especially during the latter half of the night (Robotham et al., 2011).
- Exercise regularly. Exercise during the day can also help improve your mood and reduce anxiety, as well as enhance your quality of sleep.
A positive sleep hygiene routine can help improve the quality of sleep you get, which also has a positive impact on your mood, ability to manage stress, and cognitive functions. Small steps in sleep hygiene can have a big impact not only on your night of sleep but also on your overall mental health. However, even the best habits may not be enough to treat chronic insomnia. If you are experiencing severe sleep problems, you may need professional guidance to address them.
How CITC Can Help
At the Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre (CITC), we know that overcoming sleep challenges, like chronic insomnia, can sometimes require professional assistance. Our highly trained Registered Psychotherapist, Aaron Arkin, offers specialized Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) treatment over the course of 5 biweekly sessions (Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre, 2023). Research shows that CBT-I is an effective treatment for sleep-related concerns, such as insomnia (Howarth & Miller, 2024). Additionally, addressing mental health concerns, such as anxiety or depression, can also help to improve your sleep. Our therapists offer a diverse range of services to help you address your mental health needs. To learn more about CITC and our services, please contact us here.
References and Further Reading
Allen, S. F., Akram, U., & Ellis, J. G. (2019). Examination of sleep health dimensions and their associations with perceived stress and health in a UK sample. Journal of Public Health. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdz016
Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre. (2023, September 28). CBT for Insomnia – Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre | Toronto Psychologists. Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre | Toronto Psychologists. https://www.citcassociates.com/treatment/cognitive-behaviour-therapy/cbt-for-insomnia/
Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre. (2025, January 8). Appointment Request Form – Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre | Toronto Psychologists. Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre | Toronto Psychologists. https://www.citcassociates.com/appointment-request/
Dimitriu, A., & Suni, E. (2024, March 26). Mental health and sleep. Sleep Foundation. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mental-health
Howarth, N. E., & Miller, M. A. (2024). Sleep, Sleep Disorders, and Mental Health: A Narrative review. Heart and Mind, 8(3), 146–158. https://doi.org/10.4103/hm.hm-d-24-00030
Public Health Agency of Canada. (2019, March 4). Are Canadian adults getting enough sleep? Government of Canada. Retrieved March 7, 2025, from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-adults-getting-enough-sleep-infographic.html
Robotham, D., Chakkalackal, L., & Cyhlarova, E. (2011). Sleep matters: The impact of sleep on health and wellbeing. Mental Health Foundation. https://www.HowDidYouSleep.org
Worley, S. L. (2018). The extraordinary Importance of sleep: The detrimental effects of inadequate sleep on health and public safety drive an explosion of sleep research. PubMed, 43(12), 758–763. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30559589
