3 Common Reasons of Negativity

According to a study at a university, there are 4 elements that create negative thinking: Regret and Shame, Negative Expressions, Lack of Confidence, and Criticism Towards Others. If we sum it up, the following 3 reasons are the most common triggers for negative thinking.

Severe Long-Term Stress

Stress can be a direct cause of negativity. When we mess up at work/school or can’t perform well, negativity takes over our minds, making less room for positivity to grow. If we surround ourselves with negative people, sometimes we end up being heavily influenced by them too.

Past Traumatic Experiences

Past trauma can impact us in many ways. A person full of optimism and positivity can suddenly change negatively due to shocking incidents. Some people can fall into a negative trap where they can’t believe in anyone after experiencing betrayal from someone they used to trust.

Hormonal Imbalance Due To Poor Lifstyle Choices

A neurological chemical called serotonin has to do a lot with our emotional control and stability. A lack of serotonin not only makes us less energetic, but it can also make us negative too. For your body to properly produce serotonin, a stress-free lifestyle with exercise, a healthy diet, and sunlight becomes crucial. If we can shift our lifestyle with healthier lifestyle habits that promote serotonin, that can push our minds back towards positivity.

3 Reasons Sleep Heals Negativity

Typically, if the cause of our problems is clear, we’d have to fix that first. However, causes such as past trauma or long-term stress cannot be fixed overnight and that can feel like a struggle. Therefore, we advise that you start easy with getting plenty of sleep. In this section, we’ll explain how sleep can heal negativity within our minds.

It Heals the Physical Body and Brain

The brain can rest and condition the body’s hormonal balance when it goes to sleep. A well-balanced hormonal function can fight negativity and build stress resilience towards the incoming negativity we experience.

The body needs to feel energized enough before we start exercising towards a healthy serotonin function. Sleep also helps our whole body restore itself. Without fundamental sleep, it’s hard to make the change we desire.

Leads To Better Lifstyle Habits

A structured sleeping schedule, sunlight, and a healthy diet all contribute towards getting rid of our negativity. A good night’s rest promotes serotonin secretion which helps us back to positivity. Good sleep also helps us stay efficient during the day. Most of us have pulled all-nighters during the weekday only to try and catch up on sleep during the weekends. We can start working on positivity today, just by starting off a healthy sleeping schedule.

Stops The Negativity Loop

Once we fall into a negativity loop our problems seem infinitely larger than what they are. We need to reset our minds so that we can shift gears towards positivity. To easily do this, we recommend sleep.

When we sleep, our thoughts are forced to shut down and we can leave from thinking so much. This gives us the capability to look at things more objectively and calmly when we wake up.

If you have a hard time sleeping, an AI app can help you sort your thoughts through too. Try the SELF MIND app for a FREE trial!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Sleep Well for a Healthy Mind and Body

Good sleep nourishes our brain and body while it puts our negative thinking on hold. It’s a necessary step for proper serotonin secretion and the key to stopping the negativity. Next time you feel negative and down, stop what you’re doing and go to bed.

Reference：

Akutsu, Y., Odajima, H., & Miya, S. (2008). Changes of positive and negative affect by a stress task. The Annual Report of the Faculty of Education, Iwate University, 68, 1–8. https://iss.ndl.go.jp/books/R100000002-I000000001712-00

Konishi, M., & Yoshida, A. (2011). Life style and environment that influence serotonin secretion. Journal of Osaka Kawasaki Rehabilitation University, 5, 1–20. https://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/120006866960

Shiraishi, S., Soma, H., & Shimazu, N. (2016). Characteristics of Japanese automatic thoughts in negative situations. Utsunomiya University Repository, 66(1), 3–12. http://hdl.handle.net/10241/10240

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In order to break this cycle, it is necessary to prepare for sleep instead of just facing restless nights and hoping for the best. Preparing for bed means getting your body and mind into the right state for sleeping. The most important thing to do is to relax your body and mind. Otherwise, you may risk falling into one of the many types of insomnia.

For more information on insomnia, check out the article below.

Relaxation is Essential for a Sleepless Night

Many people probably recognize that relaxation is important in achieving good quality sleep. However, no matter how much you tell yourself to relax, it’s a lot easier said than done, especially on those pesky sleepless nights. In order to promote a state of relaxation, you need to work on your body and mind in an appropriate way that suits you personally. Here, we’ll introduce some of the most common relaxation methods.

Listen to Music on a Sleepless Night

Many experts believe that music is influential on the human mind. Studies show that listening to music can reduce heart rate and blood pressure. Recently, “music therapy” has become a form of treatment in medical fields. To promote a state of relaxation, choose a song with a slow tempo that calms you down. By focusing on listening to the music, negative thoughts can be suppressed and a relaxing effect can be achieved.

Pleasant Scents for a Sleepless Night

Like music, the scent also has an effect on the human body and mind. Filling your bedroom with relaxing scents can help you calm down and get a good night’s sleep. For example, using essential oil diffusers, or scented candles. You could also try achieving relaxation effects through aromatherapy baths. Add aromatic essential oils to the water during bathing, or use aromatic oils for massages and skincare. Lavender, bergamot, and sweet orange scents are said to be effective for restful sleep and relieving negative moods.

Belly Breathing for a Sleepless Night

Belly breathing is a breathing technique in which you consciously try to depress and expand your lower abdomen. When you exhale, you exhale long and slow so that your lower abdomen dips, and when you inhale, you inhale so that you deliberately expand your lower abdomen. Repeating this exercise is called belly breathing. People tend to breathe shallow and fast when they are nervous or stressed. On the contrary, breathing deeply and slowly can lead the body and mind into a relaxed state. If you imagine that you are breathing out the tension in your body with each breath, it will increase the effect of relaxation.

Activities that Might Trigger a Sleepless Night

By creating a state of relaxation at bedtime through the above actions, you can lead your body and mind into a state suitable for sleep. On the other hand, there are some activities you should ideally avoid before bedtime, as they may exacerbate every sleepless night.

・Vigorous exercise
・Consumption of caffeine or nicotine
・Use of computer, smartphone, or television

These activities excite and awaken the brain, making it harder to fall asleep. Ideally, you should abstain from these activities before bedtime if you frequently find yourself in a sleepless night.

What is “Progressive Muscle Relaxation”?

One method of relaxing the body and mind is “progressive muscle relaxation (PMR)”, invented by an American neurophysiologist in the 1930s. It is a method of relaxing the body and mind by consciously relaxing the muscles throughout the body. The method can be practiced by oneself and does not require any special tools or environment. As such, specialists use the method in cancer treatment, amongst other medical therapy, as an easy relaxation method.

The muscles of the human body are closely related to the cerebrum and nervous system. Therefore, relaxation of the muscles can suppress the excitement of the cerebrum. By relaxing the muscles through PMR, the excitation of the cerebrum is suppressed, and the autonomic nervous system becomes parasympathetic. This leads to a state of relaxation in both body and mind.

PMR Technique for a Sleepless Night

In the PMR technique, you tense the muscles in each part of the body for 10 seconds, then relax them for 15 to 20 seconds, repeating these basic movements. When applying tension to a muscle, focus on the muscle in that area. In turn, when relaxing, be conscious of the force that is being released. Below is a step by step guide of the PMR technique in practice.

Extend both arms out in front of you, then close your fists around your thumbs and squeeze tightly. After 10 seconds, slowly extend your hands and relax them on your knees for 15 to 20 seconds.
(*The below body parts follow the same basic steps: tense your muscles for 10 seconds, before relaxing them for 15 to 20 seconds.)

Make sure you try this in a relaxing environment, sitting in a chair with your back straight.

Steps in the PMR Technique

1. Both hands
   Extend both arms out in front of you, then close your fists around your thumbs and squeeze tightly. After 10 seconds, slowly extend your hands and relax them on your knees for 15 to 20 seconds.
   (*The below body parts follow the same basic steps: tense your muscles for 10 seconds, before relaxing them for 15 to 20 seconds.)
2. Upper arm
   Bring your clenched fist close to your shoulder and apply force to the entire bent upper arm, then relax and unclench.
3. Back
   In the same vein as #2, extend your upper arms outward and pull your shoulder blades to the center of your back.
4. Shoulders
   Raise both shoulders as if you were squeezing your neck, and put strength into your shoulders.
5. Neck
   Twist your head to the right side with all your strength. Repeat the same for the left side.
6. Face
   Squeeze the mouth and apply force as if to scrunch up all your facial parts in the center. When releasing the tension, open your mouth as if to relax your lower jaw.
7. Abdomen
   Put your hand on your abdomen and apply pressure as if to push back against your hand.
8. Legs and feet
   Extend your legs all the way by pointing your toes, and tense the muscles on the underside of the legs. Next, extend the foot and bend the toes upwards, tensing the muscles on the upper side of the legs.
9. Full body
   Tense all the body parts and muscles mentioned from #1 through #8 above, and hold for 10 seconds. Then slowly release the tension, and relax your whole body over 15 to 20 seconds.

Take it Slow and Aviod a Sleepless Night

Complete the above progressive muscle relaxation exercises over the course of 10 to 15 minutes. The goal is to learn how to tense up your muscles to the maximum, then relax them all at once. Be careful of over-exerting yourself, however, as this can lead to leg cramps and unexpected muscle injuries. Keep in mind that you should put 60-70% of your energy into each muscle. Once you get used to it, you will find it an easy way to relax at any time and place, especially on a sleepless night, but even outside of bedtime.

Sleepless Night? Do What Works for You!

There are many more common relaxation methods to try on a sleepless night than the ones mentioned so far. The important thing is to practice relaxation in a way that suits you. If you don’t know what method is right for you, you should start with something that is easy to do, and try out various methods.

Sleep is a healthy behavior that is essential for humans to sustain life. It also occupies so much time in our lives that most people spend one-third of their lives sleeping. Having a good sleep habit will help you maintain good physical and mental health throughout your life, and contribute to your ability to reach your full potential and achieve further growth. It may not be easy to change the lifestyle habits that are already ingrained in your body and develop better sleeping habits. But if you think that it will make your life healthier and more fulfilling, it will be well worth the effort.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image: Unsplash
References:
Japan Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. (2009). Coping with Stress. Retrieved from: https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/shotou/clarinet/002/003/010/004.htm#top

Kawazoe, I., Norikane, K., & Kitajima, Y. (2016). Effects of Relaxation Method by Breathing and Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Nursing Students. Journal of Health Sciences Research 6, 29-39.

The post Sleepless Night Relaxation Methods for Quality Sleep appeared first on SELF MIND.

The Basics of Insomnia

Generally, insomnia is defined by a lack of proper sleep for over a month with symptoms of fatigue, decreased motivation, decreased concentration, and loss of appetite. The cause of insomnia varies, including but not limited to day-to-day stress, psychological illnesses, or side effects of medication.

The hours of sleep required for a healthy lifestyle varies from person to person. Some people will feel sleepy during the day even after 8 hours of sleep and some people will function perfectly fine on just 3 hours of sleep. It’s also known that our necessary sleep time for health changes with age. It’s natural to require less sleep as we age, so sleeping difficulties are less of a concern when we age. These natural changes are not indicative of insomnia.

Check out the article below for more details on the basics of insomnia.

When we experience continuous sleepless nights, many of us try to spend more time in bed to maximize rest. However, this may lead our brain to signal our “place of sleep” (a.k.a the bed) as a place of activity or wakefulness, leading to further sleeplessness.

“Sleep scheduling,” allows the brain to understand the bed as a place reserved only for sleeping. The following points become important to achieve this:
・Spend time outside of bed until you actually feel sleepy
・Do not try and go to bed until you actually feel sleepy
・If you are struggling to sleep, get out of bed

What is Sleep Scheduling?

Sleep scheduling is an effective approach for people who experience daytime discomforts due to long term insomnia. If you are not currently experiencing any symptoms of insomnia, be careful as this may disrupt your sleep cycle.

1. Understand Sleep Efficiency

Before we implement a sleep schedule, we must first understand our sleep habits. It’s important to know how long it actually takes to fall asleep once we get into bed and how long the sleep felt when we wake up the next morning. A good way to do this is by keeping a “sleep journal” to record our everyday sleep habits. Once there’s a good understanding of our sleep habits, we can calculate sleep efficiency (the ratio of our actual sleep over time spent in bed). Use the equation below to calculate your sleep efficiency.

For example, if you got in bed at 10:00 PM and woke up at 8:00 AM the next morning, you will have spent 10 hours in bed. Within that time, let’s say you felt like you actually got 6 hours of sleep. In this case, your sleep efficiency would be 60%. The goal is to achieve an average of 85% or more for adequate weekly sleep efficiency.

2. Go To Bed Later to Improve Sleep Efficiency

Once we grasp a good idea of sleep efficiency, adjust bedtime to 15 – 30 minutes before the actual sleep time in order to get closer to the 85% average sleep efficiency. If, as in the example above, you sleep for 6 hours and wake up at 8:00 AM, you should adjust bedtime to be at 1:30 – 1:45 AM. Until then, spend time outside of the bedroom to condition your body and brain to believe that the bed is strictly for sleeping only.

3. Gradually Lengthen Sleep Hours

Once the average weekly sleep efficiency exceeds 85%, gradually increase sleep time by either going to bed 15 minutes earlier or waking up 15 minutes later. Aim for a sleep duration that will not negatively impact daytime activities. These adjustments to our sleeping habits may temporarily make us go to bed later and wake up earlier. However, concentrated sleep hours can improve our subjective satisfaction towards sleep quality

Sleep scheduling can be an effective way to improve insomnia, but the root cause of it still needs to be addressed. If insomnia is caused by illness or side effects of medication, we should make improvements based on the guidance of a professional doctor. Make sure to carefully determine the cause of sleeplessness, before taking appropriate measures for improvement.

Better Sleep Habits Lead to More Fulfillment

Sleep is a vital behavior to our health that sustains life. Sleep also occupies one-third of our lives. Good sleep habits help us maintain good physical and mental health. It contributes to our ability to reach full potential and further grow.

It’s not easy to change the lifestyle we already have to adjust for better sleep. Although, with its benefits of creating a healthier and more fulfilling life, it will be well worth the effort.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image: Unsplash
References:
Munezawa, T., & Mishima, K. (2009). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia. Journal of Mental Health, 55, 71-78.

National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry. Support Manual for Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems. Retrieved from: https://www.ncnp.go.jp/nimh/behavior/phn/sleep_manual.pdf

The post Sleep Scheduling: Say Goodbye To Sleepless Nights appeared first on SELF MIND.

The Different Insomnia Types

Generally, insomnia is defined by a lack of proper sleep for over a month. Symptoms include fatigue, decreased motivation, decreased concentration, and loss of appetite during waking hours. The cause of insomnia varies, including but not limited to day-to-day stress, psychological illnesses, or side effects of medication. In fact, the duration of sleep is not very important in the definition of insomnia. What matters is whether or not you feel unwell during the day. Many experts agree that even if the actual duration of sleep is short, it is not a problem as long as there are no negative symptoms during the day.

Following this, there are several insomnia types.

・Sleep Onset Insomnia: Struggling to fall asleep, no matter how hard you try, even though it’s night time and you’re in bed.
・Sleep Maintenance Insomnia: Waking up multiple times throughout the night.
・Sleep Offset Insomnia: Waking up too early in the morning or earlier than intended, and struggling to fall back asleep.
・Nonrestorative Sleep: Lack of feeling rested even though you should have gotten enough sleep.

If these symptoms persist, you may eventually develop a dislike towards the act of going to sleep or sleep itself. This can lead to a vicious cycle of tension when falling asleep and a strong sense of commitment to sleep. Consequently, this worsens the symptoms of each of the insomnia types.

Don’t Worry if You Can’t Sleep

All of us have, at least once, experienced the feeling of being unable to sleep even though you want to. Moreover, it is possible for anyone to experience these symptoms for a few days in a row. However, this alone does not mean you have insomnia. Even if you had trouble sleeping for 2 to 3 days, as long as you feel OK during the day, it shouldn’t be too much to worry about. In fact, worrying about “what if I have insomnia?” might actually lead to tension before sleep, potentially leading yourself into a chronic pattern of insomnia.

To avoid falling into any of the insomnia types, try not to stress about it, even if you can’t sleep. The key to maintaining a healthy sleep is to think positively, relax your body, and tell yourself, “maybe I’m having trouble sleeping today, but tomorrow will be just fine.”

How Much Should We Sleep, Anyway?

The hours of sleep required for a healthy lifestyle varies from person to person. Some people will feel sleepy during the day even though they got 7 hours the night before. Conversely, some people will function perfectly fine on just 3 hours of solid sleep. Many people who have trouble sleeping believe that they need to get more than 6 hours for it to be healthy sleep. In this way, they end up raising the bar for themselves regarding the duration and quality of their sleep. However, the hours required for a healthy sleep varies from person to person. Therefore, there is no need to apply generalizations to your own sleep and stress about the exact hours of sleep you are getting.

It is also important to remember that the amount of sleep you need to maintain good health changes with age. This is due to changes in the body’s internal clock caused by aging. The typical nighttime sleep duration is 8 to 9 hours up to age 10, about 8 hours at age 15, about 7 hours at age 25, about 6.5 hours at age 45, and about 6 hours at age 65. In other words, it is quite natural for us to need less sleep as we age. Therefore, there is no need for much concern if you find it harder to sleep than when you were younger.

How to Escape Those Sleepless Nights

In order to improve your sleeping habits, it is most important to get your body into a “sleep-friendly” state before going to bed. To achieve this, it is necessary to relax your body and mind and create an environment suitable for sleep. It is also important to eliminate any elements that may interfere with sleep as much as possible.

Here are some ways to improve your sleep that you can try right away.

Wake up at the same time and bathe in sunlight

The human brain switches from “sleep mode” to “waking mode” when exposed to sunlight after waking up. It is also believed that people generally begin to feel sleepy 14 to 16 hours after waking up. In other words, by waking up at the same time every morning and exposing yourself to sunlight, your body can become accustomed to your lifestyle rhythm, becoming sleepy at the same time every night. The important thing is to keep your waking time the same even if your bedtime is later. This way, even if you stay up late, your body clock will not be disturbed and you will be able to maintain your daily rhythm.

Only get in bed once you are sleepy

It’s hard to fall asleep when your body and brain aren’t ready for it. Thinking that you have to sleep immediately creates tension in your body and mind, making it even harder to sleep. Firstly, try to relax both your body and mind, and only get in bed when you naturally feel like sleeping. Moreover, avoid spending time in bed unless you are going to sleep. If you spend time on your bed when you don’t intend to sleep, your brain will begin to recognize it as a place of activity. Consequently, it will be difficult to switch your brain to “sleep mode” when you are actually ready to sleep.

Relax your mind and body

For a good night’s sleep, it is of utmost importance to relax both your body and mind. Try to relax by doing some light stretching before bedtime or lighting candles with relaxing scents. Another tip is taking a bath 1 to 2 hours before bedtime. This will help lower your body temperature and make it easier to fall asleep.

Things to avoid before sleep

Refrain as much as possible from activities that may interfere with falling asleep. It is said that the blue light emitted by TV and smartphone screens have the effect of waking up the brain. Refrain from watching TV or using using your phone before going to bed. Moreover, nicotine in cigarettes and caffeine in coffee and other beverages also have the effect of waking the brain, so it is best to avoid these before bedtime. Intense exercise also causes the body to release adrenaline, a stimulant that makes it difficult for the brain to sleep. When exercising to relax, try to keep it to light stretching.

In order to get rid of any of these insomnia types, it is important to face your own sleeping habits with the correct understanding and to practice habits for better sleep. However, there are various causes of insomnia that plague many people today. Depending on the cause, it may not be possible to solve the problem by one’s own efforts alone. If your insomnia is the byproduct of mental or physical illness, or a side effect of medication, you may need to improve it under the guidance of a professional doctor.

Say Goodbye to Sleeplessness!

Sleep is a health behavior that is essential for humans to sustain life. It also occupies so much time in our lives that most people spend one-third of their lives sleeping. Having a good sleep habit will help you maintain good physical and mental health throughout your life. Subsequently, it will contribute to your ability to reach your full potential and achieve further growth.

It may not be easy to change the lifestyle habits that are already ingrained in your body and develop better sleeping habits. But if you think that it will make your life healthier and more fulfilling, it will be well worth the effort.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image:Unsplash
References:
Munezawa, T., & Mishima, K. (2009). Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Insomnia. Journal of Mental Health, 55, 71-78.

Uchiyama, M. (2010). Clinical Managements of Insomnia and Hypersomnia. Journal of Nihon University Medical Association 69(1), 11-16. doi: 10.4264/numa.69.11

The post Insomnia Types and How to Deal with Them appeared first on SELF MIND.

Lack of Sleep and Daily Functioning

The quality and quantity of sleep are heavily related to human health, both physically and mentally. This means that a lack of sleep will significantly impact human functioning. Multiple studies on the effects of sleep find individuals with sleep deprivation are most impacted in their mood (and emotion). Following this is cognitive performance, then motor performance. While motor performance was the least affected of the three indicators above, it was still significantly worse than those who had gotten ample sleep. In other words, if you lack sufficient hours of sleep, you will not only feel bad, but your decision-making skills will be impaired, as will your performance in physical day-to-day tasks.

Furthermore, while any lack of sleep may impact human functioning, individuals with partial sleep deprivation (getting less than 6 hours of sleep for at least 5 consecutive days) are typically more severely impacted in physical performance than those with long-term or total sleep deprivation. Individual with long-term sleep deprivation, however, are typically more heavily impacted in terms of decreased interest and attention. There are absolutely no positive effects to sleep debt, even if it’s just a few hours less sleep per night!

The Vicious Cycle of Stress and Sleep Debt

It was mentioned above that a lack of proper sleep most impacts mood and emotion. Subjects of sleep studies have reported experiencing heightened stress, anxiety and anger when deprived of sleep. Sleep-deprived individuals have a lower threshold for stress tolerance, with an amplified perception of subjective psychological stressors.

The troubling thing about this, is that high levels of stress can impact sleep quality in itself. If you lack sufficient hours of sleep, you become more easily stressed. Moreover, the more stressed you are, the more you struggle to get a good night’s sleep. This is a vicious cycle you do not want to fall into. Furthermore, if this continues long-term, you risk developing chronic sleep disturbances.

The Horror of Sleep Disorders

Even if you are not consciously depriving yourself of sleep, sleep disturbances can still impact the quality of your sleep. Consequently, the quality of your cognitive and motor performance levels are also affected. For example, sleep fragmentation is when an individual wakes up many times throughout the night, interrupting a natural sleep schedule. Fragmented sleep leads to extreme daytime fatigue, as well as potential mood disorders and unintended weight gain.

Sleep fragmentation can occur in severely stressed individuals, but can also manifest as a subproduct of an underlying sleep disorder. For example, sleep apnea (breathing problems during sleep) or narcolepsy (disorder of excessive sleepiness), in which case professional medical help should be sought out. Severe levels of disordered sleep can significantly impact your daily functioning, in more areas than one. It’s important to look out for any signs of disordered sleep, and seek professional help to sort out potential issues before they get serious.

How Can We Get the Best Sleep Possible?

It’s easy enough to say “make sure you get enough sleep”. But what exactly is the perfect amount of sleep? And how can we avoid unintentional sleep disturbances or sleep debt?

Typically, the average adult should get at least 7 hours of consecutive sleep per night for optimal health. Young adults or individuals recovering from illness may benefit from 9 hours of consecutive sleep each night. Any lack of sleep may lead to physical and psychological impairments.

In order to get the best quality of sleep you can, first and foremost, it is important to keep a regular sleep schedule. In other words, avoid the possibility of sleep debt. Firtly, be sure to go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. Even if you can’t help staying up late on some nights, the important thing is to wake up at the same time again the next morning. If you are finding it difficult to sleep, you may be stressed, or perhaps filled with excess energy. It may be beneficial to try some light exercise, such as dancing, for the double effect of stress-relief and expending energy before bed time.

Healthy Sleep for a Happy Life

Whatever your situation may be, it’s absolutely essential to maintain a healthy sleep habit in order to be your best self. Sleep is an easy thing to master once you get the hang of it – take control, and get a good night’s sleep!

If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!
→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELFMIND app FREE for a week!

Image: Unsplash

Resources:

Bertha, E. (2018, August 15). Everything You Need to Know About Sleep Fragmentation. Retrieved July 02, 2020, from https://blog.eightsleep.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-fragmentation/

Khazaie, H. (2010). The Effects of Chronic Partial Sleep Deprivation on Cognitive Functions of Medical Residents. Iran Journal of Psychiatry, 5(2): 74–77.

Minkel, J. D., et al. (2012). Sleep deprivation and stressors: Evidence for elevated negative affect in response to mild stressors when sleep deprived. Emotion, 12(5), 1015-1020. doi:10.1037/a0026871

Pilcher, J. J., & Huffcutt, A. I. (1996). Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Performance: A Meta-Analysis. Sleep, 19(4), 318-326. doi:10.1093/sleep/19.4.318

Watson, N. F., et al. (2015). Recommended Amount of Sleep for a Healthy Adult: A Joint Consensus Statement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, 11(06), 591-592. doi:10.5664/jcsm.4758

The post Lack of Sleep is Detrimental to Our Wellbeing appeared first on SELF MIND.

Beware if You’re Sleeping Less than 6 Hours

Many epidemiological studies and psychophysiological experiments have been conducted on sleep and health. According to these studies, poor sleep habits can impact daytime functioning and physical or mental health on a significant level. Specifically, repeated sleep deprivation (sleep debt) and poor physical or mental conditions caused by the mismatch between one’s biological clock and social hours (social jet lag), both have negative effects on quality of life. One famous experiment that examined the effects of sleep debt on daytime functioning is a study conducted by the Sleep and Time Biology Laboratory at the University of Pennsylvania. According to the study, when people’s nightly sleep habits are consistently 4 to 6 hours for at least two weeks, their brain functioning is the same as if they had stayed up all night for a day or two.

For many working people, 4 to 6 hours of sleep may be a regular occurrence. You convince yourself that while you’re a little sleepy, you’re not up all night. Subsequently, since you’re technically getting a decent amount of sleep, it shouldn’t affect your daily functioning. The truth, however, is that you are in a state of chronic sleep deprivation. As a result, your performance and health may be deteriorating without you even realizing it.

3 Ways to Get Good Quality Sleep

Have you ever wanted to resolve the problems with your sleep habits? Maybe you struggle to fall asleep every night even though you want to sleep. Maybe you “stock up” on sleep on the weekends, even though you know that’s unhealthy. In fact, there are 3 keys to obtaining good quality sleep and improving your sleep habits.

1. Get an Additional 20-30min of Sleep on Weekdays

Are you someone who struggles to get up on weekends, sleeping in 2 to 3 hours longer than a weekday? If so, it’s good to divide that extra sleep across the weekdays at about 20 to 30 minutes per day. Instead of trying to catch up on your sleep all on the weekend, avoid sleep debt and social jet lag through getting as much sleep as you can on a daily basis.

2. Wake Up at the Same Time Everyday

If you sleep more on the weekend compared to the weekdays, it may end up upsetting your internal clock. Instead of making up for lost sleep on the weekends, experts recommend that you wake up at the same time every morning, get some sunlight, and eat breakfast. Then, if you’re still groggy, take a short nap once you have already started your daily activities. This helps to adjust your internal clock, preventing social jet lag. Although, try to limit your naps to a length that won’t affect your nighttime sleep!

3. Spend More Time Outside

Most people today live under constant artificial lighting. This means that we are not receiving enough light during the day, but are receiving too much light at night.

According to a research group at the University of Colorado, the subjects were asked to go camping. During this, researchers measured the amount of light they received while camping, their sleep, and melatonin secretion. The results showed that compared to their usual life, there was a greater discrepancy between the amount of light received during the daytime and nighttime while camping. In addition, melatonin secretion in the brain started and ended earlier than usual, which moved up their sleep hours.

Natural light has the effect of reducing stress and fatigue by preventing social jet lag, thereby improving our sleep habits. Night owls can also greatly benefit from the effects that camping has on one’s internal clock. Therefore, camping can be highly effective for people who tend to stay up late before their day off and sleep in late the next day.

Healthy Sleep Habits for a Healthy Mind

A study of 1,000 adults in New Zealand found that the group with the greatest social jet lag had an increased BMI, as well as higher rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome. In addition, consistently poor sleep habits also have a connection to infertility and poor mental health.

Sleep has the important role of resting the body and mind, as well as regulating the functions of the brain and body. Women, in particular, have a more delicate biological structure than men due to constant changes caused by their menstrual cycle and biorhythms, so their sleep habits can be easily affected by slight changes in their routines or lifestyles.

Regardless of gender, it is obvious that sleep habits and sleep disorders have a negative impact on physical and mental health. It is essential to get a good night’s sleep to live a healthy life. If you are reading this and think you may not be getting enough sleep lately, take a moment to review your lifestyle habits. A small change in your consciousness is sure to protect your health in the long term.

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If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

Image: Unsplash
References:
Komada, Y. (2020). Women’s Sleep and Mental Health. Journal of Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 24(3), 275-278. doi: 10.18977/jspog.24.3_275

Mishima, K. (2016). Social Jet-lag and Related Health Risk. Nihon Naika Gakkai Zasshi 105(9), 1675-1681. doi: 10.2169/naika.105.1675

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‘Sleep Inertia’ May Be Blocking Your Sleep

Have you ever felt muddleheaded or sluggish after a nap? “Sleep inertia” is a phenomenon that causes drowsiness and fatigue immediately after waking up. It reduces work efficiency and adversely affects our lives. We can avoid this by changing how we take our naps. An effective power nap is determined by how smoothly we wake up without having sleep inertia.

3 Keys to the Most Effective Power Nap

1. Keep Naps Within 20 Minutes or Less

We generally reach non-REM sleep (deep sleep) in about 30 minutes after falling asleep. The potential of sleep inertia increases when we reach non-REM states in our naps. This is because we experience less non-REM sleep at night when we achieve non-REM states through daytime naps. Long naps during the day may induce sleep inertia, as well as affect the quality of sleep we get at night, leaving us feeling more sluggish and tired the next day. Keep your nap within 20 minutes for the most effective power nap, and avoid falling trap to sleep inertia.

2. Have Caffeine Before Naps

Coffee before a power nap reduces sleep inertia and improves work efficiency. The secret lies in the time it takes for the caffeine to kick in. It takes about 15 to 30 minutes after consumption for it to work. A cup of coffee, tea, or energy drink right before a 20-minute power nap helps us feel more awake when we come out of it, thus aiding in suppressing sleep inertia.

3. Wake up Naturally Without an Alarm

Waking up naturally without an alarm may sound difficult to some. Research reveals that naturally waking up from our naps at a predetermined time suppresses sleep inertia. Further research also indicates that people who are determined to naturally wake up at a certain time, are more likely to wake up earlier than expected. This is why waking up without an alarm allows for the most effective power nap within a shorter time frame.

A Power Nap is Only a Temporary Measure

A power nap, no matter how effective, is only a temporary coping solution to the drowsiness we feel. It’s not a suitable substitute for proper sleep because it’s too short. If we want to eliminate the fundamental cause of drowsiness and avoid regular sleep inertia, good quality sleep at night is essential. Once an effective power nap helps you get through the day, don’t forget to return home early to catch up on sleep.

Looking to improve your mental wellbeing? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:
Kaida, K., Nittono, H., Hayashi, M., Hori, T. (2001)Preventive effects of self-awakening on sleep inertia a short nap. Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology. 19(1), 7-14, https://doi.org/10.5674/jjppp1983.19.7

Hayashi, M., Hori, T. (2007)A short nap as a countermeasure against afternoon sleepiness. Japanese Journal of Physiological Psychology and Psychophysiology. 25(1), 45-59, https://doi.org/10.5674/jjppp1983.25.45

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We all experience anxious nights where we need to sleep, but can’t. Even when we know that looking at our phones won’t help, we find ourselves browsing through interesting topics or scrolling through social media. Some of us might be even searching the web to find solutions for the restlessness they feel on these sleepless nights. These activities, however, may actually exacerbate the insomnia symptoms you are experiencing.

Instead of mindlessly using the internet, we have 8 different suggestions for how to fall asleep on a sleepless night.

How Long Should I Wait in Bed?

No one wants to give up on sleep, only to welcome the next morning feeling restless. There can’t be enough emphasis on how important it is to maintain a regular sleep schedule every day. Keeping a habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, positively influences our sleep quality. However, it’s not always so easy to get into this habit. All it takes is a stress factor or an occasional important event that delays our bedtime to mess things up.

Sometimes, crawling into bed can help us fall asleep even if we’re feeling restless. If that doesn’t work for you, then set a time to stop trying for sleep. Sure, we can lay in bed for hours, but that may not always be the best solution. Instead, if you can’t fall asleep after, (let’s say) 30 minutes, decide on switching things up for a change!

8 Things to Try on Sleepless Nights

Take the time to prepare a dim-lit environment if you can. Make sure you’re comfortable and relaxed before you start.

1. Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment

Assess your sleeping environment for the quality of your sleep. First, if you’ve got a messy bed, try making the bed nicely. Next, we want to make sure our body is feeling as comfortable too. Change out the air in your room by opening windows or control the settings on your AC / heater to a comfortable temperature. If you don’t have control over the temperature in your room, try the following:

This should make you feel more comfortable and restful in your own bed. Another aspect to consider is your pillow. It may help if you try adjusting the pillow height with a towel.

2. Organize Your To-Do List

The root cause of our restlessness can be due to anxiety. A small worry from today or our worries for tomorrow may be prohibiting us from relaxing. To combat these feelings, try to visualize what it is you’re dealing with. Write out all the remaining tasks you have to do, not only for the next day but also for the near future. Make plans so that you know when to complete them. This way, you don’t need to constantly shuffle through your head about your tasks. The clarity of understanding “what has to be done by when” allows space for us to feel more relaxed.

3. Remember the Good Things in Life

It’s easy to get caught in a negative thinking pattern when we’re feeling heartbroken, down, or exhausted. Reflecting on bad days sets you on a path towards more negative thoughts. However bad your day may have been, there’s always a positive aspect you can reflect on. Cherish the small things that are often taken for granted, such as a pleasant conversation with friends, or getting through a day without any injuries. Try to overwrite your negative thoughts by thinking about happy things.

4. Have a Hot Drink

Some people dislike tea, but caffeine-free hot drinks can induce relaxation. Herbal teas are an excellent choice to accompany our bedtime. Oftentimes it doesn’t contain caffeine so you can enjoy a wide range of aromatic flavors; from those with fruity notes, soothing sensations, to slight sweetness. Most products label their products, ‘caffeine-free,’ if they are so that exploring herbal teas can be fun and easy. If you don’t have any teas, try warm water. Warm water alone can bring comfort and relaxation by heating your body up from within. If you’re too hungry for bed, try some soup. Cooking from scratch would require a lot of energy, so keeping a can of soup in your cupboard can turn handy.

5. Gentle Stretches

Light movements of the body and gentle stretches are helpful in falling asleep and feeling refreshed the next day. There are many ways to stretch, but among them, yoga is an excellent choice. The heart rate doesn’t increase rapidly with slow yoga movements, and there are fewer worries about making loud noises in the middle of the night. At first, you may need to practice while watching instructional videos, but this will strain your eyes. Ideally, we want to learn and repeat practice so we can manage without looking at anything. Practicing this daily will help prevent your insomnia symptoms in the long term, as well.

6. Listen to Calm Music & Nature Sounds

Calm lyricless songs and the sounds of nature in the background, helps us feel relaxed and focused. These days, you can stream all kinds of recorded sounds using different websites. There are sounds of waves, river streams, and forests. Even with the sound of rainfall, we can choose from dripping raindrops to modest or heavy rain with thunder. On a night that you find yourself sleepless, spend some time looking into calming sounds. Hopefully, you find relaxation within the process and alleviate your symptoms of insomnia.

7. Press Pressure Points

Acupressure is an effective form of stimulation used to help relax the muscles. It helps correct functional imbalances and restores flow in the body. A stiff body can cause insomnia symptoms. It may help your sleep to stimulate pressure points that help alleviate these disturbances. Our hands and feet are especially concentrated with important pressure points. Check out the article below to start with:

Pressure points to help you fall asleep
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/327274

8. Read a Book

Whether you usually read books or not, following the text and immersing yourself in a story can help you stay away from anxiety. However, if you pick up a book that’s too difficult, you may find yourself bored before finding sleep. Start with books that you’ve read before or short stories with a familiar storyline. Reading electronic books will strain your eyes, so it’s better to avoid it if possible. Audiobooks are also great as you can rest your eyes while focusing on the story.

Gaining Good Quality Sleep

We introduced 8 things to try on a sleepless night. Some involve preparation, but many of them can be tested immediately from tonight. No need to try all of them at once. Start with something that’s within your current capability and prevent symptoms of insomnia in the long term.

→ Looking to improve your mental health? Try the SELF MIND app FREE for 1 week!
If you’re looking for more tips on how to care for your mental health, check out some of our past blog posts!

References:
ExploreIM　Acupressure for Beginners
Acupressure for Beginners

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