Psychologists work with a huge range of people who may be struggling with a wide variety of mental health difficulties; from mood or anxiety, emotion regulation or relationship stress. The list goes on.
However, one very common difficulty which can underscore many of these presenting problems can be sleep, or more specifically, sleep deprivation. Whether struggling to fall asleep in bed due to ruminating thoughts, waking up in the middle of the night due to nightmares, or “burning the candle at both ends” due to work stress or perceived pressure to be ever-more productive, many people who are struggling with their mental health, are also suffering from not getting enough sleep.
The effects of this kind of sleep deprivation can be profound, impacting not just our mental health and everyday cognitive functioning, but also our long-term physical health.
As such, psychologists often work with clients to address difficulties with sleep, discussing what is known as “sleep-hygiene”. This has nothing to do with cleanliness, but rather, refers to issues surrounding the regularity, timing, routines, and environmental factors associated with maximising the quality and amount of sleep you can get. So if you think you may be suffering from poor sleep, or simply not getting enough sleep (current recommendations for adults are around 7-8 hours per night), or you feel that poor sleep may be impacting your mental health, please feel free to reach out and seek professional help around managing this important, though often underestimated element that is vital to our wellbeing.
