As every parent of young children knows, you only realize how important sleep is once it's been taken away from you. Research shows a direct link between sleep and your overall health, with more and more studies showing that the consequences of sleep deprivation extend beyond physical health to also profoundly impact mental well-being. Studies indicate that insufficient sleep is associated with a higher risk of mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, and can also exacerbate pre-existing mental health conditions and impair your ability to cope with day-to-day stressors. Even though catering to your own needs while being a parent of young children can be tricky to navigate, it is essential to prioritize and create space for quality rest in your life. Without quality rest, there will be consequences on your mental health, which can impact your ability to parent, be present and enjoy your life and children.
How Does Sleep Deprivation Affect My Mental Health?
Research shows a direct connection between sleep and mood. Think about it. How often have you found yourself irritated or short-tempered with someone, and after taking a nap or “having a good night’s sleep,” you wake up in a different mood and with an entirely different perspective on the situation than before?
Mental health is intricately connected to mood, with evidence suggesting that the shorter amount of time you sleep, the higher your risk for future mood disorders. Those who struggle with insomnia are much more likely to experience depression than those who sleep well. Research shows that approximately 40% of those who suffer with insomnia have also been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
A huge contributing factor as to why a lack of sleep affects your mental health is that sleep deprivation makes it difficult to control emotions and behavior. When our bodies don’t receive enough sleep, it physically affects our brain’s ability to function, which occurs because sleep deficiency increases activity in our amygdala - a vital part of our brains that regulates emotions. More activity in the amygdala results in higher emotional instability and can result in thoughts, behaviors and patterns that are out of character for us.
Because most parents get significantly fewer hours of sleep than the recommended daily amounts, especially parents with newborns and young infants, sleep is something parents need to be incredibly intentional about. Not being intentional with your sleep amidst parenting “littles” can reap short-term effects, such as tense relationships, short tempers, irritability, and more, as well as long-term effects, such as depression, chronic anxiety, etc. Ultimately, this means that a constant and ongoing lack of sleep in your early child-rearing years can result in consequences that affect your next several years or even decades if left unattended. Sleep truly is that important!
Sleep Deprivation Feeds Stress and Mental Unhealth
Another valuable thing to understand regarding sleep deprivation is that an onslaught of sleepless nights will automatically skyrocket your stress hormones, which is also not good for your overall health. Elevated stress levels respond to this spike by impairing your ability to think clearly and once again, target the ability to regulate your emotions or respond to the emotions coming from other people. On top of that, poor sleep and insufficient sleep are associated with increasing one’s negative emotional response while also decreasing positive emotions in general. These compounded responses attack your ability to think clearly and regulate emotions, seeming to work together to weaken the foundation of your mental health over time; this is a slippery slope that none of us want to venture down.
It may seem extreme, but a lack of sleep can be detrimental over time. Poor sleep quality has been recognized as a contributor to a variety of conditions, including major depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders and post-traumatic stress disorders. Your mental health is a cornerstone for your overall health and wellness; without it, it can be difficult to enjoy and appreciate life the way you want to. For these reasons and so many more, it is crucial to take your sleep seriously and protect your sleep schedule, even amidst the craziest seasons of life.
You Fight For What You Value
One of the greatest wins for parents of young children is to be properly educated on their need for quality sleep because being educated is half the battle. Research shows that when we understand and value something, we are much more likely to change our patterns and behavior to support and protect what we value. When a battle has been won mentally, our actions will reflect that physically.
For far too long parents have struggled through the young child-rearing years without knowing their body’s needs and the essentials to their health. Sleep is one of the most crucial variables contributing to one’s overall health and wellness, and it is a subject that we at Great Life Essentials are passionate about. Similarly to your little one needing quality and quantity of sleep in order to grow, develop, thrive, and learn, you too, as parents need that quality and quantity of sleep to be the best and healthiest version of yourself.
Our goal is to start small and watch the ripple effect take place. By taking the time to educate on important topics such as sleep and mental health, we anticipate families receiving the tools and direction they need to start implementing healthier routines into their day-to-day lives, ultimately building lifestyles of wellness that will sustain them for years. Our goal is to see parents and families thrive long-term, and we aim to do that through curated support through intentionally crafted supplements, educational blogs, relatable community and more.
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