Author: Sindiswa Chigaru

Email: chigarus@gmail.com
Phone: 0772 258 572
Bio: Passionate about healthcare in particular women’s and mental health.

SLEEP AND MENTAL HEALTH

In a country where mental health is not a matter of primary importance, the onus is
on us to make sure that we safeguard it and take care of ourselves. A compromised
state of mental health can lead to many diseases and long term negative impact on
our lives. One of the ways in which we compromise our mental health is sleep
deprivation. Not getting enough sleep has detrimental effects on our bodies and lives
in general. Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure and in extreme
cases an increased risk of death are some concerns from lack of sleep.

As most of the world is now returning to normal some may be tempted to overwork
themselves to gain ground that they lost all the months when the world was in
lockdown, some may eventually sacrifice sleep in order to do so. This can be very
dangerous.

Scientific research clearly suggests that human beings need sleep, we cannot
function properly otherwise. How much sleep is sufficient varies from individual to
individual and depends on a variety of factors such age, work patterns, health etc.
The general accepted amount is that eight hours of sleep is the optimal time needed
to rejuvenate the body.
Depriving our bodies of sleep can lead to the following harmful effects:
 A decrease in our overall performance and alertness during the day.
 A weakening of our memory and cognitive (reasoning / mental / intellectual) skills.
 It can make us bad-tempered and irritable.
 Some people are prone to be more accidents due to insufficient sleep.
 Decision making capacity is severely impaired.

In some cases others may have serious sleep issues such as insomnia, sleep apnea
and or narcolepsy that may require medical attention. Those affected by any of these
should consult a doctor on how best to receive treatment.

There are however practical steps that one can take to aid in better sleeping
behaviour such as:
 Establish a regular bedtime routine.
 Use the bedroom for sleep and sex only. Televisions in the bedroom are not
advisable.
 Make sure that the bedroom environment is conducive: comfortable, dark and
cool. Loud and bright colours for décor are not advisable.
 Avoid stimulants such as caffeine or caffeinated beverages as these tend to keep
a person awake and alert.
 Avoid stressful situations and disagreements before going to bed.
 Avoid going to bed on a full stomach, a light meal in the evening is advisable at
least 2 hours before retiring to bed.
 Avoid naps in the afternoon or late evening as this can disrupt sleep patterns.
 Avoid alcohol or nicotine, especially close to bedtime.
If we are not careful about managing the demands on our time events in life can take
a toll on us physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. The good news is that
the issue of getting more sleep can be handled by making changes to our daily
habits. Most practitioners of sleep medicine recommend making environmental and
scheduling changes first, followed by therapy for any underlying problems, with
pharmacological remedies used only as a last resort if prescribed by a medical
professional.
Content published here is for informative purposes only, hoping that it helps to
encourage a healthy way of living. It should however never be used as a substitute
for direct medical advice from one’s doctor.
As always if you find that you are experience extreme levels of distress and anxiety
contact a mental health practitioner or local counselling and support organisations
and talk to someone.
You are not alone!