Introduction
Have you ever spent a night lying awake, tired but could not fall asleep? If so, you are not alone.
Several millions of human beings all over the world have the problem of insomnia and it is not
just about going to bed late. The sleeping issues are closely connected with the brain and body
reaction to stress, moods, and routines.
As a clinical psychologist, I usually encounter clients who complain to me that they are always
exhausted but when they retire to bed, they cannot sleep because their mind is always racing.
Some say that they wake up at 3:00 a.m. every night and can no longer fall asleep. Others do not
sleep at all due to past nightmares.
The fact is that sleep is not just rest. It is the pillar of mental health. Literature has always
indicated that insomnia is both a symptom and a cause of psychological problems (Harvey et al.,
2014). Sleep deprivation exacerbates anxiety, depression, and stress, and in its turn, these issues
cause sleep to become even more difficult to obtain.
This article will explore:
1. The reasons why sleep is crucial to mental health.
2. The psychological causative factors of insomnia.
3. Evidence-based, practical sleep hygienes.
4. Long-term relief therapy.
At the end, you are going to not only know why you cannot sleep but also to get practical
instruments to make the first steps to sleep better.
The Importance of Sleep to the Mental Health
Sleep is the Reset Button to the Brain
Sleep is not the act of shutting down. When you relax, your brain does the following necessary
things:
Processing emotions: The amygdala, which is involved with fear and emotions intensity,
is reset in the process of sleep. In the absence of this reset, individuals will be more receptive and
agitated (Goldstein and Walker, 2014).
Storing memories: Hippocampus converts short-term experiences into long term memory
during the time you are asleep. Insomnia causes loss of memory and inability to learn.
• Stress hormone regulation: Sleep reduces cortisol, which is the hormone of stress.
In its absence, the body is left in the fight-or-flight condition.
Bidirectional Interrelationship between Sleep and Mental Health
There is a close relationship between sleep and mental health in both ways. For example:
Anxiety causes difficulty in getting sleep and absence of sleep also results in more
anxiety symptoms the following day.
Insomnia or excessive sleep (hypersomnia) may be caused by depression. However, the
persistent sleep disturbance aggravates the depressive symptoms.
* Trauma survivors could be afraid of sleep due to the nightmares, but not sleeping
causes more psychological distress.
The high population study established that individuals who have insomnia are twice or thrice
prone to suffer depression as opposed to those who have good sleep (LeBlanc et al., 2007).
This demonstrates that treatement of sleep is not a choice. It is key to good mental health.
The Unconscious Psychological Reasons of Insomnia
Most clients when asked, Why can’t I sleep? will think of caffeine or of phone use. Although
these are significant, profound psychological causes usually underlie the causes of persistent
insomnia.
Anxiety and the Racing Mind
Bedtime can be the most difficult moment of the day to people with anxiety. As the world
becomes quiet, concerns become noisier.
• Flashback to the events of the past: “Do I remember saying the wrong thing in
that meeting?
Call-boy, The future: Fear future: What will I do tomorrow?
• Physical: rapid heartbeat, muscle contractilesis, shallow breathing.
In studies, one of the most effective predictors of insomnia is anxious thought patterns at bedtime
(LeBlanc et al., 2007).
Depression and Disturbed Sleep
Depression is associated with various sleeping issues:
• Waking early: Waking up at 4 a.m. and failing to fall asleep.
Difficulty sleeping: Rumination and sadness do not allow one to relax.
• Hypersomnia: You are sleeping too much yet you are not feeling any better.
This is a sleeping abnormality that is among the key diagnostic indicators of major depressive
condition.
Trauma and Nightmares
Sleep might not be safe to people who have suffered trauma. The presence of nightmares,
flashbacks, and night sweats make bedtime a frightful situation. One of my clients once shared
with me: “Each time I close my eyes I find myself in that situation.
This sleep deprivation causes fatigue, and this exacerbates symptoms associated with the trauma.
It will usually take therapy to break this cycle.
Stress and Imbalance in lifestyle
Contemporary living is characterized by the stress, such as financial, work-related, and
caregiving, or school-related. The stress keeps the body at a high-level of alertness. Rather than
relaxing the nervous system sends out warnings.
This is the reason why individuals are fatigued physically, yet, mentally energized.
Automatic links to Sleep
Part of the population subconsciously links sleep to the state of helplessness, helplessness, or
suffering in the past. As an example, a person that developed insomnia due to a stressful life
event may remain struggling long even after the event is over due to the capability of the brain to
have learned that bed is stress.
Sleep Hygiene: Habits to Change Rest
Although more fundamental psychological reasons may be subject to therapy, lifestyle
modifications called sleep hygiene are effective means of enhancing the quality of sleep.
1. Keep to a regular Schedule
Wake up early, go to bed the same time each day-weekend or not. This works to train your
internal body clock.
2. Screen time should be put off to bedtime
Phones and tablets have blue light that suppresses melatonin. Instead, try to read a physical book,
listen to relaxing music, or write in a journal.
3. Make the environment sleep friendly
Make your bedroom dark, quiet and cool. Dress with black out curtains or a white-noise
machine.
4. Be Mindful of Stimulants
Caffeine, nicotine and alcohol may disrupt sleep. Do not take caffeine within six hours of sleep.
5. Develop a Wind-Down Routine
Give your brain the signal that it is time to go to bed by relaxing using gentle yoga, meditation,
or deep breathing.
6. Use the Bed Only for Sleep
Do not work or scroll in bed. This will have your brain correlate bed with rest and not stress.
7. Avoid Clock-Watching
Anxiety is caused by constantly looking at time. Take all your clocks out of sight.
8. Get out of Bed When You Cannot Sleep
When you are unable to fall within 20 minutes, get out of bed and engage in an activity that
would soothe you to the point that you are sleepy.
9. Increase Daytime Activity
Exercise is a good way of managing sleep but heavy work out should not be done too near to
bed.
10. Seek Morning Sunlight
Natural light in the morning is good to reset your circadian rhythm.
Psychological Interventions to Insomnia
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy of Insomnia (CBT-I).
CBT-I is regarded as the most effective psychological therapy of insomnia. It involves:
• Fighting negative thoughts such as, I will never fall asleep to-night.
Sleep restriction therapy in order to reestablish a healthy sleep drive.
• Relaxation training to decrease the physical tension.
Various studies demonstrate that CBT-I would enhance sleep of 70 to 80 percent of patients
(Edinger and Means, 2005).
Relaxation Techniques and Mindfulness.
Mindfulness meditation enables individuals to perceive thoughts without evaluating them and it
decreases bedtime rumination. The body is also calmed by means of progressive muscle
relaxation.
Professional Help
You should seek help if:
• Sleeps three nights per week or more and insomnia is experienced at least three
months.
Poor sleep disrupts either work, relationships or normal functioning.
• Nightmares, trauma or mental health symptom is getting worse.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is insomnia a psychological health condition?
Insomnia is a sleep disorder that is normally associated with anxiety, depression, and trauma.
2. Is depression because of sleep deprivation?
Yes. Chronic insomnia predisposes to depression and exacerbates the symptoms present.
3. What is the amount of sleep that I need?
The average number of hours that adults need per night is 7 to 9 hours, yet quantity does not
matter as much as quality.
4. Is therapy useful in sleep disorders?
Yes. CBT-I is an effective treatment of chronic insomnia as well as a more effective treatment of
insomnia compared to drug treatment.
5. What is the distinction between bad sleep and insomnia?
Sometimes poor sleep is normal. Insomnia is a chronic habit of failure to fall asleep, remain in
sleep or rising too early in the morning.
6. Is it safe to take sleeping pills in the long-term?
They can be useful in the short-term but tend to become ineffective and can induce dependence.
Therapy has more lasting results.
Conclusion
One of the best healing things that we possess is sleep. It heals the brain, controls emotions and
empowers the body. Insomnia impairs this cycle when this is disrupted it is not just an
inconvenience. It emerges as a health problem that is worth being addressed.
The psychological factors of insomnia like anxiety, depression, trauma and stress may be
overwhelming. The good news however is that insomnia is a treatable condition. It can be
possible to regain good sleep by exercising healthy sleep hygiene, studying how to use or trying
CBT-I therapy, and discovering the emotional causes of sleeplessness.
In case you are experiencing continued insomnia, you are not all alone. There is a way out and
with proper tools, you can get some sleep again in the night.
References
• Edinger, J. D., & Means, M. K. (2005). Cognitive behavioural therapy of
insomnia. Clinical Psychology Review, 25(5), 539- 558.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2005.04.003.
• Goldstein, A. N., & Walker, M. P. (2014). The emotional brain role played by
sleep. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 10, 679708. https: doi.org/10.1146/ annurev-
clinpsy-032813-153716.
Harvey, A. G., Murray, G., Chandler, R. A., and Soehner, A. (2014). Sleep disturbance as
transdiagnostic: neurobiological mechanisms. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(5), 663682. https:
doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.04. 003.
M. LeBlanc, C. Mérette, J. Savard, H. Ivers, L. Baillairegeon, C. M. Morin (2007).
Insomnia, incidence and risk factors in a population-based sample. Sleep, 30(4), 427–436.
https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/30.4.427
