Sleep Dunwoody Blog

Sleep and mental health are undoubtedly connected, with a reciprocal relationship — poor sleep tends to worsen mental health ailments, and mental health ailments can cause poor sleep.

Sleep is necessary for optimal mental functioning. Generally, when we think of sleep advice, most of us may admonish ourselves for simply not getting enough of it — seven to eight hours’ worth every night. But, when it comes to mental health, sleep quality may be more important than sleep quantity. 

It’s finally 2021. For much of the world, this year will mark the tail end of an unpredictable global pandemic. It will also mark the end of a year in which the United States experienced its largest and most drastic spike in unemployment; individuals who remained employed were affected by changing routines and being forced to work from home, some in a space they hadn’t set up as an office. 

According to a study by Tuck Sleep, a sleep product review company, nearly one in ten surveyed Americans reported that they had been doing most or all of their work from bed (24 to 40+ hours) since the pandemic began. While this is understandable given the unexpected disintegration of the traditional workplace, there are potentially serious negative consequences to sleep hygiene and overall sleep quality to consider.

According to a recent study, individuals with generalized epilepsy have a higher risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in comparison to individuals who experience focal epilepsy. With new awareness brought to this link, doctors, patients, and parents can potentially get the care they need much sooner and prevent a host of additional health issues. 

Learn more about the link between generalized epilepsy and sleep apnea below. 

2020 was not an easy year for anyone. For many, finding coping mechanisms to deal with the stress of a global pandemic became essential; and from the increase in sales that companies such as Peloton (at-home biking) and Hydrow (at-home rowing) experienced, it’s safe to say that focusing on fitness became one of those key mechanisms – more specifically, at-home fitness.

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Ahhh, being a parent: possibly the source of the greatest joy and greatest stress out there! While it may be stating the obvious, new parents’ sleep health tends to suffer once they welcome their greatest gift(s) into the world (although there are ways to improve it) —  but there is another time in every parents’ life that results in a severe decline in their sleep: the holiday season.

Psychological trauma is complex, and there is a lot that researchers and health professionals are still learning. Trauma may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event or events such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, abuse, or injury. These scary, unsettling memories, and the emotions tied to them, can be long-lasting, and even develop into a disorder called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

We all know the feeling. You’ve just indulged in a world-class Thanksgiving meal and now feel the heaviness of your eyes and your brain going foggy. You fall asleep, only to wake up hours later questioning what day it is. While many people have simply accepted this as a Thanksgiving ritual, there is actually a much more scientific reason for this phenomenon: your food. Sounds simple, right? But what you may not know is that certain foods that induce a midday nap might come back to haunt you when you crawl into bed later that evening.

Sleep is intrinsically connected to the health of your mind and body. Poor sleep can be the result, or cause, of many physical and mental ailments. That’s why diet, physical exercise, and mental wellbeing are all important points of discussion when trying to improve sleep quality. Fortunately, there is a centuries-old practice that you can begin today, in your own home, to improve your sleep quality as well as mental and physical health: meditation.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, each state, school, and place of work is changing regulations at what seems like a daily rate. Your schedule might be in a constant state of flux as you adapt to get work done, help your kids with virtual school, and more. This constant shifting has caused, overall, a surge in negative mental health outcomes. Consistent schedule changes certainly aren’t helping, as a loss of routine is known to produce anxiety.

Have you been feeling irritable, frustrated, angry, or stressed lately? These emotions are not surprising at all, as many have faced a long and difficult year. What’s the cure?