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How is Life Tree(ting) You?: Lights Out: Mastering Sleep Hygiene for a Healthier Mind

With the rapid pace of college life, sleep becomes one thing we often neglect, often not even realizing it! Sure, pulling all-nighters might seem like a rite of passage (Note: All-nighters are actually harmful to your performance), but did you know that sleep plays a crucial role in our mental health? Let’s explore the relationship between sleep and mental health, and curate sleep tips that work for you!

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Relationship Between Sleep and Mental Health

Aside from providing our bodies with the rest they need, sleep is the time for the mind to do all the behind-the-scenes work to get us prepared for the next day. As we sleep, our brains rest and recharge, allowing us to think more effectively, learn, process emotional information, and retain memory. If our bodies do not get proper rest, this lack of sleep negatively affects our:

  • Cognitive function, making it harder to focus, learn, and remember stuff
  • Mood, making us more prone to stress, anxiety, and depression 
  • Emotional regulation, resulting in us becoming subject to an emotional rollercoaster 

So the next time you wake up not feeling 100%, be gentle with yourself and give your mind and body the time it needs to restore itself. The beauty of sleep is you can always try again! 

Tips for Improving Mental Health and Sleep 

Now that you are aware of the connection between sleep and mental health, let’s explore ways to improve and manage this relationship. 

  1. Prioritize Self-Care: Even through the challenges of college, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Self-care helps pave the way to better sleep by managing stress, reducing anxiety, and restoring your capacity. Take breaks, exercise regularly, and practice different skills and techniques to ease stress and promote better sleep. 
  2. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene: 
    • Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at more or less the same time each day, even on the weekends or your day off. 
    • Wind down before bed. Designate the hour before bedtime as a time to relax and unwind. Put away your gadgets, dim the lights, and indulge in calming activities like relaxing stretches, meditation, or a hot shower.
    • Optimize your sleep environment. Find a cozy blanket and comfy pillows, block out noise with earplugs, and keep your room dark for maximum snooze potential.
    • Limit stimulants and screens. Avoid consuming caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, as these act as stimulants and interfere with falling asleep. Screen time can also affect your sleep quality so swap out your phone for a good ol' book instead.

Remember, sleep isn't a luxury—it's essential for a healthy mind and body. So, cherish your rest! Spend time crafting your bedtime rituals. Your mind and body will thank you later. 

Written by: Edward Tran, Class of 2023

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Resources

Stanford Resources

  • Well-Being Coaching: A Well-Being Coach can help you establish and practice good sleep hygiene, including how to get on a healthy sleep routine, how to establish sleep strategies that work for you, and more! Schedule a meeting with them today so you can begin catching some Zzzs this quarter. 
  • Counseling and Psychological Services: If you are finding yourself frequently overwhelmed and stressed to the point where it affects other aspects of your life, for example, your sleep, it may be helpful to meet with a CAPS therapist! CAPS offers individual visits, skills workshops, process groups, psychiatry services, community referral resources, 24/7 support, and crisis intervention. Learn more about CAPS and how to schedule an appointment. 
  • Stanford Sleep Health and Insomnia Program: This program offers effective, non-drug treatments to individuals who have sleep difficulties. Check out their tips, programs, and resources for ways to improve your sleep. 
  • Mental Health and Sleep - How They’re Connected: Learn more about the relationship between sleep and mental health. Sleep Corner, May 2023, The Flourish
  • The Flourish: Sleep Edition:  How do nutrition and exercise impact our sleep? How can we improve our sleep through movement? How does sleep impact our mental health and well-being? Get answers to these sleep questions and more! Discover ways to improve the quantity and quality of sleep you get and find the right sleep tips and resources for you. March 2022

Additional Resources