How Sleep is Impacting your Mental Health

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining good mental health. It is during sleep that our brain processes and consolidates memories, helps regulate emotions, and restores the body and mind.

view transcript

How Sleep is Impacting your Mental Health

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining good mental health. It is during sleep that our brain processes and consolidates memories, helps regulate emotions, and restores the body and mind. When we don't get enough sleep or experience poor quality sleep due to common sleep disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), it can have negative effects on our mental health. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder impacting nearly 1 in 8 Americans (and that doesn't include the bed partners who live with their snoring). The good news is sleep apnea can be treated and those living with OSA can improve their mental health by seeking treatment.

A lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, can impact mental health in a variety of ways.

  1. Mood: When we are sleep-deprived, we may struggle to regulate our emotions. Sleep deprivation can lead to irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. These mood changes can further affect your relationships, work performance, and overall quality of life.  
  1. Cognitive function: Sleep is essential for cognitive functioning, including memory consolidation, attention, and decision-making. When we don't get enough sleep, our ability to perform tasks and concentrate can be impaired, making it difficult to be productive.
  1. Stress: Sleep deprivation can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to increased feelings of stress and anxiety.
  1. Psychosis: Sleep deprivation can trigger episodes or heighten symptoms in people with pre-existing mental health conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
  1. Immune function: Quality sleep is important for proper immune system function, and lack of sleep can impair your immune function, leading to an increased risk of infection and illness. Increased sick days and time spent in recovery can negatively impact your mental and emotional well-being.

Getting enough quality sleep can help improve your mood, cognitive functioning, and overall wellness, while lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can lead to negative effects on your mental health. If you're not sleeping well due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it's important to find effective treatment options to manage the issue before it negatively impacts your mental health.

If you think that you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of OSA, visit mygemsleep.com. If you are already a patient of GEM SLEEP, your coach can support you through diagnosis and starting treatment to experience the health benefits of successfully treating sleep apnea.    

If you are tired or exhausted do not operate a vehicle or machinery.
The information contained in this document is for educational purposes only, Sleep Apnea can only be diagnosed via a medically approved sleep study. A sleep study must be ordered and reviewed by a professional provider trained in Sleep Medicine.

GEM Sleep is focused on treatment and support of Sleep Apnea, not other sleep conditions.

Written by:
Dr. Mike Howell
Co-Chief Scientific Officer

How Sleep is Impacting your Mental Health

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining good mental health. It is during sleep that our brain processes and consolidates memories, helps regulate emotions, and restores the body and mind. When we don't get enough sleep or experience poor quality sleep due to common sleep disorders like Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), it can have negative effects on our mental health. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a sleep disorder impacting nearly 1 in 8 Americans (and that doesn't include the bed partners who live with their snoring). The good news is sleep apnea can be treated and those living with OSA can improve their mental health by seeking treatment.

A lack of sleep, or getting poor quality sleep, can impact mental health in a variety of ways.

  1. Mood: When we are sleep-deprived, we may struggle to regulate our emotions. Sleep deprivation can lead to irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and depression. These mood changes can further affect your relationships, work performance, and overall quality of life.  
  1. Cognitive function: Sleep is essential for cognitive functioning, including memory consolidation, attention, and decision-making. When we don't get enough sleep, our ability to perform tasks and concentrate can be impaired, making it difficult to be productive.
  1. Stress: Sleep deprivation can increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to increased feelings of stress and anxiety.
  1. Psychosis: Sleep deprivation can trigger episodes or heighten symptoms in people with pre-existing mental health conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
  1. Immune function: Quality sleep is important for proper immune system function, and lack of sleep can impair your immune function, leading to an increased risk of infection and illness. Increased sick days and time spent in recovery can negatively impact your mental and emotional well-being.

Getting enough quality sleep can help improve your mood, cognitive functioning, and overall wellness, while lack of sleep or poor-quality sleep can lead to negative effects on your mental health. If you're not sleeping well due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea, it's important to find effective treatment options to manage the issue before it negatively impacts your mental health.

If you think that you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of OSA, visit mygemsleep.com. If you are already a patient of GEM SLEEP, your coach can support you through diagnosis and starting treatment to experience the health benefits of successfully treating sleep apnea.    

If you are tired or exhausted do not operate a vehicle or machinery.
The information contained in this document is for educational purposes only, Sleep Apnea can only be diagnosed via a medically approved sleep study. A sleep study must be ordered and reviewed by a professional provider trained in Sleep Medicine.

GEM Sleep is focused on treatment and support of Sleep Apnea, not other sleep conditions.

Written by:
Dr. Mike Howell
Co-Chief Scientific Officer