Sleep is essential for the mind and body to function. A lack of sleep can be a vicious cycle – it negatively affects a person’s mood which in turn can disrupt their sleeping pattern. Addressing the underlying factors affecting a person’s mood can improve their psychological wellbeing while improving their sleeping pattern. According to the National Sleep Foundation, there are three main signs a person’s mood is affecting their sleep.
Your switch is always “on”
If a person’s mind is constantly racing, causing them to toss and turn in the night and obsess over anxious thoughts, this can be red flag.
As the National Sleep Foundation explained: “The inability to shut off the pessimistic chatter in your head during night hours is a major contributor to sleep issues.
“In fact, the risk of insomnia is much higher among people with major depressive disorders.”
You drag during the day
Persistent Feelings of depression and anxiety can make it harder for a person to stay asleep or to sleep deeply, explained the NSA.
As the health body explained, it can also cause people to have more fragmented sleep patterns, which leaves them feeling fatigued the next day even though they seemingly slept for hours.
The health side added: “Of course, depression itself can be accompanied by low energy, so it is hard to tell whether daytime drowsiness is a result of mood-related poor sleep, or low mood itself.
“Either way, if you are shuffling through your day when you’ve spent enough hours in bed the night before, your mood may be playing a role.”
You Have Bad Dreams
Frequent nightmares are associated with depression and anxiety, as well as poor sleep quality and a lower quality of life, explained the NSA.
Recurrent nightmares can have a knock-on effect
As the health explained: “Disturbing or negatively charged dreams can cause you to awaken from sleep and make it challenging to fall back to sleep; then, that inability to get a solid night of shut-eye can leave you feeling emotionally out of sorts the next day, which impacts your ability to sleep the following night.”
What can be done to treat it?
Addressing the underlying causes that may be causing a person’s mood to plummet can both improve their wellbeing and their ability to sleep.
There are numerous ways to address a low mood and depression.
As the NHS explained, making lifestyle changes such as keeping to a healthy diet, reducing alcohol intake and getting regular exercise, can help a person feel more in control and more able to cope.
Making sure the bedroom is a relaxing environment without distractions may help a person slow their mind down, said the NHS.
Self-help techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises and learning new ways to think about problems may also help, advised the health body.
If a person needs additional support, they can also try talking therapies.
A GP may also prescribe a course of antidepressants if appropriate.
“If you start to feel like your life isn’t worth living or you want to harm yourself, get help straight away,” advised the health body.