Sleep Better with These Anxiety Counselling Calgary Tips
Sleep plays a pivotal role in the regulation of all of our systems, including those that support our mental health. Did you know that people who have insomnia are 10 and 17 times more likely than those without to experience clinically significant levels of depression and anxiety, respectively? This shows the importance that sleep has on emotional regulation, coping, and healthy living.
Because of its importance, our team of anxiety counselling Calgary and mental health counselling Airdrie therapists have put together information about why sleep is so important and tips on improving your nightly zzz’s to help your emotional health.
Read one of our other blogs about 10 Signs You Would Benefit From Anxiety Counselling if you are wondering if this is an issue for you.
Why Sleep Is Important, According to Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
Sleep is a fundamental part of our lives, yet it's often overlooked or sacrificed in our busy, modern world. However, the importance of sleep extends far beyond simply feeling rested—it plays a crucial role in maintaining both mental and physical health. Here are several key reasons why sleep is essential for overall well-being:
1. It Restores Cognitive Function. Sleep helps our brains process and organize the information that we gather throughout the day to help us strengthen memories, as well as improving learning and problem-solving. Sleep also helps us be able to concentrate, make decisions and stay focused on tasks during our waking moments. You may have noticed that when you are sleep impaired, you find it more difficult to retain information and stay focused on tasks.
2. It Regulates Emotions and Mental Health. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists invite you to think back to the last time you had a poor night’s sleep. It is not uncommon that, the following day, you will have noticed increased irritability, anxiety, and/or mood swings. Sleep gives us the necessary energy and resources for being resilient and handling life stressors, plus it lowers our stress hormone levels which helps us process and navigate emotions more effectively.
3. Physical Health Benefits. Sleep offers a number of benefits to our physical body, including that it strengthens our immune system (which helps us fight off viruses and illness); it is when our tissues repair and muscle builds; and helps regulate weight by influencing the hormones that regulate appetite. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists hear often about how poor sleep leads to unhealthy eating during the day, which can increase anxiety and lower mood because we tend to choose foods that are not as nourishing or satisfying, and ones that can create a sugar or caffeine crash which feels physically similar to anxiety.
4. Sleep Supports Heart Health. Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system. Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke. Sleep helps regulate blood pressure and reduces inflammation, which is beneficial for heart health. Those who sleep less than 7 hours per night are more likely to have experienced cardiovascular problems. Those with acute and chronic health conditions may also experience more anxiety, say our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists.
5. Supports Brain Detoxification. During sleep, the brain undergoes a process of cleansing, removing waste products that accumulate throughout the day. One of these waste products is beta-amyloid, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease. Sleep plays an essential role in maintaining brain health by allowing these toxins to be flushed out efficiently.
6. Improves Relationships. Sleep affects not only individual well-being but also our social interactions, as noted by anxiety counselling Calgary therapists. When well-rested, people are more likely to be patient, empathetic, and positive in their relationships. Sleep deprivation can lead to irritability and poor communication, making it harder to maintain healthy connections with others.
Because sleep is such an important part of health and wellness, our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists have put together a list of strategies (also called sleep hygiene) to help you improve the quantity and quality of your rest.
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Sleep Hygiene Strategies from Anxiety Counselling Calgary Therapists
Sleep hygiene refers to the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that promote consistent, high-quality sleep. Good sleep hygiene can help you fall asleep more easily, stay asleep longer, and wake up feeling refreshed. Below are practical tips to help you establish and maintain healthy sleep habits:
1. Create a Consistent Sleep Schedule.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), making it easier to fall asleep and wake up naturally.
Avoid irregular sleep patterns, such as staying up late one night and sleeping in the next. This disrupts your sleep cycle and can lead to sleep difficulties. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists have also noticed that when people are anxious, they may delay or avoid going to bed due to feelings of discomfort and apprehension, which can contribute to an ongoing cycle of sleep disruption. Supporting yourself with a regular and relaxing bedtime routine can help minimize the risk of this cycle occurring.
2. Establish a Relaxing Bedtime Routine.
Wind down before bed by engaging in relaxing activities such as reading, taking a warm bath, meditating, or practicing deep-breathing exercises. This signals to your body that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists have put together a list of 20 Quick and Easy Relaxation Strategies you can use to help yourself slow down.
Avoid stimulating activities before bed, such as intense exercise, watching thrilling TV shows, or playing video games, as these can increase your heart rate and make it harder to fall asleep. It is important to focus on activities that slow your system down and start to prepare the body (and mind) to rest.
3. Optimize Your Sleep Environment.
Our environment matters. Focusing on the logistics of your sleep space can help set the stage for a relaxing evening. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists find the following make a difference:
Make your bedroom a sleep-friendly space by keeping it cool, quiet, and dark. A cooler room (around 60-67°F or 15-20°C) is ideal for sleep, as it helps lower your body temperature, signaling that it's time for rest.
Reduce noise by using earplugs or a white noise machine if you're in a noisy environment. A peaceful environment helps prevent disruptions that can interfere with deep sleep.
Ensure your bed and pillow are comfortable. Use a mattress that supports your sleep style, and choose pillows that keep your head and neck aligned to reduce discomfort and encourage restful sleep.
Consider sleeping alone. Having the bed to yourself (free of partners, pets, and kids) has been noted by many to dramatically help improve their sleep. It is okay to choose separate sleeping spaces, while reserving some shared bed time for intimate and special moments rather than the whole night of sleep.
4. Limit Screen Time Before Bed.
Avoid blue light exposure from phones, tablets, computers, and TVs at least 30-60 minutes before bed. Blue light interferes with the production of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. If you need to use screens at night, consider using blue light filters or apps designed to reduce blue light emission. Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists also encourage people to be mindful of the type of content they’re consuming at night. Anything that is stressful, too exciting, angering, or activating will make it more difficult to fall asleep. Content that is soothing, entertaining, peaceful, and relaxing helps set the stage for rest.
5. Be Mindful of the Food and Drink You’re Consuming.
This is true throughout the day for those with anxiety too. Stimulants can activate, exaggerate, and/or mimic feelings of anxiety, which make coping more challenging, say our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists. For sleep:
Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant that can stay in your system for hours, disrupting sleep, while alcohol might make you feel sleepy initially but can lead to fragmented sleep later in the night. If drinking becomes a nightly or more regular habit, this can further disrupt sleep and heighten feelings of anxiety at night and during the day.
Stay hydrated, but try not to drink too many fluids right before bed to avoid waking up for frequent trips to the bathroom during the night.
6. Get Regular Physical Activity.
Exercise regularly, but aim to complete vigorous physical activity at least 3-4 hours before bed. Exercise promotes better sleep by reducing stress and anxiety, but working out too close to bedtime can leave you feeling energized and make it harder to wind down. Exercise also helps regulate our hormones and can lower feelings of anxiety, say our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists.
7. Use Your Bed Only for Sleep and Sex
Reserve your bed for sleep and intimacy only. Avoid using it for activities like watching TV, eating, and/or working. This strengthens the association between your bed and rest, making it easier for your mind and body to recognize it as a place for sleep.
8. Lower Your Stress and Anxiety
Practice stress-reducing techniques throughout the day, such as mindfulness, journaling, or yoga. Reducing daily stress helps calm your mind and prepares it for restful sleep.
If you have trouble falling asleep, avoid stressing about it. If you can’t sleep after 20-30 minutes, get out of bed, engage in a quiet, relaxing activity, and return to bed when you feel sleepy.
Avoid clock watching! Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists encourage you not to look at the clock throughout the night. You can estimate when you’ve been laying awake for too long and get up for a bit but watching and counting down how much longer you have to sleep will only increase your stress and anxiety levels, making it that much harder to get to sleep.
9. Limit Naps During the Day
If you find benefit in napping, try to keep your nap time to 20-30 minutes in the early afternoon. Long naps or napping too late in the day can interfere with your ability to fall asleep at night. You may also notice that you feel more alert and awake, which may also lead to increased racing thoughts and anxiety.
10. Seek Professional Help, if Necessary.
If sleep problems persist despite practicing good sleep hygiene, consider consulting a healthcare provider or a sleep specialist. Conditions like insomnia, sleep apnea, or restless leg syndrome may require medical intervention.
If your sleep problems seem to be due to anxiety, addiction, or other mental health issues, consider meeting with a professional therapist for support
11. Deal with Emotions Daily.
Our anxiety counselling Calgary therapists notice that those who stay on top of their emotional processing tend to have better sleep. This can look like doing a daily check-in, reflection, debrief, and/or journal session about what feelings came up for you that day. By naming and acknowledging our feelings we help process them. The removal of this energy can help us relax, centre ourselves, and sleep better at night.
Prioritizing healthy sleep routines and habits can have a profound impact on our mental health and may be one of the easier tools for you to employ. We invite you to pick one or two of the strategies above and start to implement them for 3 weeks to see how that goes. Once these have become a staple part of your routine, you can add in other changes, as you see fit.
Sana Psychological is a mental health and addiction recovery therapy practice located in Calgary and Airdrie, Canada. We have a number of free resources for you to check out as well as professional therapists to meet with. Email us anytime at hello@sanapsychological.com to schedule a free consultation with a prospective therapist.
