Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Foreign hello there and welcome back to Just say Something podcast. I'm Phil Clark, CEO here at Just say Something. And this week we're talking about something very important, which is National Sleep week, which is March 19th through the 15th of this year. And so, as we all know, sleep affects every single one of us.
[00:00:37] It's a powerful, powerful connection between sleep and our mental health.
[00:00:46] When you don't get enough quality sleep, it just leaves you feeling tired.
[00:00:54] It can significantly impact our emotional well being.
[00:00:59] And then within today's podcast, we have some eye opening statistics to share from recent research that really demonstrates the connection between sleep and mental health.
[00:01:14] But first, let's break down what actually happens while you sleep. During those hours of rest, our bodies and minds go through important restorative processes.
[00:01:29] We're talking about cell repair, memory consolidation, emotional processing, and even clearing toxins from our brain.
[00:01:42] But the data really brings this home.
[00:01:46] If we look at the research.
[00:01:49] 90% of American adults who report very good sleep health say they have no significant depressive symptoms.
[00:02:03] So that's 90%.
[00:02:05] There's a pretty strong correlation. On the flip side, where almost 70% of Americans who are dissatisfied with their sleep experience at least have mild depressive symptoms.
[00:02:24] So get this, even having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep just two nights a week is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms.
[00:02:39] So it's a bit of the chicken and the egg situation. Poor sleep can worsen our mental health. And then mental health challenges can make it harder to get a good night's sleep.
[00:02:54] When we're dealing with depression, we might spend more time lying awake in bed, being less active physically and get less exposure to natural light, all of which can lead to further disruption of our sleep patterns.
[00:03:13] But there is good news that we can take practical steps to improve both our sleep and mental health.
[00:03:25] So first is light exposure. Getting enough bright light during the day, especially in the morning, is crucial for maintaining our natural sleep wake cycle.
[00:03:40] Another important factor is exercise.
[00:03:44] It's key that we aim for about 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week. Doesn't have to be intense. It could just be something as simple as a brisk walk for 30 minutes that can help promote deeper sleep.
[00:04:03] And then something that a lot of people overlook is the timing of when you eat related to when you go to bed.
[00:04:14] Eating at a consistent time each day helps regulate our body's internal clock.
[00:04:22] And let's talk about what to avoid. The usual suspects are heavy meals, nicotine, caffeine, later in the day, and alcohol before bedtime. All of these interfere with sleep quality. And I know I can hear some of you now, well, but that cigarette helps me relax. No, it doesn't.
[00:04:48] Oh, if I can just have a drink before I go to bed, it'll relax me. It may relax you and have you go to sleep, but you're not getting a deep quality sleep if you're under the influence of alcohol, just FYI.
[00:05:06] So another thing you can do is creating a proper sleep environment. This is very crucial. That means keeping your bedroom dark, cool and quiet.
[00:05:19] And here's a big one. Put those devices away at least one hour before bedtime when you charge them. Don't even charge them in your room. Charge them in another part of your house.
[00:05:35] And you may say, that doesn't bother me. It does. It keeps you from having that quality sleep.
[00:05:42] So put those phones away and put them in a different room. Room.
[00:05:49] The results that you will see will speak for themselves. Almost three out of four adults who follow these healthy sleep behaviors report above average sleep health.
[00:06:03] So before I wrap up, I want to emphasize something that's very important, that if you're struggling with sleep or mental health issues issues, don't hesitate to seek professional help. You're not alone in this. And for anyone experiencing severe mental health challenges or suicidal thoughts, Please call or text 988. It's available 247 365.
[00:06:35] Remember 988.
[00:06:38] Well, that brings us to the close of another episode. Remember, small steps can lead to big improvements in both sleep and mental health. But also want you to remember to subscribe, follow, like, comment and share our podcast with friends and family. So that's it for this episode. If you need us, you can call us at 864-467-4099. You can keep up with us on our social media, but also don't forget to if you need help anytime, call 988. Again, this is Philip Clark with Just say something and we will see you next time. Until then, get a good night's sleep.
[00:07:30] Thanks, Sa.
