Is Bad Sleep Ruining Your Mood?: The Link Between Sleep and Mood Regulation

What’s So Important About Sleep?

Sleep is essential for the maintenance of physical and psychological health. During sleep your brain rewires its connections to learn and adapt. Sleep improves our ability to focus, make decisions and influences our perception of the world around us. Good sleep allows us to better store memories, maintain attention span and improves ability to problem solve. Studies show individuals under sleep deprivation perceive negative situations more intensely and experience dulled positive emotions. A common contributor to mood disorders is lack of sleep and vice versa. People with mood disorders are at a higher risk for sleep dysfunction, contributing to a cycle that can be hard to break.

Are Your Sleep Habits Detrimental to Your Health?

Despite its importance, 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep to protect their health. Sleep scientists find habits become detrimental to health when individuals are consistently getting less than 5 hours of sleep each night. This sleep pattern affects the individual's mental health, and is linked to cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes.

How Much Sleep Should You Get While in TMS Treatment?

TMS can be a great tool for improving sleep in patients with treatment resistant depression. During TMS treatment, energy from the coil rewires pathways in the “mood center” of the brain. This rewiring is similar to the rewiring that occurs during sleep and requires energy. This extra energy demand can often help patients sleep deeper. While in TMS treatment, it's ideal for adult patients to get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Sufficient sleep is necessary for the best
results so it’s important to prioritize sleep and be mindful of sleep duration and quality. Your TMS technician will help with this by asking about sleep at every appointment.

Tips for Healthy Sleep Hygiene

If you are having trouble sleeping, the first step is to change the habits surrounding your sleep routine, referred to as “Sleep Hygiene". Having good sleep hygiene is important for regulating your body's internal clock and helps ensure you get the best sleep possible. Factors include changes in schedule, environment, and things to avoid before wind down.

Schedule

Attempt to sleep and wake around the same time daily. A predictable schedule helps regulate your body's internal clock and helps your brain tell your body that it is time to sleep.

Environment

Ensure your sleep environment is comfortable and not too overstimulating. Keep lighting low and noise to a minimum during sleep hours. Avoid using your sleep space for traditionally “daytime” activities like working, schoolwork, or eating.

Limit

Limit stressors like work, school and screen-time to a few hours before bed. Reduce caffeine or other stimulants 10 hours before bed to give them time to wear off. Conversely, be mindful of taking sleep medications with enough time to rest and allow them to wear off before waking to avoid feeling daytime grogginess.

If you find your sleep difficulties persist even after adjusting your habits, the next step may be to consult your healthcare provider to rule out a sleep disorder or related condition.