Creating a Restful Space: Sleep, Bedding & Mental Health

Ever wake up on the wrong side of the bed and have it affect your entire day? Or get super short of patience after a restless night? That’s no coincidence! 

Healthy sleep patterns are essential for maintaining your mental (and physical) health. Your outlook on life, your basic cognitive and physical function, deeper mental health disorders - sleep habits impact them all in a big way. 

Mind, body, and bed - they’re all related. In this blog, we’ll talk through the relationship between sleep and mental health and give some tips for setting up a soothing sleep space. 

How Does Sleep Impact Our Mental Health?

Spoiler alert, getting a good sleep doesn't just help you feel refreshed in the morning - it's an important part of keeping your mind and body in good condition all-day long. When the length and quality of your sleep drops, it can cascade into a whole other world of troubles.

Sleep Affects Our Mood

To put it simply, not getting enough quality sleep makes us grumpy. Being tired makes it harder for us to regulate our emotions, and we can become a lil’ bit dramatic. We also tend to see the proverbial glass as half-empty, lack patience, and get irritated and stressed more easily. 

As you can imagine, all of these issues are really good at teaming up and working together to ensure that we have a crummy day.

Sleep Helps our Brains and Bodies Work

There’s a reason we spend (or should spend) a third of our lives sleeping: it’s essential! A basic physiological process, humans cannot live without it. Both our brains and our bodies suffer when we don’t get enough slumber, and we can’t function to our full potential. 

Staying focused is a real slog, and we have trouble learning new things and exercising our creativity. And our bodies start to fall out of sync: after 24 hours without sleep, our hand-eye coordination drops to the level of someone with a blood alcohol content of 0.10! 

Sleep time is when our bodies heal and rebuild, and when we don’t get enough zzz’s, our immune systems aren’t up for a fight, and can’t effectively ward off sickness and heal injuries.

Sleep Impacts Mental Health Disorders

Sleep is a major factor in many mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizoaffective disorders. In fact, researchers have found that 40% of people who suffer from insomnia may have a mental health condition. 

Poor sleep can worsen mental health issues, while the condition itself—and any medications—can also disrupt sleep. For instance, anxiety often brings insomnia, and when either one falters, it drags the other down with it.

Setting Up Your Sleep Space 

Long story short, you need to get a good night’s sleep! Quality rest is key to your health and happiness, setting the foundation to meet all of life’s challenges, and yet more than a third of adults get less than 7 hours of sleep per night. Your sleep space is key to getting the zzz’s you need, so here are some ways to set it up for success.

Using Your Sleep Space

When it comes to getting the soothing slumber you desire, the space around your bed is just as important as your bed itself. Having a messy space makes for a messy mind, and doesn’t provide the calming sanctuary you need for sleep. 

Working (or spending too much other time) in bed makes it more challenging for your brain to fall asleep there. If you need to work in your bedroom, try setting up a small desk by the window. Also try to avoid too much reading or TV time in bed, as it has the same effect.

Bedroom Aesthetics

Ahh, aesthetics—would you believe they’re not just about fashion but function as well? The colours, patterns, and materials on your bed and in your bedroom have a big impact on your energy. Bright and energetic colours like red and orange stimulate the mind, whereas earthy blues and greens can keep you calm. 

Similarly, busy patterns and artwork may fuel your senses, while minimalist decor does the opposite. Experiment to discover what works best for you, and when designing your space, consider not just its immediate look, but how it will make you feel over time. 

Comfort is Key

Quality sleep calls for quality comfort. Whether it’s soft sheets, a cozy blanket, the perfect pillow (or a million pillows), being comfy can help you drift off faster and stay asleep longer. 

We all prefer different feelings from our bedding, whether it’s soft, smooth, silky, fluffy, heavy, or not bedding at all. We also have different sleep needs regarding temperature, breathability, hypoallergenic qualities and more. 

Sleeping in the right bedding for you can be incredibly calming for your body and mind, and take your sleepytime solace to the next level. Reach out to learn more about personalized bedding to fit your needs.

Take Care of Your Bedding

Taking care of your bedding is key to maintaining a calming, comfortable space. There’s nothing better than slipping into a perfectly-made bed with crisp, clean sheets. That’s why we recommend making your bed daily and washing your linens regularly to keep your sleep space fresh and hygienic—so you can enjoy the restful sleep your mind deserves.

Quality sleep is essential for your mental health, and creating the perfect sleep environment is one of the best ways to support your overall well-being. We hope this blog has inspired you to prioritise your snoozy self-care and has given you some strategies to help on your journey. 

Read our Pillow Talk blog to learn more about sleep and self-care, or visit us in-store for more personalized advice on bedding that suits your sleep style. But for now, sleep tight and take care!