“You should sleep for 6-8 hours!” is something we’ve all heard more than once—and they are correct. Yes, sleep is definitely important for physical and cognitive health, but it also impacts mental health as well. Sleep is commonly one of the hardest things to be consistent with, especially with the responsibilities of daily life and work. What can make it even more challenging is navigating sleep disorders like sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea, for example, is one of the most common sleep disorders and one of the major contributors to poor sleep quality. There is a connection between sleep and mental health, so sleep disorders can impact mental health negatively as well. However, the good news is that there are ways to help manage sleep disorders such as sleep apnea that can also help promote better sleep quality and, in turn, improve mental health.
The Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health
We see sleep as just resting after a long day, but sleep is actually quite a complex process. When you are sleeping, your body is not only repairing itself, but it is also consolidating memories and balancing your emotions. This is why lack of sleep can make us more vulnerable to stress, physical and mental fatigue, and even health conditions/complications.
For many, sleep apnea can severely disrupt the sleep process, which can affect mental health directly.
- Emotional regulation: Lack of sleep can make it hard to manage and/or regulate emotions, which can lead to more episodes of irritability, increased stress, and even desperate thoughts.
- Memory and concentration: Inadequate amounts of sleep can affect memory, concentration, and the ability to make good decisions because it impairs cognitive function.
- Mental resilience: Being sleepy doesn’t just mean you’ll be tired, which in itself can be challenging to deal with. The lack of sleep can also make mental health concerns like anxiety and depression worse.
There is an obvious and proven interplay between sleep and mental health. In a world where work, family, and social obligation can take over, it is important to understand the essentiality of sleep and its role in maintaining emotional and psychological health is key.
Sleep Apnea: A Silent Disruptor of Sleep
Although common, sleep apnea is often undiagnosed, and so it is important to understand its symptoms so you can help recognize it in others or they can help you. Essentially, the condition leads to multiple interruptions in breathing when you are asleep. These interruptions, called apneas, don’t have a specific duration—it can last for seconds or minutes—and it happens because of blocked airways or irregular brain signals.
The most prevalent type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where the muscles at the back of the throat relax excessively, obstructing (blocking) the airway. The second type of apnea, called central sleep apnea, occurs when the brain is unable to send the right signals to the muscles that are responsible for breathing.
The symptoms of sleep apnea include:
- Loud snoring
- Gasping for breath during sleep
- Frequent waking up at night
- Excessive daytime sleepiness and fatigue
- Difficulty focusing and memory problems
While symptoms such as snoring can be harmless, as it is quite common, it also is a sign of sleep apnea. If not treated, it can lead to chronic health complications like high blood pressure (hypertension), diabetes, and heart disease. Due to its symptoms and its effect on sleep, it can also worsen mental health conditions by increasing feelings of anxiety, irritability, and even depression, as the body’s natural rest and recovery processes are disturbed.
Sleep Apnea and Mental Health
- Increased risk of depression: People who are diagnosed with sleep apnea always feel exhausted. This is because they are unable to sleep continuously or through the night properly. This can make symptoms of depression, like sadness and lack of interest, worse.
- Increasing anxiety: Anxiety can worsen when there is not restful sleep, especially in situations that require focus and mental clarity.
- Reduced cognitive function: People with sleep apnea can struggle with focus, concentration, and memory. Certain tasks that would normally be stress-free for them can suddenly become overwhelming, which can impact personal and professional responsibilities.
Essentially, it is a cycle: poor sleep exacerbates mental health issues, which means it is very important to identify and treat conditions like sleep apnea early to break this pattern and improve quality of life.
How to Manage Sleep Disorders Like Sleep Apnea
- Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
While it is important to remember that sleep apnea does require medical intervention and should be treated by a professional, there are lifestyle changes that can help reduce its severity.
- Manage weight: Excess weight in certain areas, such as around the neck, can block/obstruct the airway. This could worsen the symptoms of the sleep disorder. Maintaining weight through a balanced diet and regular physical activity can reduce the risk of sleep apnea.
- Reduce stress: Stress can make the symptoms of sleep apnea worse. There are simple ways to reduce stress through physical exercise like walking or yoga or meditation and mindful exercises.
- Limit alcohol and smoking: Both of these relax airway muscles, which can contribute to sleep apnea. Reducing or quitting these habits can directly impact sleep quality.
- Sleep hygiene
While sleep can be challenging with sleep apnea, there are ways that you can reduce its impact on your mental health by intentionally working on your sleep hygiene.
- Sleep schedule: To the best of your ability, try to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock, which in time will help you fall asleep better and, more importantly, stay asleep.
- Relaxing routine: Include a calm pre-sleep tour in your schedule. This can help signal your brain that it’s time for you to wind down. Some things you can add to your routine are music, reading, and staying away from all screens for at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Calming environment: Make sure that you make your surroundings as calm and reflective for sleep as best you can. This would include dimming harsh lights, keeping the room at a temperature that’s comfortable for you, and having it be as quiet as you’d like it. You can use blackout curtains, earplugs, or a white noise machine if you live in a noisy area.
- Medical Treatments
For those that are diagnosed with moderate to severe sleep apnea, medical treatments may be necessary to help improve the condition.
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP): This is a machine that is commonly used to treat the condition. It helps by delivering a constant stream of air through a mask put on the face that keeps the airway open, reducing the risk of sudden change in breathing patterns.
- Oral/dental devices: There are certain devices that help in the repositioning of the lower jaw or tongue to make sure that the airway stays open. This is less invasive than CPAP.
- Surgical: In severe cases, surgery is considered as it helps remove excess tissue from the throat or correct anatomical issues that cause airway obstruction.
- Mindfulness and stress management
Since mental health plays a significant role in sleep quality, including incorporating stress management techniques into your routine can really help.
- Meditation and yoga: Both meditation and yoga are effective ways to help in the reduction of stress and improved relaxation. In fact, they are ancient practices that have always been part of daily life to reduce anxiety and improve sleep for many.
- Breathing exercises: Practicing deep breathing exercises before sleeping can help calm the mind and prepare your body for sleep.
- Seeking professional help
If you feel as though sleep apnea or any other sleep disorder is significantly affecting your mental health, we encourage you to seek out professional advice. Medical professionals will help diagnose you and provide effective treatment after conducting sleep tests, such as a sleep study, to diagnose the condition accurately.
The connection between sleep and mental health has been proven all too well, and while sleep apnea can significantly affect quality of life, it is important to understand that it can be managed. Understanding the symptoms, causes, and management options for sleep apnea can help you take steps toward improving it and, in turn, improving mental health. While consulting with a professional should be the first step, making lifestyle changes and adopting better sleep hygiene practices can help with physical health, mental clarity, and a more fulfilling life.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know that I have sleep apnea?
There are some easy-to-notice signs of sleep apnea—such as if you notice that you snore loudly, are often awoken gasping for air, and/or experience daytime sleepiness, it’s important to speak to a professional/doctor. A sleep study can help diagnose sleep apnea.
Can sleep apnea cause long-term health problems?
When sleep apnea is left untreated, it can lead to conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and depression. It is crucial to manage the condition early to avoid these complications.
Does sleep apnea affect memory?
Yes, sleep apnea does have the ability to impair cognitive function, which includes memory and concentration. The disruption in sleep prevents the brain from its tasks of fully resting and consulting memories.
Can Ayurveda help in managing sleep apnea?
While Ayurvedic treatments like Ashwagandha and Brahmi can help with stress reduction and improve relaxation, they should not replace medical treatments like CPAP for managing sleep apnea or medical advice.
