Getting a good night’s sleep isn’t just about feeling fully rested the next day; it’s a cornerstone of both physical and mental health. When sleep becomes challenging, the effects can ripple into every area of life. This can impact mood, focus, energy, and emotional regulation. If you’ve experienced ongoing difficulty falling asleep or difficulty staying asleep, it’s understandable to feel frustrated or hopeless about whether good sleep is possible. Fortunately, there are tips for improving your sleep that may help alleviate these challenges.
The good news is that improving your sleep quality is often more achievable than it may feel. While some people are naturally better sleepers than others, studies show that environmental and behavioral factors play a major role in sleep. By making intentional changes to your daily habits and nighttime routine, often referred to as sleep hygiene, you can support healthier, more restorative sleep.
Why sleep is important for mental health
Sleep and mental health are interconnected. According to the CDC, adults who regularly get insufficient sleep are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research has also shown that people with insomnia are 10 times more likely to have depression and 17 times more likely to have anxiety.
This relationship works both ways. Mental health conditions like depression can cause people to spend excessive time in bed, nap frequently, or experience low motivation to maintain a consistent daily routine. While resting may feel necessary, irregular sleep-wake patterns can disrupt the body’s circadian rhythm and worsen overall sleep quality. Anxiety can keep the nervous system in a heightened state, which may make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night.
Over time, poor sleep quality can intensify emotional distress, lower stress tolerance, and reduce your ability to cope with daily challenges. Addressing sleep issues can be a key part of supporting overall mental health.
Fixing your sleep schedule
One of the most effective tips for improving your sleep quality is establishing a consistent sleep schedule. While some people may focus on going to bed earlier, sleep experts emphasize that waking up at the same time every day, even on weekends, is one of the most impactful ways to regulate your internal clock.
Consistency helps reinforce your circadian rhythm, which can make it easier to fall asleep at night and feel alert the next day. If your sleep schedule is currently irregular, try adjusting your wake-up time gradually rather than making a big change all at once. Even small, steady changes can lead to noticeable improvements in sleep quality over time.
How to wind down before bed
A calming bedtime routine can signal to your brain that it’s time to transition into sleep. Without this wind-down period, your mind and body may remain in “go mode,” which can make it harder to relax once you’re in bed.
Examples of ways to wind down before bed include:
- Reading a book
- Taking a warm shower or bath
- Practicing gentle stretching or yoga
- Listening to a sleep meditation or calming music
Relaxation techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, where you tense and release muscle groups one at a time, can help reduce physical tension. Breathing exercises for sleep, such as slow diaphragmatic breathing, can also help calm the nervous system and prepare the body for rest.
It can be helpful to try to avoid stimulating activities close to bedtime, including intense exercise, caffeine, nicotine, or emotionally charged conversations.
Tips for improving your sleep
Your sleep environment often plays a large role in how well you can rest. Consider these sleep hygiene strategies to improve your sleep quality:
- Optimize your bedroom environment: Keep the room cool (ideally between 60–67°F), dark, and quiet. Blackout curtains, eye masks, or white noise machines may help minimize disruptions.
- Limit light exposure: Turn off screens at least 30-60 minutes before bed, as blue light can interfere with melatonin production. If reading before bed, consider using a red light lamp.
- Be mindful of taking naps: Short naps may be refreshing, but longer or late naps may interfere with nighttime sleep quality. If you take a nap, try to keep it under 30 minutes and earlier in the day.
- Exercise regularly: Even 10-30 minutes of daily physical activity can help support better sleep quality, as long as it’s not too close to bedtime.
Small changes, when practiced consistently, can add up to meaningful improvements in sleep over time.
Therapy for insomnia and sleep issues
If you’ve tried improving your sleep hygiene and still struggle with insomnia or other sleep issues, therapy may be able to help. One evidence-based treatment for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). CBT-I focuses on identifying and changing thoughts and behaviors that may interfere with sleep, while also helping to establish healthy sleep patterns.
Therapy can also address underlying issues such as anxiety, depression, stress, grief, or trauma that may be contributing to sleep difficulties. A licensed therapist may incorporate relaxation techniques and mindfulness-based strategies to help support lasting change.
Takeaway
Improving your sleep quality often starts with small, intentional changes to your daily routine and nighttime habits. By prioritizing sleep hygiene, maintaining a consistent schedule, and learning how to wind down before bed, you can support better sleep habits and overall mental health.
If insomnia, nightmares, or other sleep struggles continue to be challenging, you don’t have to navigate them alone. Therapy can be a powerful tool for addressing. Both sleep issues and the emotional factors connected to them. Visit findmytherapist.com to find a licensed therapist and schedule an appointment online. Better sleep can be an important step toward feeling better overall.