Simple Ways to Improve Your Sleep and Mental Health

Noble
20.01.25

Have you ever noticed that when you’re behind on sleep, you feel irritable, foggy, and not quite like yourself?

Well, if so, there’s a reason why.

Not getting enough sleep can significantly impact your mood, energy, and even your mental health. In fact, a lack of sleep is a major contributor to mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

The good news?

Improving your sleep habits is possible, and it’s not as hard as you think.

And by doing so, you can improve your mental and physical health.

So join me as I review some of the most effective ways you can improve your sleep and mental health – starting tonight!

Are You Getting Enough Sleep?

Sleep is essential for our overall health, well-being, and mental functioning. But many people struggle to get enough.

While some people need more or less, the average adult needs seven to nine hours of sleep a night.¹ So if you get less sleep than what your body needs, you’ll experience something called sleep deprivation.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation include:¹

- Daytime sleepiness

- Trouble concentrating

- Fatigue

- Decreased sex drive

- Poor memory

And if you’re sleep deprived, you’ll likely notice changes in your overall mood and mental health.

The Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health

Sleep disturbances and lack of sleep are associated with certain mental health problems and mood disorders. So what’s the relationship between sleep and mental health?

During sleep, the brain is busy performing many different tasks. One task is processing and consolidating emotions. So if you’re not getting enough quality sleep, this process is disrupted.

This results in imbalances in certain hormones and brain chemicals called neurotransmitters.

One of the functions of these hormones and neurotransmitters is to help regulate our moods and emotions. So when their levels are out of balance, this causes increased irritability, mood changes, and an increased risk of several mental health conditions.²

Mental Health Disorders Linked to Poor Sleep

The link between sleep problems and mental health conditions has been well-studied. According to a review of 65 studies, people with sleep problems are 10 times more likely to have depression and 17 times more likely to have anxiety.³

Poor sleep has also been linked with other mental health disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and eating disorders. Not getting enough sleep can also cause psychosis spectrum experiences like delusions and hallucinations.⁴

How to Improve Sleep and Mental Health

Prioritizing good sleep habits and making sure to get enough sleep are both crucial for promoting emotional well-being and preventing certain mental disorders. Here are some changes you can make today to improve your sleep and your mental health.

Take Care of Your Physical Health

Physical and mental health are deeply connected and intertwined. So it’s important to take care of both, especially if you’re sick.

The biggest things I would recommend to care for your physical health include:

Exercise
Eating a balanced diet
Avoiding excessive alcohol or substance use

Exercise in particular has been shown to help with sleep and mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.⁴

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

Sleep hygiene is a term used to describe a set of healthy habits and behaviors practiced around bedtime that improve sleep health.

Some practices to add to your sleep hygiene “toolbox” include:

Keep a regular sleep schedule
Create a comfortable sleep environment
Avoid stimulating activities before bed
Minimize exposure to bright lights, especially blue light from electronic devices
Allow enough time for your foot to digest before lying down

If these tips don’t seem to help improve your mental health and sleep, there are also some supplements that can be helpful.

Three Supplements for Improved Sleep and Mental Health

While there are many different supplements used for sleep and mental health, these are three that I typically recommend to my patients. These supplements not only promote sleep, but also help calm and repair other functions of your nervous system.

1. L-Theanine

L-Theanine is an amino acid that’s naturally found in tea leaves.⁵ It’s known to have certain effects that contribute to improved sleep quality and mood. The highest amounts of L-Theanine are found in green tea leaves, but L-Theanine is also found in white tea, oolong tea, and black tea.⁶

L-Theanine promotes relaxation and reduces stress by increasing alpha brain waves. Increased levels of these alpha brain waves cause relaxation and help calm the mind. This helps to make it easier to fall asleep, and it improves the quality of sleep.⁷

Additionally, L-Theanine helps to improve anxiety.⁶ By reducing anxiety levels, L-Theanine supports better sleep and overall mood.

The recommended dose of L-Theanine is 200-400mg before bedtime.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral our bodies need for different functions. Two of these functions include sleep regulation and mood control.⁸

Studies have looked at the relationship between magnesium levels and certain mental illnesses. What researchers found was that people with low magnesium levels had more rates of depression. And when a magnesium supplement was started, depression symptoms improved.⁹

And when it comes to improving sleep, here are a few ways magnesium can help:⁸

Relaxation: Magnesium has muscle-relaxing properties and promotes relaxation throughout the body. This can be particularly helpful for individuals who experience muscle tension or restlessness before bed.
Stress reduction: Magnesium has been found to play a role in regulating the body’s stress response. By reducing stress and anxiety levels, it may help promote better sleep.
Melatonin regulation: Magnesium is involved in the production and regulation of melatonin, a hormone that’s main purpose is to regulate our sleep-wake cycles (also known as our circadian rhythm). Taking magnesium supports the body’s natural production of melatonin, which then helps to regulate sleep patterns.
GABA enhancement: Magnesium enhances the function of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA has calming effects on the nervous system. So by increasing GABA activity, magnesium helps calm the mind and promote relaxation before sleep.

While there are a number of magnesium supplements out there, I find that magnesium bisglycerinate 300mg a day after meals is usually best tolerated by the stomach.

3. Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in the brain. It helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle and is involved in promoting sleep. Melatonin levels typically rise in the evening, and this tells the body that it’s time to sleep. And in the morning, melatonin levels decrease, which helps the body wake up.¹⁰

Melatonin is available over-the-counter and is commonly used to address insomnia or jet lag. Here are some key points to know about melatonin for sleep:

Melatonin often helps people with certain sleep disorders, such as delayed sleep phase disorder, shift work disorder, or insomnia. It may also benefit those experiencing jet lag or sleep disturbances due to irregular schedules.
Melatonin works best when combined with good sleep hygiene practices.
With melatonin, it’s important to remember “low and slow.” Unfortunately, melatonin is available in such a wide range of doses so it’s easy to take too much. This can cause extreme sleepiness the next day. So always talk to your healthcare provider before starting any new supplements.

I start my patients on 0.5 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime and have them titrate up to a dose based on how they feel the next day.

Are Sleep Difficulties Affecting Your Mental Health?

Sleep is such an important part of both physical and mental health. And when you prioritize good sleep hygiene and address your sleep issues, you can improve your mood, reduce your stress, and support your overall well-being.

So if you’re struggling to get a good night’s rest and notice that you’re not feeling like yourself during the daytime, consider getting help from a healthcare professional – like me.

Take the next step today to improve your mental health and your sleep by booking an appointment with me – so that tonight, you can sleep well.