Psychotherapy  & Naturopathic Services in Etobicoke

Effects of Disrupted Sleep on Mental Health

Researchers discovered that being woken from a deep slumber from any sort of disruption (such as technology or crying baby) causes the same confusion, depression and fatigue as being severely sleep-deprived. As a result, this can have a detrimental effect on on-call professionals, including doctors or firemen, impacting upon their attention span and ability to make decisions.

Individuals who work ‘on call’ may receive several phone calls a night. These nightly wakings could be relatively short — only five to 10 minutes — but they disrupt the natural sleep rhythm. This negatively impacts one’s cognitive and emotional wellness. It has been found that disrupted sleepers were more confused, depressed, and fatigued. Research has shown a direct link between disrupted sleep and poor attention spans and negative mood after only one night of frequent interruptions. Anger can also be linked to this fatigue as a result of disrupted sleep.

Everyone, despite their profession or lifestyle, should be aware of the detrimental effects of the various kinds of disruption in sleep on daily functioning and mood. Thus, disrupted sleep can negatively affect one’s mental health. We should all consider countermeasures to avoid disruptions (such as cell phones on overnight), to minimize their consequences on our mental health.

 

Managing Anxieties and Worries

We all worry about how to manage anxieties and worries. Many are distraught from others around us: their struggles and tragedies. With increasing difficulties in finding jobs, entering school programs, and managing relationships, stress is ever-present. But are we equipped to deal with it effectively?

Constant worries and concerns about those around us are becoming more apparent. Understanding and controlling these worries are important so that they do not impede on our thoughts and affect our behaviours. When anxieties form, they can become a vicious cycle of worries – one leads to another, and so on. Uncontrollable worrying is a distressing affliction that feels as though it can become an inseparable part of your personality and character. Chronic worrying is often driven by a need to worry to “make sure things will all be OK”. This will affect your mood, and consequently, will have detrimental effects on your relationships, your work life, and your social life. 

When you catch yourself worrying, focus on problem-solving. Make use of your worry, because it  has a purpose… it is not useless. Continuing a worry and letting it spiral out of control will lead to less solutions. It’s important not to focus on what may or may not happen. Uncertainty is okay and should be accepted. Unexpected things happen, and accepting this in the longer term will make your life easier and reduce your anxieties.

 

Learn and read more about anxiety and how to manage it here: https://www.etobicokepsychotherapy.com/anxiety-counselling-etobicoke/