Rest to Heal: The Crucial Link Between Sleep and Mental Health
By: Pam Guthrie-Fleming, MA, CCC
As a mental health counsellor, I often witness the impact basic things like sleep, nutrition, and exercise have on mental health. Therefore, I think it is important to spread the word about these subjects. In this blog, I will discuss the impact of sleep on mental health. My clients may come in overwhelmed by anxiety, low mood, or emotional dysregulation, only to mention in passing that they’ve been sleeping poorly for weeks, even months. The truth is, sleep is not a passive state or a luxury; it’s a fundamental biological process that plays a critical role in emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being.
The Science of Sleep and the Brain
Sleep is not just rest. It is an active, restorative state where our brain engages in essential maintenance tasks—processing emotions, consolidating memories, regulating hormones, and clearing waste products via the glymphatic system (Xie et al., 2013). These processes help set the stage for mental resilience, emotional regulation, and cognitive clarity.
One of the most well-documented findings in sleep research is that insufficient or poor-quality sleep increases the risk for several mental health disorders, particularly depression and anxiety (Baglioni et al., 2016). Even acute sleep deprivation can lead to symptoms that mirror psychiatric conditions—such as irritability, emotional instability, and difficulties concentrating (Killgore, 2010).
Bidirectional Relationship: Which Comes First?
Mental health and sleep have a bidirectional relationship: not only can sleep problems contribute to the development and maintenance of mental health conditions, but those same conditions can also worsen sleep.
For example, individuals with insomnia are at significantly higher risk of developing depression (Ford & Kamerow, 1989), and persistent insomnia has been identified as a predictor of relapse in people with previously stabilized depression (Pigeon et al., 2008). Likewise, individuals with PTSD often experience hyperarousal and nightmares that interfere with the sleep cycle, perpetuating the condition.
Sleep is Therapeutic
In therapy, improving sleep is often a powerful intervention. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard, and research shows it not only improves sleep but also leads to reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms (Edinger & Means, 2005).
When I work with clients, I often encourage basic “sleep hygiene” strategies, such as:
-Maintaining consistent sleep and wake times
-Limiting caffeine and screen use before bed
-Creating a dark, cool, and quiet sleep environment
-Using mindfulness or grounding techniques to quiet a racing mind - I find the meditations presented by the Mindful Movement on Youtube to be helpful.
But more importantly, I help clients explore why they may resist or fear sleep. For trauma survivors, nighttime can feel unsafe. For those with high-functioning anxiety, rest may trigger guilt. Exploring these emotional layers is just as important as changing behaviors.
The Bottom Line
Mental health is not just “in your head”—it’s embodied. And sleep is one of the most underappreciated mental health tools we have. As therapists, educators, and even friends or parents, we must start taking sleep seriously—not just as a side effect of distress, but as a pathway toward healing.
To book a free consultation with me please call 306-914-3136 or send an email to claritastherapy123@gmail.com.
Please note: This blog is for information purposes only.
References
Baglioni, C., Battagliese, G., Feige, B., Spiegelhalder, K., Nissen, C., Voderholzer, U., ... & Riemann, D. (2016). Insomnia as a predictor of depression: A meta-analytic evaluation of longitudinal epidemiological studies. Journal of Affective Disorders, 186, 10–19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.06.004
Edinger, J. D., & Means, M. K. (2005). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for primary insomnia. Clinical Psychology Review, 25(5), 539–558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2005.04.003
Ford, D. E., & Kamerow, D. B. (1989). Epidemiologic study of sleep disturbances and psychiatric disorders. JAMA, 262(11), 1479–1484. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1989.03430110069030
Killgore, W. D. (2010). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. Progress in Brain Research, 185, 105–129. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-53702-7.00007-5
Pigeon, W. R., Pinquart, M., & Conner, K. (2008). Meta-analysis of sleep disturbance and suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 69(6), 925–933. https://doi.org/10.4088/jcp.v69n0612
Xie, L., Kang, H., Xu, Q., Chen, M. J., Liao, Y., Thiyagarajan, M., ... & Nedergaard, M. (2013). Sleep drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain. Science, 342(6156), 373–377. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1241224
