Sometimes, addiction treatment and recovery are only as successful as the life choices you are making. For instance, eating a lot of junk food, not exercising, or spending time with toxic people will inevitably make treatment and recovery more challenging. The effectiveness of treatment depends on factors such as these. Some may not realize that sleep is also a critical factor in treatment efficacy.
Quality sleep is essential for physical and mental health. There is a direct correlation between sleep and mental health. In other words, the worse your sleep schedule is, the harder your treatment or recovery may be. Nevertheless, you can improve your sleep habits with some tips and tricks. Continue reading and call West Coast Recovery Centers to learn how and begin your recovery journey today.
What Is Quality Sleep?
As stated in the Nursing Forum, sleep quality can be described as your “self-satisfaction with all aspects of the sleep experience.” This includes four sleep factors – efficiency, latency, duration, and wake – after sleep onset. Many factors can impact your quality of sleep. Thankfully, many of these factors are changeable. For instance, lowering the room temperature, buying blackout curtains, and reducing screen time before bed can improve sleep quality.
We must also remember that quality sleep can look different from one person to the next depending on lifestyle, health, and even age. For example, while adults typically require at least seven hours of quality sleep to function, younger folks require more sleep. Falling on somewhat of a spectrum, newborns require around 15 hours of sleep per day while teens need between 8 and 10 hours.
Regardless of age, though, sleep is necessary for anyone who hopes to function optimally. Some of the many health benefits of getting enough quality sleep include the following:
- Preventing illness thanks to an overall improved immune system
- Reducing stress and improving mood
- Maintaining a healthy weight
- Improving cognitive function, helping people think more clearly and perform better at work
- Lowering your risk for physical health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease
These are simply a few benefits of sleep to consider. Unfortunately, many people struggle with getting enough sleep. That may be due to stress, or it could be because of a sleep disorder. As explained by MedlinePlus, sleep disorders are “conditions that disturb normal sleep patterns,” noting that there are more than 80 types of sleep disorders. Some of the most well-known sleep disorders are:
- Insomnia: Characterized by an inability to fall or stay asleep
- Sleep apnea: A breathing disorder where a person stops breathing for 10 seconds or more while sleeping
- Restless leg syndrome: Causes a “tingling or prickly sensation” in the legs and powerful urges to move them
Now that we understand more about the physical aspects of sleep, the next logical question is what it has to do with mental health or recovery.
How Are Sleep and Mental Health Connected?
Quality sleep is critical to achieving and maintaining mental health and recovery. Without sleep, the body does not have the chance to repair or recharge itself. In recovery, this can increase the risk of relapse. Additionally, individuals with sleep disorders like insomnia may be at an increased risk of substance use because certain drugs can help with sleep.
Furthermore, research by the National Health, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) explains that sleep deprivation and associated sleep deficiency can impair problem-solving and decision-making skills. It can also affect the ability to regulate emotions or behaviors and has been linked to depression and suicide. Similar to mental health, sleep can impact addiction treatment and recovery. Thankfully, time in treatment can be used to improve your sleep cycle by learning and practicing healthier sleeping habits.
The Impact of Sleep on the Effectiveness of Treatment?
Addiction treatment is a healing process, and sleep is critical to the journey. Sleep disturbances impact the effectiveness of treatment and your overall well-being. If you are not well-rested, you can not tackle the hard work that must be done during treatment.
Therapy, peer support, and holistic practices will help you throughout treatment. However, if you are not well-rested, the efficacy of these treatments may be reduced. You must be able to function for treatment modalities to take effect. While improving sleep can be challenging, it is critical for treatment and a successful recovery.
Improving the Effectiveness of Treatment Through Healthier Sleeping Habits
Thankfully, those who struggle to maintain a healthy sleep cycle can improve their sleeping habits today. Some tips you can utilize to improve your sleep and increase the effectiveness of treatment, offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), include:
- Be consistent and go to bed at the same time at night and get up at the same time every morning
- Create a space conducive to sleep by ensuring your bedroom is dark, quiet, relaxing, and at a comfortable temperature
- Remove TVs, computers, smartphones, and all other electronics from your bedroom
- Try to exercise during the day, as physical activity can help you fall asleep later at night
- Avoid big meals, caffeine, and alcohol at night before going to bed
Taking the necessary steps to improve your sleeping habits will increase the effectiveness of treatment. Improving your sleep may be challenging but worth the work. Reach out to West Coast Recovery Centers to begin that work today.
Sleep is vital to maintaining our overall mental and physical well-being. Without it, we can become sluggish and depressed and have trouble functioning in our day-to-day lives. We can also begin using substances to help with sleep. While many use sleeping aids, this can be dangerous, as individuals with trouble sleeping or sleeping disorders like insomnia may be at an increased risk of substance use disorder. That also means sleep is necessary for recovery, and without it, the effectiveness of treatment can be poorly impacted. Thankfully, you can improve your sleeping cycle by practicing healthier sleeping habits. To learn more about these habits and recovery, call West Coast Recovery Centers at (760) 492-6509 today.