Alaska Sleep Education Center

Is Your Mood Affecting How You Sleep?

Though it may come as no surprise that people find it harder to fall asleep when theyre emotionally wound up the relationship between mood disorders and quality sleep is a complex two way street Just as negative mood states can make getting a good nights sleep a virtual impossibility frequently interrupted or insufficient sleep can lead to bouts of depression or anxiety  Regardless of which comes first the end result is that a blue mood and poor sleep go hand in hand Could your mental state be contributing to your slumber troubles Three easy ways to tell
1 Your Switch Is Always On
Do your worries play on an endless feedback loop in your brain when you climb into bed Whether you are tossing and turning with anxious thoughts racing through your mind  or dwelling on a general feeling of negativity the inability to shut off the pessimistic chatter in your head during night hours is a major contributor to sleep issues  In fact the risk of insomnia is much higher among people with major depressive disorders
2 You Drag During the Day
Feelings of depression and anxiety can make it harder for you to stay asleep or to sleep deeply  they can also cause you to have more fragmented sleep patterns  that leave you feeling fatigued the next day even though you logged enough hours in bed Of course depression itself can be accompanied by low energy so it is hard to tell whether daytime drowsiness is a result of mood related poor sleep or low mood itself Either way if you are shuffling through your day when youve spent enough hours in bed the night before your mood may be playing a role
3 You Have Bad Dreams
Everyone experiences the occasional scary dream but frequent nightmares are associated with depression and anxiety as well as poor sleep quality and a lower quality of life  Its a tough cycle to break Disturbing or negatively charged dreams can cause you to awaken from sleep  and make it challenging to fall back to sleep then that inability to get a solid night of shut eye can leave you feeling emotionally out of sorts the next day which impacts your ability to sleep the following night
The good news is that depression anxiety and low mood are treatable conditions Addressing these issues can help you improve the quality of your sleep in addition to boosting your energy level during the day Talk with your doctor about your sleep troubles and your mood concerns to come up with a plan today
author avatar
Jennifer Hines
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Brent Fisher, MBA, FACHE, FACMPE
President and Chief Executive Officer

“Alaska Sleep Clinic has a history of providing the most comprehensive sleep medicine services in the state of Alaska. Its potential has only begun. I am here to take these high-quality, comprehensive services to all Alaskans.”

Experience

Brent Fisher has held leadership positions spanning a wide variety of complex and start-up organizations: manufacturing (pharmaceutical & medical device), software development, hospitals (academic and community), medical groups, consulting, hospice, military, engineered devices, engineered plastics, and private equity.

Publications and Organizations

His writings have been published in various magazines, trade journals, and medical journals, including the Physician Executive Journal, Healthcare Executive, Modern Healthcare, Group Practice Journal, New England Journal of Medicine, and Journal of Healthcare Management (Best Article Award).

He has served on the Board of Directors of professional associations, civic organizations, and businesses.

Hobbies and Activities

Brent enjoys being with his family, serving in the community, hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting.