Poor Sleep's Impact on Mental Health

Speaker 1 0:00

I'll sleep when I'm dead . I just don't have time to sleep , I'm just too busy Now . I hear this so often through my socials and also from prospective clients . But quite apart from the biological impact that poor sleep has , there is another seriously emerging player that is coming to light owing to poor sleep , and in today's podcast , we'll break that one down . Shift work can be brutal , but it doesn't have to be . Welcome to a healthy shift . My name is Roger Sutherland , certified nutritionist , veteran law enforcement officer and 24-7 shift worker for almost four decades . Through this podcast , I aim to educate shift workers , using evidence-based methods , to not only survive the rigors of shift work but thrive . My goal is to empower shift workers to improve their health and well-being so they have more energy to do the things they love . Enjoy today's show and hello shift workers . I'm your host , roger Sutherland , your guide in evidence-based strategies for optimal shift work performance . I'm absolutely thrilled that you're listening to this episode , so welcome aboard .

Speaker 1 1:21

Today , I'm going to address the impact that poor sleep has on your mental health . Now , this is a serious topic and we all need to give this the respect it not only deserves , but it actually demands . So let's explore the impact of poor sleep on mental health in our frontline health and first responders in particular . Now I want to talk about this because this has become very , very prevalent . One of the biggest problems that we're noticing in our frontline health and also in our first responders these days is the significant decline in mental health , and this is in anxiety , depression and PTSD . Now , one of the biggest things that we've got to be looking at as well is the incidence of people actually completing suicide as well , that are working in these professions , not only as first responders , but also in our frontline health as well , and we're starting to see the increase in a lot of this as well , and we need to be looking at the impacts and strategies to try and work around this , as to how we can improve it .

Speaker 1 2:33

Now , today's society is 24 hour and it demands us to be available all the time daytime , nighttime , quick swing shifts . We're there all the time , and one of the biggest problems that we have is we have more light exposure , which means we're getting more circadian disruption . Our sleep is getting poorer . We're getting more and more and more insomnia . Is there a coincidence that our mental health is actually beginning to suffer ? And I think not . We definitely have more depression , we have more anxiety and we have significant increases in PTSD . And one of the biggest problems for this is not only nutrition , because we are what we eat in a very , very big way , but the other problem that we are actually having is is our poor sleep . We're not giving it enough priority and we need to be making it priority . One sleep , and we need to put strategies in place to make this better for ourselves .

Speaker 1 3:40

Now the prevalence of poor sleep among front-line health and first responders . So the vicious cycle . How does poor sleep affect our mental health ? Well , it increases our risk of anxiety and depression , to start off with . It's impaired our cognitive function and our decision making , and it gives us a heightened stress response and emotional reactivity . So let's deep dive into those three topics in particular the number one anxiety and depression . Now , the link between poor sleep and an increased risk of anxiety disorders and depression is extremely well documented and it is very , very significant Now .

Speaker 1 4:19

Sleep plays a crucial role in regulating not only our mood and emotions and stress levels , but the disruptions in our sleep patterns can have profound effects on our mental health . Here's how poor sleep is contributing to the development and the exacerbation of anxiety disorders and depression . Number one disrupted neurotransmitter balance . Sleep disturbances can disrupt the balance of our neurotransmitters in the brain , which include serotonin and dopamine , which is closely associated with mood regulation . Inadequate sleep can lead to alterations in both of these neurotransmitter systems , which increase the vulnerability to mood disorders such as anxiety and depression . Number two dysregulation of the stress response . Sleep deprivation activates the body's stress response , leading to elevated levels of stress hormones , such as cortisol . Prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol can have severe detrimental effects on our mental health and contribute to anxiety , depression and also other stress-related disorders . Remember that cortisol is also a stress response .

Speaker 1 5:34

Impaired emotional regulation Now , sleep plays a crucial role in regulating emotions , and poor sleep can disrupt this process . Individuals experiencing sleep disturbances may have difficulty in regulating their emotions , leading to heightened anxiety , irritability and emotional reactivity . Now , this emotional dysregulation can actually contribute to the development and the exacerbation of anxiety disorders and depression as well . Poor sleep also impacts on our cognitive impairment Now , sleep disturbances can impair cognitive function , which includes our memory , attention and decision making . Individuals experiencing poor sleep can also have difficulty in concentrating , processing information and also making sound judgments , which contribute to feelings of anxiety and also hopelessness associated with depression .

Speaker 1 6:36

We can have negative thought patterns . Sleep deprivation can exasperate negative thought patterns and also cognitive distortions associated with anxiety , as well as depression . Individuals experiencing poor sleep can also be very prone to remuneration worry and catastrophic thinking , which can perpetuate and worsen symptoms of anxiety and depression as well . There's a bidirectional relationship . The relationship between poor sleep and anxiety disorders depression is also bidirectional , meaning that each can exasperate the other . Poor sleep can contribute to the onset and exacerbation of anxiety and depression , while symptoms of anxiety and depression can also disrupt our sleep patterns , and this creates an incredibly vicious cycle that perpetuates and worsens both of those conditions . So , in summary , our poor sleep is closely linked to an increased risk of anxiety disorders and depression through its effects on our neurotransmitter balance , our stress regulation , emotional regulation , cognitive function and negative thought patterns , and addressing our sleep disturbances and prioritising good sleep hygiene is essential to us to promote good mental health and well-being , particularly for our individuals at risk of experiencing anxiety and depression . Hello , first responders and frontline health . Now there are numerous studies showing that this relationship and it is totally unquestionable . However , I want to say this and make this quite clear as well All be it that there is research showing that it does impact it . Research doesn't fully understand why just that it actually does .

Speaker 1 8:25

Now the next thing cognitive function and decision making . Now , sleep deprivation can impair our cognitive abilities and our decision making skills through numerous mechanisms that disrupt brain function and also just simple neural processes . And here's how sleep deprivation affects cognitive function and decision making . Decrease detention and alertness Now , lack of sleep reduces overall alertness and it impairs sustained attention . Sleep deprived individuals may struggle to maintain focus on tasks , leading to decreased productivity and increased errors . Impaired memory consolidation Now , sleep plays a crucial role in memory consolidation , the process by which newly acquired information is then transferred and stored in our long-term memory . Sleep deprivation disrupts this process , leading to difficulties in retaining and recalling information , both in the short term and the long term . We have reduced processing speed Sleep deprivation slows down cognitive processing speed , making it much harder for individuals to actually think quickly and effectively . This can affect problem solving abilities and hinder performance in tasks that require rapid decision making .

Speaker 1 9:43

We have impaired executive function . Executive functions , such as planning , organizing and inhibition , are essential for effective decision making and goal directed behavior . Sleep deprivation impairs executive function by disrupting the prefrontal cortex activity , which leads to difficulty in us prioritizing tasks , inhibiting impulse responses and also it stops us from making sound judgments . We have increased risk-taking behavior Sleep deprived individuals can exhibit increased risk-taking behavior due to impaired judgment and inhibition . This can also manifest as impulsivity , recklessness and poor decision making in decisions where caution and deliberation are actually needed . Emotional instability sleep deprivation can lead to heightened emotional reactivity and decreased emotional regulation , affecting decision making processes that involve emotional considerations . Sleep deprived individuals can be also more prone to mood swings , irritability and irrational decision making , influences by emotions and altered brain connectivity . Chronic sleep deprivation alters brain connectivity patterns , particularly in regions associated with our cognitive control and decision making , such as aprefrontal cortex . These changes in brain activity can further exacerbate cognitive impairments and compromise decision making abilities . So , in summary , the sleep deprivation impairs cognitive abilities and decision making skills through its effects on attention , memory consolidation , processing speed , executive function , emotional regulation and brain connectivity , and recognizing the detrimental impact of sleep deprivation on cognitive function is crucial for prioritizing adequate sleep and implementing strategies to optimize sleep quality and quantity .

Speaker 1 12:35

And while it is challenging to attribute specific worldwide events solely to sleep deprivation , there have in fact been several incidences and consequences globally that have been influenced by all linked to sleep deprivation . Get your head around some of these . Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986 at 1.23 am . Now , while this can't solely be attributed to sleep deprivation , the Chernobyl nuclear disaster in the Ukraine was partially influenced by factors including human error , lack of adequate training and longer work hours , which could have contributed to sleep deprivation amongst the workers . The Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 at 12.04 am this was also contributed to human error , but the fatigue and sleep deprivation among the were contributing factors and the ship's captain had been reportedly awake for over 18 hours prior to the accident occurring . The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster as well , in 1986 . While it can't be directly contributed to sleep deprivation , when they investigated the whole circumstances around this , it revealed that the organisational and cultural issues within NASA involved exceptionally long work hours and massive pressure to meet deadlines , which would have contributed to sleep deprivation and compromise decision making .

Speaker 1 14:01

The 3 mile island accident in 1979 occurred at 4 am .

Prioritizing Sleep for Shift Workers

Speaker 1 14:08

This was the partial meltdown of 3 mile island nuclear reactor in Pennsylvania , which was partially attributed to human error , including fatigue and sleep deprivation amongst their operators , and the accident highlighted the importance of addressing fatigue and ensuring adequate rest for their workers in safety and critical industries . They're significant , aren't they ? All of them massive disasters that are all being contributed to long work hours . That really do highlight that people will make poor decisions when they're chronically fatigued . And one of the most important for you guys listening medical errors and healthcare accidents . Sleep deprivation amongst healthcare professionals has been absolutely linked to an increased risk of medical errors and adverse patient outcomes , and studies have shown that sleep deprived medical staff are a lot more prone to cognitive impairments , lapses in judgement and decreased performance , which can compromise patient or , for our vets , animal safety . While these incidents cannot all be solely attributed to sleep deprivation , they do underscore the potential consequences of inadequate sleep and the importance of addressing fatigue related risks in safety , critical industries and high stakes environments . So we must recognize the role of sleep in human performance , and safety is essential for implementing strategies to mitigate these risks that are associated with sleep deprivation .

Speaker 1 15:39

So what do we do about it ? This is the most important thing . We're all shift workers and we struggle with sleep , but what we really really do need to do is we need to prioritize our sleep hygiene . You can't drive a car at 120 miles an hour and stamp on the brake and expect it to stop on a 20 cent piece . But , my goodness me , we work our 24 seven shifts . We do our night shift . We come home and what's the first thing we do ? Lie in bed scrolling on your phone , roll over and expect to go straight to sleep . Wrong , it doesn't work that way . You can't expect your body to do this . So what we've got to do is we've got to create ourselves a conducive sleep environment , and this starts off from the moment we leave home . Now , I went leave work . I went through all of this in our night shift strategies as to who's going to sleep better . So I would suggest that you go back and listen to that those episodes . But the most important thing there is that we establish a disconnect between work and home and we start to disconnect our mind from work to home as well . This is really important .

Speaker 1 16:53

So what we need to do , I want you to think your bedroom . Stand there in the doorway and look into your bedroom . Is that an environment that you would want to sleep in ? Is it dark ? Is it cool ? Does it look comfortable ? Have you got a reasonable , a good mattress ? Do you have a good pillow ? If you're going to be working shift work you must have a good pillow . You must have a good mattress . You need good bedding . You need to make sure that you've actually got block out blinds and that you've got either earbuds or a sleep mask a quality sleep mask that you can actually wear , to make sure that you're setting your environment up for a good sleep .

Speaker 1 17:32

That's the sleep environment to start off with , but then what we need to do is we need to have a sleep hygiene and I've covered this over and over again in numerous podcasts but we have to establish a bedtime routine and limit that blue light from our phones or our devices or TV before we go to bed . We don't come home , flick the TV on to unwind . We need to put a mindful practice in place to actually unwind ourselves , because the TV or our phones are only serving to stimulate us even further . We need to have a stress management technique . So introduce stress reduction strategies which are tailored to yourself and what you need , such as mindfulness . We need to be mindful of what we're doing . Think about our presence and where we are and what we're actually doing . We can practice deep breathing exercises . We can do this on the way home . When it comes to deep breathing exercise , what we mean is control breathing . Have a think Are you breathing into your chest or are you breathing into your stomach ? It's really important that we breathe low into our stomach and we can just go through while we're lying in bed with a progressive muscle relaxation technique . Think about your hands , wriggle your fingers , relax them . Think about your arms relax them . Think about your shoulders and relax them , and go through that from the tip of your toes to the tip of your nose , and you'll find that you will really start to relax and this is one of the best things that we can possibly do Somehow and I know it's not easy and don't at me on this one but we need to try and work out a work schedule optimization as well .

Speaker 1 19:19

So we need to talk about and work in with management to try and work in a proper rotating roster that works well for us , and I know I totally understand it and I totally get it . But this is where I need to be doing more work with organizations to assist them in the importance of forward rotating rosters instead of backward rotating rosters , and we need to eliminate this swing shift or this quick change over , because it is just not only for poor sleep and fatigue , but it's just highly dangerous to be putting our staff through it and expecting them to do it . No one sleeps properly on a swing shift or a quick change . It just doesn't work properly at all . So we need to make sure that we are eliminating those and trying to work in with rosters . Instead of just packing staff into a 24 hour roster . We need to be working , stripping down and building a 24 hour roster to suit our staff . Then our staff turn up and they actually work and they are in optimal condition to work that shift . So we've got to try and do that . We need to be making sure that we're getting those breaks and we need to be implementing our rotating shifts wisely , as I specified .

Speaker 1 20:36

The other thing that we need to be doing as well in relation to improving our sleep is seek support . All right , I think one of the most important things that you can do is , if you're really struggling with your sleep is to come to someone like yourself and we can talk about it , and if it's beyond my scope of practice , then what you can do is I would steer you in the direction of going to a mental health mental health professional , or I would send you to your GP , your general practitioner or your local physician is always good to have a good relationship with by having a relationship with your GP . He knows you and he can refer you out to whether you need to go to a sleep coach or whether you need to go and get psychology or whether you need to get some sort of support around all of this . Your GP or your physician is definitely the absolute best place to start because they have all the resources available to them to help and also make sure that you do reach out if you need help and your mental health is suffering and it's suffering because of your poor sleep or it could be suffering because of your poor sleep . Once again , there's plenty of resources out there and available . You can , people can talk to me . I'm more than happy to have a chat with them , but I would strongly suggest that people start with actually talking to their GP . All right , now , that's the first thing . Now , all right , so that's pretty much it .

Speaker 1 22:08

In conclusion , let's just go over some of the key points that we need to really make sure that we , that we are aware of , and that is sleep impacts greatly on our health . Poor sleep , incorrect , packs greatly on our sleep , mental health as well as our sleep . We really do , as frontline health and first responders need to make sure that we're prioritizing , not using it as an excuse . I didn't get good sleep and boxing on with caffeine it's not the solution , because your body needs to go through those normal cycles of sleep for it to properly detoxify your brain and recover . It is vital that this actually happens .

Speaker 1 22:50

We live in a 24 hour cycle today and we do need shift workers to do a shift work . And can we thrive instead of just survive ? Absolutely , we can , and if you want to work along those lines , I can absolutely help you with it . Poor sleep increases anxiety and depression . Poor sleep has a severe impact on our cognitive function and our decision making and , as I highlighted , a lot of the significant disasters around the world have actually occurred with people who are sleep deprived , and you don't want to be the next person that makes a mistake that you're paying for because you couldn't be bothered prioritizing your sleep . So make sure that you've got a good stress management in place , a good sleep hygiene in place , and that your bed is a place that you really , really want to sleep .

Speaker 1 23:40

Okay , and remember shift workers . Your health , and , in particular , your mental health , is absolutely non-negotiable . It's the foundation that allows you to excel in your career and enjoy your life beyond the workplace . Right , that's a wrap for today's episode . Thank you so much for listening in .

Speaker 1 24:00

I want you to remember that this is about having more energy to do the things that you love outside of your shift work , and by taking these evidence based steps , you won't just be surviving , you'll absolutely be thriving . Keep pushing forward and remember I'm here to support you every step of the way . Stay committed to nourishing your body and prioritizing your well-being and , as always , please remember to be patient and kind to yourself as you navigate the challenges of shift work and prioritize your mental health and well-being . Thank you for listening . If you enjoyed this episode , be sure to subscribe so you get notified whenever a new episode is released . It would also be ever so helpful if you could leave a rating and review on the app you're currently listening on . If you want to know more about me or work with me , you can go to ahealthyshiftcom . I'll catch you on the next one .