Mental Health Minute: The importance of sleep

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Sleep. It is an activity we all do every day but one that’s essential to every single process in our body, both physically and mentally.

Local therapist Kathy Couch talked about why sleep is so important.

“Sleep activates the parasympathetic nervous system, so it’s rest and digest, and so that’s important in repairing all of the stuff that we do with our brain every day,” Couch said. “It’s a hyper computer, and so it needs downtime, just like in a computer, if it gets too hot, we need sleep.”

The Mayo Clinic recommends that adults 18 and older get seven or more hours of sleep per night. While time is a big factor in health. Couch said that is not the primary goal.

“It’s not about the quantity, it’s about the quality,” Couch said. “REM sleep is important, rapid eye movement sleep is important, because then your brain encodes the information from the day in short and long-term memory, and so actually promotes quality brain health.”

Couch added that people who consistently get quality sleep are more attentive, decisive and creative. However, getting that sleep schedule fixed is the challenging part, and she shared ways to improve sleep.

“We call it also sleep hygiene, so getting in a system to where your body’s circadian rhythm is activated. So getting rid of all the lights, maybe drinking some tea, so any sensory things you can match and pair with that ritual when you’re getting ready to go to sleep.”

Once your body has adjusted, Couch offered tips on how to maintain a new, healthy sleep schedule.

“You want to create the body in a sleep deficit, so if it gets tired that means you are avoiding napping during the day, doing those other things that are going to tell your body like, oh it’s not time to go to bed yet, so create a sleep deficit is what I would say.”

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