Solutions for Sleep Deprivation
Four Ways To Improve Sleep
Exercise
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Exercise has proven to provide a large sleep-improving effect for those living with mental illness.
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Compared to current treatment for sleep disorders, such as insomnia, research supports improved sleep with exercise as a complementary treatment option (Lederman et al., 2018).
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Exercise displayed comparable results for sleep improvements for those with mental illness.
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Within the general population, a large improvement in overall sleep quality was also found with exercise.
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This data suggests that exercise is an equally effective treatment for improving sleep in general populations, as well as those struggling with mental illness (Lederman et al., 2018).
John Hopkins Medicine
Cleveland Clinic
Restricting Blue-Light
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“Blue (short-wavelength) light as emitted by electronic screens is considered a potential sleep thief, as it suppresses habitual melatonin secretion” (Knufinke et al., 2019).
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Phone usage at night, leading to blue light exposure, is associated with increased anxiety, stress, arousal and delayed bedtimes (Knufinke et al., 2019).
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By limiting blue light exposure, research shows a decrease in sleep onset.
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Additionally, data has found an increase in sleep quality and morning alertness.
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Sleep quality and alertness are primary outcomes evaluated with insomnia complaints (Knufinke et al., 2019).
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Limiting blue light has shown to increase motivation and decrease the perception of effort (Knufinke et al., 2019).
Harvard Medical School
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Music Induced Sleep
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“Music is one of the most-used self-help strategies to promote sleep” (De Niet et al., 2009).
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Music has been found to positively affect human emotions and treatment outcomes.
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Utilizing music for relaxation is an “an effective aid for improving sleep quality in patients with various conditions” (De Niet et al., 2009).
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Research has displayed the positive effect for systematically using music to promote sleep quality.
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“It is a safe and cheap intervention which may be used to treat sleep problems in various populations” (De Niet et al., 2009).
John Hopkins Medicine
Cochrane
Psychological Interventions
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Research displays a large improvement around sleep disturbances in students, due to psychological interventions.
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“Interventions reduce sleep-onset latency (SOL) and improve daytime functionality” (Saruhanjan et al., 2021).
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Psychological interventions used to improve sleep quality in college students have proven effective.
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“Self-help interventions are as effective as face-to-face interventions” (Saruhanjan et al., 2021).
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Evidence displays long lasting effects after treatment ends.
Mayo Clinic
American Psychological Association