Why Sleep Matters for Mental Health (and What We Get Wrong About It)
As the time change approaches on November 2nd, many of us start to feel a little off — our energy dips, focus wavers, or emotions feel closer to the surface. It’s fascinating (and a bit humbling) that something as simple as shifting the clock by one hour can ripple through our entire system.
That’s because sleep isn’t just rest — it’s repair. It’s one of the most vital and overlooked foundations of mental and emotional health.
The Missing Piece in the Mental Health Conversation
When I talk with clients about mental health, I often start by exploring what I call the foundations: sleep, nutrition, movement, connection, and safety. These are the daily rhythms that either support or strain our nervous system.
Sleep, in particular, is often the one we dismiss most easily. We push through exhaustion, grab another cup of coffee, or tell ourselves we’ll “catch up” on the weekend. But research shows that sleep doesn’t work like a bank account — we can’t simply pay back what we’ve lost later.
Neuroscientist Matthew Walker, in his groundbreaking book Why We Sleep, describes sleep as the body’s nightly tune-up for the brain. It helps regulate mood, store memories, boost creativity, and clear away waste from brain cells. And yet, so many of us treat it like a luxury instead of a necessity.
What Happens When We Don’t Sleep Enough
Even mild sleep loss can have a powerful impact on how we think and feel. After just 20-21 hours of being awake, our reaction times and emotional control start to resemble the effects of having a blood alcohol content (BAC) at or above the legal driving limit of 0.08% or being legally intoxicated.
Lack of sleep increases anxiety, intensifies emotional reactivity, and can even make physical pain feel worse. For those who have experienced trauma, this can be especially challenging — the body already struggles to feel safe, and poor sleep can keep the nervous system stuck in “survival mode.”
Sleep helps us integrate what’s happened during the day, both physically and emotionally. Without it, the mind stays flooded with unprocessed experiences.
Why the Time Change Affects Us
Our bodies run on an internal clock known as the circadian rhythm — a natural 24–25-hour cycle that tells us when to wake, eat, and sleep. This rhythm is deeply influenced by light exposure (especially morning sunlight), routine, and temperature.
When we suddenly shift the clock by an hour, our internal timing gets thrown off. This can cause mood swings, fatigue, and even changes in appetite or focus. It can take several days for our brains and bodies to realign — and during that time, we may feel more emotionally raw or restless.
What Helps: Small Shifts, Big Impact
The good news? We can work with our body’s natural rhythms instead of against them. Here are a few small but powerful habits that help stabilize sleep and support mental wellness:
Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time — even on weekends.
Get sunlight first thing in the morning. This helps reset your internal clock and signals your brain it’s time to be awake.
Limit caffeine after noon. Caffeine blocks adenosine, the chemical that builds sleep pressure throughout the day.
Create a wind-down ritual. Turn off screens, dim the lights, and give yourself permission to transition out of “doing mode.”
View rest as an act of regulation. Sleep isn’t just physical; it’s emotional maintenance. When we rest, we restore safety in the nervous system.
A Gentle Reminder
If you’re struggling with sleep right now — especially as the seasons shift — you’re not alone. It doesn’t mean you’re failing; it means your body is trying to find safety and rhythm again. Sometimes, the most healing thing we can do isn’t to push harder, but to rest deeper. Next week, I’ll share more about how to navigate the time change with gentle, trauma-informed strategies to help your body adjust more smoothly.