Sleep deprivation is common among young adults as they’re navigating college life, starting a career, managing relationships, and generally transitioning into adulthood and more responsibilities. Although this busy time understandably leaves less time for sleep, consistently missing hours of rest can affect more than just energy levels.
Sleep deprivation can be linked to and can influence mood, concentration, emotional regulation, and overall mental health. Plus, changes in sleep may indicate something more serious than being a bit restless.
Understanding the connection between sleep and emotional well-being protects both physical and mental health and can signal when professional help is needed. Learn how they’re connected and get tips to improve sleep hygiene and build healthy sleeping habits.
What You’ll Learn
- How can sleep deprivation affect the mental health of young adults?
- What factors can contribute to insufficient sleep?
- When might changes in sleep signal a mental health concern?
- How can technology and daily habits disrupt sleep?
- What sleep hygiene strategies can help support healthier sleep?
Quick Read
Sleep deprivation is common among young adults and can affect both mental and physical health. Stress, changing schedules, technology, limited physical activity, and other factors can contribute to insufficient sleep, while anxiety and depression can also disrupt healthy sleep patterns.
Understanding the connection between sleep and mental health can help identify concerning changes, and practicing good sleep hygiene can support healthier, more consistent rest.
How Much Sleep Do Young Adults Need?
Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep each night. However, getting enough sleep can be challenging during young adulthood. During this time, new responsibilities, changing schedules, and independence can make it tricky always to put sleep first.
For college students, coursework, socializing, and other on-campus activities can make consistent, quality sleep harder. By some estimates, 70 to 96 percent of college students get less than eight hours of sleep each weeknight, and 50 percent get fewer than seven hours.
Young adults who are working, balancing multiple responsibilities, and navigating other major life transitions can face similar challenges.
Reasons for Insufficient Sleep in Young Adults
Although every stage of life can affect sleep quality, young adulthood brings new experiences and transitions that can make it a bit more difficult. One study identified several factors that may contribute to sleep deprivation:
- Technology use and screen exposure
- Limited exposure to natural light
- Reduced physical activity
- Alcohol use
- Stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness
These factors can also be closely related. For example, stress can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep, and poor sleep can make it harder to manage stress the next day.
The Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health
The relationship between sleep and mental health is complex and can often be intertwined. Sleeping too much and not enough can be a mental health symptom. Meanwhile, sleep deprivation can also affect emotional well-being. Deep and REM sleep are critical for emotional processing and memory.
Research has found that people with mental health concerns have a much harder time falling asleep. Among those with depression, 60.4 percent reported taking longer than usual to fall asleep, while 53.4 percent of those with anxiety took longer to fall asleep.
Sleep changes don’t necessarily mean that someone has a mental health disorder. But persistent sleep changes can be a red flag to pay attention to.
When Sleep Changes May Signal Mental Health Problems
Not every sleep concern means you have a mental health condition. Stress, routine changes, relationship challenges, and more can affect sleep. If you have ongoing sleep concerns, that’s a signal that you most likely need professional support.
Signs to pay attention to can include:
- Frequently having trouble falling and staying asleep
- Sleeping substantially more than usual
- Feeling exhausted despite getting enough time to rest
- Having difficulty functioning during the day because of poor sleep
If sleep changes occur alongside anxiety, sadness, or withdrawal, it’s important to get professional help.
Long-Term Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Over time, ongoing sleep issues in college students and other young adults can have a serious impact on mental and physical health. One study of 20,000 young adults found that each hour less sleep increased the risk of psychological distress, while longer sleep duration showed no association with distress.
With less sleep for an extended period, the risk of having physical health problems such as cardiovascular disease, weight loss or gain, Type 2 diabetes, and elevated cholesterol increases. Sleep disturbances may also occur alongside higher-risk behaviors, including substance use and self-harm. In addition, sleep deprivation heightens emotional reactivity in the amygdala.
Sleep, mental health, and physical health can influence each other in complex ways. For that reason, improving healthy sleep habits matters for daytime functioning and broader sleep health, but it’s not a replacement for mental health treatment with a professional who addresses the full scope of care.
How Technology Can Disrupt Sleep
Technology can make it harder to maintain healthy sleep habits—but boundaries can minimize the effects. Phones, social media, gaming, streaming, and other digital activities can keep users fully engaged and awake when they should be winding down.
Evening light exposure, like blue light emitted by many screens, can disrupt the body’s natural circadian rhythm that helps prepare us for sleep. In addition, anticipating notifications, habitually checking your phone, or even hoping for a text can disrupt sleep.
8 Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene
Healthy sleep isn’t just about how many hours you’re in bed, but also the quality of sleep you get. Your daily routines, environment, and boundaries can all affect how rested you are. Sleep hygiene encompasses these daily behaviors and settings that help you get good quality sleep and a good night’s sleep.
Try a few of these strategies in your sleep routine:
1. Keep a consistent sleep schedule.
Go to bed and wake up around the same time each day, including weekends when possible. A consistent schedule can help support your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Plus, getting enough sleep can improve your brain’s functioning the following day.
2. Get natural light early in the morning.
Morning light signals to your body that it’s time to wake up and can support a healthy circadian rhythm. Try spending time near natural light early in the day, like by a window or by going outside. You could also schedule a lightbox to gradually brighten your bedroom, which can be a substitute if you’re not near a window.
3. Give yourself time to wind down before bed.
Create a bedtime routine that gives your mind and body time to transition from the day’s rush to a calming sleep atmosphere. Think of activities that are relaxing to you, such as reading, listening to lo-fi music, taking a warm shower, or doing a skincare routine.
4. Distance yourself from technology and devices close to bedtime.
Phones, social media, gaming, streaming, and other digital activities can make it harder to wind down. Try to put them away about an hour before bed and silence notifications or put your phone on do not disturb. Also, charging your phone outside your bedroom can reduce the temptation to check notifications.
5. Create a sleep-friendly environment.
To improve sleep quality, keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and comfortably cool to create a better sleep environment when you go to bed. A more comfortable bedroom setup can help you sleep soundly and reduce sleep disruptions. If you tend to have trouble falling asleep, use your bed primarily for sleep rather than working, studying, gaming, or scrolling, which can blur the lines for your brain about the mattress being for sleep.
6. Be mindful of caffeine and other substances.
Caffeinated drinks can interfere with sleep, particularly when consumed later in the day. Late caffeine can disrupt the sleep cycle and contribute to poor sleep hygiene. Alcohol and nicotine can also affect sleep quality. Consider limiting these substances, especially close to bedtime.
7. Try to incorporate movement or activity during the day.
Regular physical activity can support healthy sleep and overall well-being. To improve your sleep quality, find activities you enjoy that fit into your daily routine, like walking your dog after work, doing yoga at home, or going to the gym.
8. Be careful of long or late naps.
If you nap during the day, keep it short (15 to 30 minutes) and take it early in the afternoon rather than late at night. Long naps can make it harder to feel alert and fall asleep at night.
Mental Health Support in Minnesota
If sleep problems are affecting your mental health or you think it’s a sign of something more than tossing and turning, always reach out for professional support. A check-in can help you find the right path forward and support lasting recovery.
At PrairieCare, we offer complimentary care questionnaires to anyone considering mental health services. Our experts will help you identify the best care path and guide you along the way.
PrairieCare has a full continuum of care for all ages in the Twin Cities, Mankato, and Rochester. With complimentary screenings and care options across Minnesota, don’t wait to get care. Call our team at 952-826-8475 or request a screening with our team using the button below.
FAQ
How does sleep affect mental health?
- Sleep and mental health have a complex, two-way relationship. Not getting enough sleep can affect mood, concentration, and emotional regulation, while anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns can also disrupt sleep. Sleep problems are common across many mental health conditions, specific mental health problems, psychiatric disorders, and some sleep disorders. Persistent changes in sleep may signal that you need additional support and may warrant evaluation by a sleep medicine specialist; keeping a sleep diary can also help identify triggers and patterns.
Why does lack of sleep cause irritability?
- Sleep deprivation can make it harder to regulate emotions and manage everyday stress, which may contribute to irritability and mood changes. When poor sleep continues over time, these effects can become more noticeable and interfere with daily functioning.
Why do intrusive thoughts and rumination typically increase during the transition to sleep?
- When distractions quiet down at bedtime, worries and repetitive thoughts can become more noticeable. Stress, anxiety, and poor sleep can also make it harder to quiet the mind. If intrusive thoughts or rumination regularly interfere with sleep, talking with a mental health professional may help identify what’s contributing to them.
Can improving sleep hygiene reduce the frequency and intensity of panic attacks?
- Healthy sleep habits can support overall mental well-being and may make it easier to manage stress and emotional symptoms. However, sleep hygiene alone is not a treatment for panic attacks. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can improve sleep and mental health problems at the same time, and it can help reformulate negative thoughts to support emotional well-being. Different types of CBT can target problems such as anxiety and depression. If panic attacks are frequent or affecting daily life, professional mental health support can help address the underlying concerns.