Sleep Well and Meet Your Needs
We all feel good when we sleep like a baby…
So why don’t we make sleep more of a priority in our lives?
As a practitioner of the Human Givens approach, I understand the importance of a holistic viewpoint when it comes to mental and emotional wellness. One of the most critical components of this perspective, which has been overlooked in 20th Century psychology, is the power of sleep and its role in enabling us to meet our emotional needs.
If you want to skip to seeing sleep tips, just scroll to the bottom of this article
At the heart of the Human Givens approach is the belief that we are all born with innate emotional needs, such as the need for security, autonomy, connection, and achievement. It is vital to meet these needs for us to enjoy good mental health and wellbeing. Sleep plays an indispensable role in achieving this balance.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep isn't just a time for our bodies to rest. In truth, sleep is actually a metabolically active period. Crucial processing, restoration, and strengthening occur alternating between rapid eye movement (REM) phases and deep recovery rest in 90 minute cycles. It is in sleep that our brain processes the day's experiences, consolidates memory, and regulates emotions. All of these proccesses support our ability to function effectively during waking hours.
REM Sleep and Emotional Processing
One of the most significant elements of sleep is REM sleep, where dreaming most frequently happens. The Human Givens approach recognizes that during REM sleep, our brain works to "de-activate" the emotional arousal from experiences we've had during the day, discharging the emotions from our "emotional brain". This is why dreams feel so intense.
Why we dream
Emotions alocate energy to drive us to meet our needs. If that emotional energy is not completed to meet that need, it remains in our system. REM sleep discharges the activation metaphorically through dreaming.
Without sufficient REM sleep, our emotional brain can become overloaded, making it harder for us to manage stress and emotional upsets during our waking hours. This phenomenon explains why, after a poor night's sleep, we might feel more emotionally reactive or struggle to concentrate.
Quality Sleep for Waking Function
Regular, quality sleep equips us to better meet our needs in our waking life. Good sleep hygiene - as healthy sleep habits are called - supports our overall cognitive functioning, emotional stability, and physical health, all of which contribute to our ability to connect with others, achieve our goals, feel secure, and maintain a sense of control in our lives.
When we make sleep a priority, we create a positive feedback loop: quality sleep enables us to meet our needs more effectively during waking hours, which in turn makes it easier for us to sleep well. This cycle, in turn, contributes to our overall mental wellness and resilience towards achieving our goals in life.
Our waking performance is only as good as our sleeping recovery
All living things take a period of rest, usually through the night, in order to be active during the day. The better the rest we have, the more focused and energetic we can feel during the day.
Clearly, sleep is not a luxury but an essential part of our wellbeing. As a Human Givens psychotherapist, I explore the importance of sleep in emotional processing and meeting our innate human needs - it’s my job to try to understand what makes good sleep happen in line with the scientific consensus. If you are experiencing difficulties with sleep, stress, or emotional challenges, please do not hesitate to get in touch. It's crucial to remember that taking care of our mental health is as important as looking after our physical health, and sleep is a critical component of both of those aims.
Sleep Well, Live Well
Here are some elements to consider for your sleep.
For more detailed support, you can fill in this online questionnaire to find interventions to improve your sleep.
Sleep Schedule: Maintain a consistent sleep-wake cycle.(https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11152980/)
Sleep Duration: Aim for 7 to 9 hours per night.(https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need)
Comfortable Environment: Optimize your sleep setting.(https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment)
Limit Naps: Short, mid-afternoon naps only (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21075238/)
Diet Control: Avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol near bedtime.^[[5]](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5015038/)
Physical Activity: Exercise regularly but not too close to bedtime.(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2992829/)
Relaxation skills: Utilize relaxation techniques.(https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/hnp/2016/00000030/00000003/art00005)
Digital Detox: Switch off electronic devices an hour before sleep.(https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/20501579211028647)
Please note that the information in this article is intended to be informative and does not replace professional medical advice. If you are having persistent sleep problems, consult with a healthcare provider or a Human Givens therapist.
Keywords: Human Givens, Psychotherapy, Sleep, Waking Functionality, Emotional Health, Mental Wellness, Essential Needs, REM Sleep, Emotional Processing, Dreaming