Here at The Eden Center, we focus on the tenants of good mental health which are the backbone of our integrative approach. Since a large number of you may be unfamiliar with the term integrative psychiatry, we thought it would be a helpful introduction to publish a series of blog postings that touch on the five components of mental health that we focus on most at The Eden Center. Those components are sleep, social connectedness, nutrition, exercise, and mindfulness/meditation. In this blog installment, we will touch on each of these topics, explore components and known disruptors of each. These topics will typically have multiple postings per week that will highlight positive components, common issues that occur, and tips on remedying some of these issues.

Installment one of The Eden Center for integrative health’s blog on improving the foundations of sound mental health: Sleep

Circadian Rhythm and Sleep

Circadian rhythm is essentially the bodies internal clock that regulates a multitude of vital bodily functions. Circadian rhythm is widely considered to be based in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus and dictates the sleep-wake cycle. A well-regulated Circadian rhythm is extremely important yet easily disrupted by factors such as changes in light, environment, traveling across time zones, shift work, or the introduction of substances that may impact sleep.  An individual’s sleep pattern can effect their body’s ability to regulate important functions like blood pressure, glucose control, modulation of inflammation, and the body’s natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin. A disrupted circadian rhythm can have varying degrees of negative impact on a person’s overall health. Unsurprisingly, those individuals who are prone to sleep disruptions have higher instances of high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health issues, and a general decrease in overall productivity.

Frequent Disrupters of Sleep

Light – Bright light such as florescence, blue light emitted from electronic device screens or sunlight can cause the body to equate this exposure to how it interprets daytime.  Signals are then sent by the body to secrete less natural melatonin. This is particularly problematic for those who work nightshift, swing shift, or for those individuals who frequently use electronics, including television before sleep.  

Tips

Set your bodies circadian rhythm with early morning exposure to bright light, either through sun exposure or mood enhancing lights. Light delivered in this way signals retinal receptors to trigger the hypothalamus for a circadian reset. This is also a very effective treatment for individuals suffering for Seasonal Affect Disorder and other circadian based disorders. Incorporating blue blocking glasses while utilizing electronic devices or while watching TV, especially at nighttime can be highly beneficial in blocking out harmful blue light.  A brain that is confused into believing it is daytime will therefore secret less natural melatonin, decreasing the chances of restful sleep.

The next blog installment covers our second common sleep disruptor: Food and the potentially problematic components impacting good sleep hygiene.

Thank you for reading and sleep well.

Daniel Breeyear APRN, MSN, PMHNP-BC, BHCC

Daniel is a senior partner and board certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at the Eden Center for Integrative Care.  Daniel is a practitioner of integrative psychiatry and will be the chief contributor to The Eden Centers blog series on sound mental health.  Please watch for more postings by Daniel on integrative psychiatry and the forthcoming series on integrative psychotherapy by our expert team of therapy clinicians.