Sleep: An Ally for Your Mental Health
Why Getting a Good Night's Sleep Is Essential and How to Achieve It
Our team is pleased to offer you this handy tool, ready to be displayed or distributed within your organization.
This poster, available as a PDF download, can be printed and used as a visual aid to better understand the effects of insufficient sleep on mental health and learn simple tips for getting a better night’s sleep.
Sleep often takes a back seat when daily life gets hectic, but its impact on mental health is far from insignificant. A night of insufficient or restless sleep can dampen your mood, increase anxiety, and impair your ability to concentrate. Whether it’s getting up at the same time every day, putting away electronic devices before bed, or taking a moment to wind down in the evening, small changes can improve sleep and well-being.
When Sleep Is Lacking (Quantity or Quality)
- Decreased positive emotions: You feel less joy and enthusiasm.
- Increased anxiety: You worry more and feel more nervous.
Decreased concentration: You feel tired and have a harder time concentrating.
Increased risk of depression: With insomnia, this risk is about twice as high.
Tips for Better Sleep
- Get up at the same time every day, 7 days a week, even after a bad night.
Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night.
Put screens away 30 minutes before going to bed.
Wind down in the evening: reading, breathing exercises, soft music.
If sleep doesn’t come, get up. Do something calm in another room and go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
Keep the bedroom dark, cool, and quiet, and limit caffeine in the 4 to 6 hours before bedtime.
Sleeping well is part of taking care of your mental health every day. You don’t need to change everything to sleep better: small, consistent habits can be enough to improve your sleep. If the difficulties persist, asking for help is just as important.
Is a lack of sleep affecting your mood or your daily life? Our mental health professionals are here to support you, in complete confidence.
Sources
American Academy of Sleep Medicine. (February 23, 2026). Americans are doomscrolling at bedtime, prioritizing screen time over sleep [Press release]. https://aasm.org/americans-are-doomscrolling-at-bedtime-prioritizing-screen-time-over-sleep/
Clayborne, Z. M., Dopko, R. L., Wang, C., Betancourt, M. T., Roberts, K. C., & Capaldi, C. A. (2023). Associations of sleep duration and sleep quality with indicators of mental health among youth and adults: Findings from the 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 43(5), 243–259. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/reports-publications/health-promotion-chronic-disease-prevention-canada-research-policy-practice/vol-43-no-5-2023/associations-sleep-duration-sleep-quality-indicators-mental-health-among-youth-and-adults.html
Davidson, J. R. (2012). Treating chronic insomnia in primary care: Early recognition and management. Insomnia Rounds, 1(3). Canadian Sleep Society. https://css-scs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/150-003_Eng.pdf https://css-scs.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/150-003_Fr.pdf
Drummond Frontline Mental Health Team. (2020). Handout E6: Sleep Hygiene. In Practice Guide: Psychological Education and Self-Care. Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec Integrated University Health and Social Services Center. https://cisss-outaouais.gouv.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Hygiene-de-sommeil-Fiche-E6.pdf
Li, L., Wu, C., Gan, Y., Qu, X., & Lu, Z. (2016). Insomnia and the risk of depression: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. BMC Psychiatry, 16, Article 375. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-1075-3
Morin, C. M., Chen, S.-J., Ivers, H., Beaulieu-Bonneau, S., Krystal, A. D., Guay, B., Bélanger, L., Cartwright, A., Simmons, B., Lamy, M., Busby, M., & Edinger, J. D. (2023). Effect of psychological and medication therapies for insomnia on daytime functions: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Network Open, 6(12), Article e2349638. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.49638
Palmer, C. A., Bower, J. L., Cho, K. W., Clementi, M. A., Lau, S., Oosterhoff, B., & Alfano, C. A. (2024). Sleep Loss and Emotion: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Over Fifty Years of Experimental Research. Psychological Bulletin, 150(4), 440–463. https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000410
Scott, A. J., Webb, T. L., Martyn-St James, M., Rowse, G., & Weich, S. (2021). Improving sleep quality leads to better mental health: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 60, Article 101556. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101556
Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. (2020). Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults aged 18–64 years and Adults aged 65 years or older. https://csepguidelines.ca/