Sleep is the perfect facilitator for mindfulness, putting a distance between us and negative experiences we face, in order to process them in context and move on despite them. However, with 30% of the nation experiencing chronic sleep deprivation and insomnia, and nearly 95% of these people reporting ‘low energy levels’, could this be the instigator of our depression and anxiety epidemic? Throughout this project, I will be exploring the eventualities of this statement, reasoning with the effect of poor sleep on mental health.

The most common sleep disorder, Insomnia, is characterized by difficulty in falling or staying asleep. In recent years more research has arisen along the lines of sleep deprivation, honing in on ‘restless’ sleep, specifically during the REM phase. A lack of ‘good’ REM sleep has been linked to insomnia for many years and potentially gives a raised risk of experiencing anxiety or chronic depression, as the patient’s ability to overcome emotional distress is not as explored during sleep, so is, in turn, faced during their waking hours. This is therefore creating a vicious and sleepless cycle, where sleep deprivation could