Sleep and the Path to Better Mental Health

Sleep, Mental Health, and Revenge Bedtime ProcrastinationJoy and Rebecca open with a March check-in about shifting weather, time change, and travel, then focus the episode on sleep and its impact on mental health. Both are trained in CBT-I and discuss common barriers like phone use at night, blue light, and Rebecca’s “revenge bedtime procrastination” as a way to reclaim personal time. Joy shares strategies she uses to protect sleep—limiting caffeine to mornings, reducing alcohol, preparing all day for sleep with relaxation and mindfulness, using tools like the Endel app, and addressing sleep apnea with a device—especially as the body becomes more sensitive with age and hormonal changes. They outline practical sleep-hygiene tips (light exposure in the morning, dimming lights at night, using the bed only for sleep, getting out of bed if unable to sleep) and emphasize mindfulness as an ongoing practice.02:56 Time Change Sleep Talk05:02 Rebecca Night Routine07:39 Revenge Bedtime Procrastination10:40 Joy Sleep Training14:26 Hormones Caffeine Alcohol18:12 Sleep Tools And Normalization20:20 Sleep Study And Decision Making24:40 Racing Thoughts And Hygiene25:56 Mental Pushups Daily26:58 Reset Your Circadian Rhythm28:39 Morning Light and Cortisol29:39 CBTI Sleep Hygiene Basics31:31 Get Out of Bed Rule35:15 Mindfulness as Training39:20 Start With 30 Seconds41:00 Mindfulness in Real Life45:27 Soothe Your Nervous System48:15 Treat Yourself Like a Baby50:00 Small Changes That Stick50:54 Final Thanks and Wrap Up