May 08, 2025

Mental Health Matters: Sleep, breathing and the mind-mouth connection

19 minutes

Send us a text

Summary

In this episode of Beyond Breathing, Lancette VanGuilder discusses the critical connection between sleep, breathing, and mental health, especially in light of Mental Health Awareness Month. The conversation highlights alarming statistics about mental health issues across various age groups and emphasizes the importance of quality sleep and proper breathing for emotional regulation and cognitive function. Lancette explores the mouth-mind connection, the role of salivary diagnostics in understanding mental health, and the necessity of assessments to improve overall well-being. The episode concludes with actionable steps for listeners to take in support of mental health awareness.

Takeaways

Mental health issues affect one in five adults in the U.S.
Poor sleep quality is a common underlying factor in mental health disorders.
Disrupted sleep can contribute to anxiety and depression.
Breathing patterns during sleep impact emotional resilience.
Oral health is linked to mental health through chronic inflammation.
Salivary diagnostics can reveal important health markers.
Sleep assessments can lead to transformative changes in mental health care.
Mouth breathing can lead to poor oral health and mental health issues.
Collaboration among healthcare professionals is essential for holistic care.
Awareness must lead to action in addressing mental health challenges.

Titles

Breathing Life into Mental Health

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mental Health and Sleep
03:15 The Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health
08:30 The Mouth-Mind Connection
11:51 Salivary Diagnostics and Mental Health
15:10 The Importance of Assessments for Mental Wellbeing
17:32 Action Steps for Mental Health Awareness Month
Keywords

#mentalhealth, #sleep,# breathing, #wellness, #oralhealth, #salivarydiagnostics, #anxiety, #depression, #sleepapnea,# emotionalregulation, #beyondbreathing, #breathewell, #sierrasleepwell