Sleep is often treated as a luxury rather than a necessity, yet it is one of the most powerful foundations of mental health. The relationship between sleep and emotional wellbeing is deeply interconnected. When sleep suffers, mental health often follows. In this blog, we explore how sleep supports brain function, why insomnia and sleep disorders increase the risk of anxiety and depression, and how emerging treatments such as TMS for insomnia and sleep problems may offer long-term solutions.
Sleep is a complex biological process essential for emotional regulation, cognitive performance, and physical restoration. During sleep, the brain undergoes critical processes such as memory consolidation, neural repair, and hormonal balancing. When sleep is disrupted, these processes are compromised, often leading to significant mental health consequences.
Common sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnoea, and circadian rhythm disorders are strongly associated with anxiety and depressive disorders. Chronic sleep deprivation increases emotional reactivity, reduces stress tolerance, and impairs decision-making. Research shows that individuals with insomnia are significantly more likely to develop depression, while those with anxiety often struggle to fall or stay asleep, creating a self-perpetuating cycle (Li et al., 2016).
On a neurochemical level, sleep directly influences serotonin, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), and cortisol regulation (Siegel et al., 2004). Elevated cortisol levels — commonly seen in chronic insomnia — contribute to ongoing stress and heightened anxiety. Sleep is also essential for testosterone production and growth hormone release, both of which influence mood, energy, and cognitive performance.
During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, the brain processes emotional memories and regulates stress responses (Paller et al., 2021). Without adequate REM and deep sleep stages, emotional memories may remain unprocessed, increasing vulnerability to anxiety and depression.
Sleep is not simply restorative — it is foundational to psychological resilience.
Chronic insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders worldwide. Individuals may struggle with sleep onset, wake frequently throughout the night, or wake too early and feel unrefreshed. Over time, persistent sleep problems can alter brain activity, increasing hyperarousal in areas responsible for stress and emotional regulation.
This heightened state of brain activity is one reason insomnia is closely linked with anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder. Poor sleep reduces the brain’s ability to regulate emotional responses, leading to irritability, low mood, and reduced coping capacity.
Importantly, insomnia is not just a symptom of mental health conditions — it is also a risk factor. Addressing sleep disturbance early is therefore essential for long-term mental wellbeing.
Many conventional treatments for insomnia focus on symptom management rather than correcting underlying brain dysregulation.
Sleeping tablets and sedative medications may induce sleep in the short term but can interfere with natural sleep architecture, reduce REM sleep, and lead to tolerance or dependency (Satheesh et al., 2020). While they may help initiate sleep, they do not necessarily restore restorative sleep cycles.
Modern lifestyle factors further compound sleep disruption. Blue light exposure from screens suppresses melatonin production and delays sleep onset (Silvani et al., 2022). Irregular schedules, stress, and digital stimulation contribute to circadian rhythm disruption, particularly in urban environments.
These limitations have led to growing interest in non-invasive treatments for insomnia and sleep disorders that target the brain mechanisms involved in hyperarousal and sleep regulation.
One emerging option is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy for insomnia. TMS is a non-invasive treatment that uses magnetic pulses to stimulate specific brain regions involved in mood regulation and the sleep–wake cycle.
Research into rTMS for chronic insomnia suggests it may help calm overactive neural circuits linked to hyperarousal, while improving REM sleep quality. Enhancing REM sleep supports emotional processing and helps individuals wake feeling more rested and cognitively restored (Trapp et al., 2024).
Unlike medication, TMS treatment for sleep problems does not flood the brain with chemicals. Instead, it precisely targets the neural circuits involved in insomnia. This makes it an appealing option for individuals seeking a medication-free insomnia treatment with potential long-lasting benefits.
By normalising brain activity patterns, TMS may also indirectly improve anxiety and depressive symptoms that coexist with sleep disturbance — reinforcing the powerful connection between sleep and mental health.
At Smart TMS, we recognise that improving sleep is often a crucial step in restoring overall mental wellbeing. Our clinical team provides comprehensive assessments to determine whether TMS therapy for insomnia and sleep disorders may be appropriate for each individual.
Treatment for primary chronic insomnia typically consists of 30 sessions, delivered over several weeks, with each session lasting approximately 30 minutes. The goal is to improve sleep quality — particularly REM sleep — while supporting long-term emotional regulation.
If you are struggling with chronic insomnia, persistent sleep problems, or sleep-related anxiety or depression, our team can advise whether TMS treatment for insomnia in the UK may be suitable for you.
Improving sleep is not simply about getting more hours in bed — it is about restoring the brain’s ability to regulate mood, stress, and emotional resilience.
Written by Carmen, our Smart TMS Bristol practitioner
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Paller KA, Creery JD, Schechtman E. Memory and Sleep: How Sleep Cognition Can Change the Waking Mind for the Better. Annu Rev Psychol. 2021 Jan 4;72:123-150. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010419-050815. Epub 2020 Sep 18. PMID: 32946325; PMCID: PMC7983127.
Satheesh G, Puthean S, Sharma A, Mishra SR, Jose J, Kakkan S, Unnikrishnan MK. Effects of sedative-hypnotics on sleep quality among patients with insomnia: evidence from an observational, pre-post study in India. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2020 Jul 6;18(1):212. doi: 10.1186/s12955-020-01379-z. PMID: 32631438; PMCID: PMC7336471.
Siegel JM. The neurotransmitters of sleep. J Clin Psychiatry. 2004;65 Suppl 16(Suppl 16):4-7. PMID: 15575797; PMCID: PMC8761080.
Silvani MI, Werder R, Perret C. The influence of blue light on sleep, performance and wellbeing in young adults: A systematic review. Front Physiol. 2022 Aug 16;13:943108. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.943108. PMID: 36051910; PMCID: PMC9424753.
Trapp, N. T., Purgianto, A., Taylor, J. J., Singh, M. K., Oberman, L. M., Mickey, B. J., Youssef, N. A., Solzbacher, D., Zebley, B., Cabrera, L. Y., Conroy, S., Cristancho, M., Richards, J. R., Flood, M. J., Barbour, T., Blumberger, D. M., Taylor, S. F., Feifel, D., Reti, I. M., & McClintock, S. M. Consensus review and considerations on TMS to treat depression: A comprehensive Update Endorsed by the National Network of depression Centers, the clinical TMS Society, and the International Federation of clinical Neurophysiology. Clinical Neurophysiology, (2024) 170, 206–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinph.2024.12.015