Mental Wellness Mastery: Mental Health Expert Annika Carroll Of Sleep Like A Boss On Everyday Life Hacks For Optimal Mental Wellness
An Interview With Eden Gold
Reset your circadian rhythm To help with sleep, energy and mood, our body’s sleep-wake cycle needs to function optimally. Your body should release cortisol — your energy hormone — in the morning and melatonin — your sleepy hormone — at night.
In our modern, fast-paced society, mental wellness is a crucial aspect of leading a fulfilling life. However, for many people, achieving and maintaining good mental health can be a challenging task, with obstacles such as stress, anxiety, depression, and more. That’s why it’s essential to have practical and accessible strategies for mental wellness that can help build resilience, emotional intelligence, and overall well-being. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Annika Carroll.
Annika Carroll, a Women’s Sleep and Health Coach, CEO of Sleep Like A Boss, and former Fortune 100 Senior HR Manager, specializes in the intersection of sleep, leadership, and well-being.
Her journey from burnout to balance drives her mission to empower high-achieving women to conquer sleep issues and fatigue. Focusing on functional testing and stress management techniques, she helps clients reclaim restful sleep, great mood and energy.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about Mental Wellness Life Hacks, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
For 15 years, I worked as an HR Manager at a Fortune 100 company. My role involved guiding employees and managers on topics like resilience and work-life balance, among other HR tasks, such as recruitment, policy development, leadership coaching, etc. However, while supporting others, I neglected to care for my well-being.
After years of pouring myself into my work and a traumatic birth experience, I hit a wall. Burnout, insomnia and anxiety kept me from going back to work.
I turned to talk therapy, which offered some relief. But the real breakthrough came when I also addressed my physical health. It was a pivotal moment when I realized the profound impact sleep and physical health had on my mental well-being.
That is how I found my way into the functional health world.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
One story that stands out is that of a female client in her mid-thirties. She is a mom of a five-year-old girl and is happily married.
She sought my help after struggling with anxiety, depression and persistent sleep issues for over 15 years. She had been seeing a therapist for a while, for whom she was grateful.
While she had learned to manage her anxiety around sleep better, she still only managed 2 to 4 hours of sleep per night and felt there was an underlying issue unresolved. In our initial conversation, she said that working with me was her last resort before considering antidepressants, which she strongly wanted to avoid.
After just a few months of working together, her sleep drastically improved, from 2 to 4 hours a night to 6 to 8 hours.
Not only did her anxiety subside, but the most remarkable transformation was her depressive symptoms, including the intrusive thoughts she had previously described as suicidal — were gone — and to this day have not returned.
Addressing her physical and mental well-being simultaneously led to sustainable improvements in her health. It also shows how important sleep is in helping us regulate our emotions and our nervous system.
You are a successful individual. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
- My ability to motivate others:
- I’ve always had a knack for motivating others, a trait that’s been evident since my corporate days. Even when faced with the most challenging (or tedious) projects, I’ve consistently received feedback that I can rally a team and achieve exceptional results with the team. This ability continues to be a cornerstone of my coaching approach. Motivation and accountability can make a significant difference in helping clients navigate change and achieve their goals.
Most of my clients feel they have lost control over their bodies and their ability to sleep. Depending on how long they haven’t been able to sleep, the process can take a few months to see progress. So, having me cheer them on and carry them through has been game-changing for them.
- My Type A Personality:
- Being a Type A personality has been both a blessing and a challenge. While it can come with its fair share of high-functioning anxiety and stress, it also fuels my determination and productivity. I get things done and make things happen.
- Many of my clients are very successful at what they do. They are very determined and often put pressure on themselves. Knowing what this feels like and learning to manage it personally has helped me build close coaching relationships with my clients.
- Curiosity and willingness to learn:
- I’ve always been interested in learning. This curiosity drives me to delve deep into my clients’ issues and explore new avenues for support. I’m passionate about continuously expanding my knowledge and exploring innovative approaches to coaching.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview about mental wellness mastery. What is one often-overlooked daily habit that can significantly improve one’s mental wellness?
It’s a very basic — but not always easy — one: prioritizing quality sleep.
According to the CDC, more than 1/3 of Americans don’t consistently get the recommended sleep.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to sacrifice sleep for productivity or social engagements. However, adequate and restful sleep is critical for our overall well-being, both mental and physical.
How much sleep do we need?
The general recommendation for adults is 7–9 hours of sleep per night. However, individual sleep needs vary based on age, activity level, and overall health.
Ideally, you would wake up without an alarm and have good energy throughout the day — without needing a pick-me-up like coffee.
What if we don’t get enough sleep?
The consequences of sleep deprivation can be significant. Besides feeling groggy and unproductive, chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a host of health issues, including heart issues, obesity, depression, anxiety and even dementia.
Sleep plays a significant role in emotional regulation and mental health that many people don’t know about.
During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, our brain processes emotions and consolidates memories, which is vital for maintaining mental wellness.
When we consistently lack sufficient REM sleep, this can disrupt our ability to regulate emotions effectively, leading to mood swings, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, etc.
As we sleep, we go through multiple sleep cycles.
Every sleep cycle contains phases of non-REM and REM sleep. Our time in REM sleep changes throughout the different sleep cycles. Our early sleep cycles contain more deep sleep and less REM sleep. The longer we sleep, the longer the REM phases in our sleep cycles become.
So, if we cut our sleep short because we go to bed too late, we deprive our bodies of REM sleep and, thus, emotional regulation.
REM sleep is like free therapy for the brain.
It helps your brain consolidate memory and process emotions, making you more mentally stable and resilient for the next day.
Just look at toddlers. If they don’t sleep well, you know you will be dealing with a few temper tantrums that day. As a parent, you know that a nap will fix the problem.
Adults aren’t that different.
Also, numerous studies have highlighted the strong correlation between mental health problems and sleep disturbances. Individuals struggling with conditions like depression, anxiety, and PTSD often experience difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, or achieving restorative sleep.
Addressing sleep issues is a key component of managing and improving mental health.
How do you recommend individuals recalibrate their mental wellness after experiencing a significant setback or failure?
I recommend prioritizing rest and taking care of yourself.
Try to get good sleep to process the experiences — even though that can sometimes be difficult depending on what the person experienced.
Give yourself permission to step back, pause, and recharge. Whether taking time off work, allowing yourself to sleep in, or lying in a park enjoying the warming sun, rest provides the space to process emotions and regain perspective.
Try to put some fun and play back into your life. That makes your body feel safe.
Taking care of your body is equally important. Our body needs a lot of energy to get through stressful times.
So, eat nutritious food, stay hydrated, and do something that calms your nervous system, such as yoga, meditation, or spending time in nature.
And remember, it’s okay to ask for support and not go through this alone.
In your experience, what is a common misconception about mental health that hinders people from seeking help or improving their wellness?
I often see the belief that talk therapy is the only tool available and that people are scared about having to relive a traumatic situation in therapy.
Many people also feel that everyone else struggles, so it’s the norm, and they don’t need to do anything about it.
Or it runs in their family, so it’s genetic, and they can’t do anything about it.
But these are all misconceptions.
Can you share a transformative moment or client story that highlights the power of a specific mental wellness strategy?
I just started working with a female client three weeks ago. She has complained about fatigue, a very low mood, and no morning appetite. She sleeps from 2 AM to about 9:30 AM and then jumps to her desk to get on the first customer call with a cup of coffee beside her.
We started by having her go outside first thing in the morning and get natural light before she got to her desk. She used to hit the snooze button as many times as possible before she finally had to get out of bed.
After two weeks of sunlight in the morning, she has way more energy, is in a better mood, and her appetite is slowly returning.
She also notices she is getting tired and can go to bed a little earlier.
All this is having a big impact on her mental health!
Based on your experience and research, can you please share “5 Everyday Life Hacks For Optimal Mental Wellness?”
Prioritize Sleep:
- Make sure you get enough quality sleep every night.
- You need to make sleep a priority for it to happen; otherwise, Netflix or social media will take over and suck you in.
- Set a go-to-bed alarm on your phone that goes off an hour before you want to be in bed. This is the sign to put your phone to bed and start your wind-down routine.
- Pick a calming activity that works for you: having a bath or shower, reading a book, journaling, doing some stretching or Yoga Nidra are some examples.
- Also, ensure your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet — like a cave.
Reset your circadian rhythm To help with sleep, energy and mood, our body’s sleep-wake cycle needs to function optimally. Your body should release cortisol — your energy hormone — in the morning and melatonin — your sleepy hormone — at night.
- This will give you energy and a better mood during the day and help you fall asleep at night.
- To optimize your sleep-wake cycle, get outside and get natural light into your eyes for 10 minutes after you wake up. This will tell your body that it is morning and that it should release cortisol to provide energy.
- It will also set your body’s inner timer to release melatonin 14 to 16 hours later to make you sleepy.
- For melatonin to work well, we must avoid bright lights after sunset. So dim your lights at home, put blue light protectors on your phone or tablet screens, and ensure your bedroom is as dark as possible.
Add protein to your breakfast:
Start your day by including protein. Protein-rich foods help stabilize blood sugar levels.
- Whether eggs, Greek yogurt, or a protein smoothie, incorporating protein into your breakfast is a game-changer for many of my clients.
- By swapping sugary breakfast cereal or bagels for a protein-packed meal, you will notice a significant improvement in energy levels, mood, and maybe even your sleep — if blood sugar drops are what are causing your 3 AM wake-ups.
Drink enough (not coffee):
Being dehydrated causes the body to release cortisol, which can cause people to feel irritated or anxious. And that’s not another stressor you need with everything that’s going on already.
- Add a bit of coconut water to your plain water, a splash of lemon, and a dash of salt — and you have a healthy electrolyte drink that helps you stay hydrated.
Do One Thing That Brings You Joy Every Day:
Whether practicing a hobby, spending time with loved ones, or indulging in a favourite treat, doing something that brings you joy can boost your mood and increase overall life satisfaction.
- It can be something small — just something that puts a smile on your face when you lay in bed at night and reflect upon your day. (This can help with sleep too).
- We often give so much to others and forget about ourselves and the fun things in life — and this is such a simple thing to do.
- We need to put a focus on it to make it a habit.
What role does technology play in mental wellness today, and how can individuals leverage it positively without exacerbating mental health issues?
I have a love-hate relationship with technology and social media.
It gives us access to valuable resources such as meditation apps, online therapy platforms, and support groups.
Unfortunately, I feel we often misuse technology (and I include myself here).
Excessive use of technology can contribute to issues like dopamine dysregulation, where we are hooked to the apps to feel happy or seen. Constant push notifications are a real disrupter of focus and flow during the workday. If you get disrupted by a notification or an email popping up while you’re working on something, it takes you about 20 minutes to get back to that level of focus you previously had.
The constant comparison games we engage in on social platforms (even subconsciously) can also cause feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and shame and affect our mental well-being.
How I like to use social media:
- Set Boundaries: Establish limits on screen time and stick to them.
- Set specific times for checking emails and social media to prevent mindless scrolling and minimize distractions.
- Curate your social media feed to include positive and inspiring accounts. Unfollow accounts that trigger negative emotions or comparison tendencies.
- Use meditation and breathing apps to manage stress and improve sleep quality.
- Prioritize personal connections and regularly meet up with real people.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I would love to see a movement of Western medical doctors, therapists and functional practitioners to work together more and more.
As a functional practitioner I can support a therapist’s patient or a doctor with their patient where they sometimes don’t have the time or the training in nutrition, circadian rhythm health or natural supplementation.
I hope that one day, we can operate as a team of experts to support the best outcomes for patients and clients.
How can our readers further follow you online?
You can check out my website, www.sleeplikeaboss.com, or follow me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sleeplikeaboss.
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About The Interviewer: Eden Gold, is a youth speaker, keynote speaker, founder of the online program Life After High School, and host of the Real Life Adulting Podcast. Being America’s rising force for positive change, Eden is a catalyst for change in shaping the future of education. With a lifelong mission of impacting the lives of 1 billion young adults, Eden serves as a practical guide, aiding young adults in honing their self-confidence, challenging societal conventions, and crafting a strategic roadmap towards the fulfilling lives they envision.
Do you need a dynamic speaker, or want to learn more about Eden’s programs? Click here: https://bit.ly/EdenGold
Mental Wellness Mastery: Mental Health Expert Annika Carroll Of Sleep Like A Boss On Everyday Life… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.