Sleep covers about a third of our lives and is very important for healthy functioning brain and mental health. Numerous studies over the years have shown the relationship between sleep disorders and mental health disorders.
Neuroimaging and neurochemistry studies show that a good night’s sleep helps to improve mental and emotional resistance, while chronic sleep disorders lead to negative thinking and pessimistic emotions.
The link between sleep and mental health problems is not a new discovery. Experts have long observed that sleep disorders are quite common in people with all kinds of mental disorders. Most patients in psychiatric clinics complain of sleep disorders.
Similarly, people who receive help from sleep clinics often complain of mental health problems. In a study, 67% of patients in a sleep disorder center reported having had at least one anxiety attack in the previous five years, and 26% showed symptoms of depression.
Insomnia and Mental Health
Chronic insomnia is a very common sleep disorder that is thought to affect 10% of people. Long-term and frequent recurrent sleeping problems are classified as chronic. Chronic insomnia is significantly more common in patients with clinical depression.
Depression and Sleep Disorders
Depression is closely associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition in which people cannot breathe normally during sleep due to blockages in the respiratory tracts. Moderate to severe OSA was found to affect about 14% of people with clinical depression.
A third of people with clinical depression report symptoms of restless legs syndrome, which is a sleep-related movement disorder. The syndrome is observed by unpleasant and uncomfortable sensations in the legs, which sometimes accompany an irresistible urge to move the legs. People normally experience the worst symptoms in the evening, especially at night, when they go to bed.
Hypersomnia is another sleep disorder linked to depression. Related symptoms include feeling very sleepy and struggling to stay awake throughout the day. The person often has difficulty doing their daily work due to sleepiness and fatigue. In one study, 7% of people with depression also reported hypersomnia.
Insomnia and Mental Health Disorders
Sleep disorder is a known risk factor for both the beginning and relapse of many psychiatric symptoms and disorders. These include manic or hypomanic attacks, psychotic episodes and the transition to major depression.
A recent study of patients with suicidal thoughts reported that sleep quality had a notable effect on the persistence of these thoughts after waking.
All sleep disorders, including insomnia, are identified as a risk factor for the development of bipolar affective disorder and major depression.
Does inadequate sleep affect my mental health?
A healthy sleep is a vital necessity for our mental functions and health. If sleep deprivation is a long-term problem, the effects can be much more serious. If you regularly don’t get enough sleep and have mental health problems, it’s important for you to see a specialist. The relationship between sleep and mental health is quite strong according to researches.
It is also true that the experience of deprived or decreased sleep is not only a symptom of various mental illnesses, but can also lead to the development of many psychiatric disorders, including clinical depression, anxiety disorders, and hypomanic behavior.
But most sleep disorders can be treated, and a parallel improvement can be observed in other disorders associated with this disorder. If you think you have such a problem, you can talk to a psychiatrist and have a sleep evaluation.