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by Dr.Meghna varma
SLEEP & MENTAL ILLNESS
Ever struggled to get through the day after a night of simply tossing & turning, watching the minutes & hours tick by? Then I'm sure you know how lack of sleep can make you cranky, moody & anxious.
As it turns out, sleep is closely linked to your mental & emotional health. And the relation between them seems to be bi-directional. In other words, sleep can be both cause & consequence of mental illnesses.
The complex circular relationship between sleep & mental health becomes more clear when we look at how sleep impacts these specic mental health conditions.
Depression & Sleep:
As per the WHO estimates, nearly 300 million people
across the globe suffer from depression. A majority of
people with depression show signs of sleeplessness
or insomnia. Some people may also experience
hypersomnia.
There is also growing evidence that suggests poor
sleep can make depression worse. As such, sleep
disorders & depression become mutually reinforcing
creating a negative feedback loop.
Bipolar Disorder & Sleep:
People with bipolar disorders have changing sleep
patterns depending on their emotional state. In the
maniac phase, they may need far less sleep and in
the depressed period they may sleep much longer
than usual.
Research has found that sleeping disturbances may
induce or worsen maniac & depressive phases -
indicating a bidirectional relationship between the
two.
Anxiety Disorders & Sleep
Anxiety disorders create severe fear & worry that can impact day to day functioning. There are
many types of anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety disorders, panic disorders, phobias,
OCD, PTSD etc.
Anxiety has a close connection with sleep disorders. Anxiety creates a state of hyperarousal, a
major factor in insomnia. PTSD is known to have an especially strong association with sleep.
Research also suggests that sleep disorders can activate anxiety who have a predisposition to it
ADHD & Sleep
Attention decit hyperactivity disorder is a
condition in which the person has reduced
attention span & heightened impulsiveness.
People with ADHD have difculty falling asleep,
frequent awakening & excessive drowsiness
during the day.
On the other hand, sleep problems tend to
worsen ADHD by aggravating symptoms such
as low attention span & behavioural issues.
How to Improve Sleep & Mental Health
The multifaceted bidirectional relationship between sleep & mental health indicates that
treatment for both issues need to go hand in hand.
Simply prescribing medications may not address the issue at its root. The optimal treatment should
involve a customised approach to address both sleep disorder as well as the underlying mental
health issue.
