Some sleep disorders have nothing to do with mental health issues. And some mental health issues have little in common with sleep disorders. But there are plenty of reasons why people with sleep problems should be wary of the potential for succumbing to mental illness like depression or anxiety, and for those with either problem to be especially mindful of their sleep habits, as one can argue that the intersectionality between the two is not only common but based in scientific fact.
SleepyHeadCENTRAL strongly support Mental Health Awareness Week, observed October 4 through 10. Please read the following links curated below to improve your understanding of how sleep health and mental health are inextricably linked. More information about the week's sponsor, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, can be found
here.
BUSTLE || 11 things people with anxiety want you to understand
"Be gentle with us if you see that we're tired and cranky, because we probably didn't sleep at all last night."
DAILY MAIL|| Lack of sleep drove me to the brink of madness... and it could happen to you too
"Four years on she wonders how many sleep-starved mothers are dismissed as post-natally depressed and prescribed anti-depressants when what they really need is eight hours’ sleep."
DAILY TIMES || 5 deadly things happen if you don’t get enough sleep
"Insomniacs are also twice as likely to develop depression, and preliminary research suggests that treating sleep problems may successfully treat depressive symptoms."
THE EXAMINER || SAD to say it is that time again
"An individual with this type of depression can experience a wide range of symptoms including increased moodiness, decreased energy, disturbed sleep, changes in appetite, increased anxiety, irritability and/or lack of motivation."
HARVARD BUSINESS ONLINE || Sleep Deficit: The Performance Killer
"In reality, the research suggests that even small amounts of sleep deprivation take a significant toll on our health, our mood, our cognitive capacity and our productivity."
HARVARD BUSINESS ONLINE || Sleep is More Important than Food
"In reality, the research suggests that even small amounts of sleep deprivation take a significant toll on our health, our mood, our cognitive capacity and our productivity."
HUFFINGTON POST HEALTHY LIVING || Is Sleep Deprivation Making You Suicidal?
"'[By being sleep deprived, you're] setting up the same situation as people with clinical depression,' explains Dr. Oexman, who oversees the Sleep to Live Institute's research studies, particularly the studies on the impact of the sleep environment on quality of sleep."
IOL || Children who have trouble sleeping are more likely to develop mental health problems, researchers warned recently
"They said disturbed sleep patterns could be a warning sign of future problems including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia, and disorders such as autism."
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL SLEEP MEDICINE || Depressive Symptoms before and after Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Men and Women [abstract]
"Depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, and these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure therapy, a new study shows."
JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES || Survey Reveals Alarming Rates of EMS Provider Stress and Thoughts of Suicide
"Sleep deprivation, feeling underappreciated, poor nutrition and exercise are just a few of many issues that may contribute to poor mental health in this field."
MEDICAL DAILY || Sleep Deprivation Messes With The Brain's Emotional Response, Makes Everything Seem Important
"Lack of sleep throws the brain regions associated with emotion off balance, finds a new study."
MEDLINE PLUS || Sleep Apnea May Raise Risk of Depression: Study suggests popular apnea treatment could help ease symptoms of mood disorder
"The findings highlight the potential for sleep apnea, a notoriously underdiagnosed condition, to be misdiagnosed as depression," he added."
NATIONAL SLEEP FOUNDATION || The Complex Relationship Between Sleep, Depression & Anxiety
"...[A]ltered sleep patterns are a hallmark of many mental health issues."
NIH || Sleep disturbances and suicide risk: A review of the literature [pdf]
"As a warning sign, disturbances in sleep may thus be especially useful to research and may serve as an important clinical target for future suicide intervention efforts."
PSYCH CENTRAL || Depression-Mortality Link in Heart Failure
"We know that depression is common in heart failure and affects 20 to 40 percent of patients. Depression is often related to loss of motivation, loss of interest in everyday activities, lower quality of life, loss of confidence, sleep disturbances, and change in appetite with corresponding weight change. This could explain the association we found between depression and mortality."--Professor John Cleland of Imperial College London, UK
RAW STORY || Here are 8 ways you don't realize stress is ruining your health
"As we get older, sleeping patterns often change and we may experience a decrease in the amount of deep sleep we get. ...This in turn leads to sleep deprivation, shown to cause memory lapses and lack of emotional control, leading to a further cycle of stress and sleep deprivation."
SCIENCE DAILY || Losing hope of a good night's sleep is risk factor for suicide
"'It turns out insomnia can lead to a very specific type of hopelessness and hopelessness by itself is a powerful predictor of suicide. ...It's fascinating because what it tells you is we have discovered a new predictor for suicidal thinking.'"-- Dr. W. Vaughn McCall, Chair of the Medical College of Georgia Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at Georgia Regents University
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN || Can a Lack of Sleep Cause Psychiatric Disorders?Study shows that sleep deprivation leads to a rewiring of the brain's emotional circuitry
"Study shows that sleep deprivation leads to a rewiring of the brain's emotional circuitry."
VAN WINKLE'S || The Disturbing Relationship Between Sleep, Depression and Suicide
"At least 3/4 of clinically depressed people struggle with sleep, and insomnia is a well-proven risk factor for suicide."
WASHINGTON POST || Schools and parents need to help kids sleep more, says the CDC. Here’s how.
"Research shows that most teens get seven hours or less of shuteye a night, leaving them chronically sleep-deprived. And too little sleep leads to serious health risks, including depression, stress, obesity and car crashes induced by drowsiness."
WEBMD || Sleep and Depression
"If you've been diagnosed with clinical depression, you may be having trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep. There's a reason for that. There is a definite link between lack of sleep and depression. In fact, one of the common signs of depression is insomnia or an inability to fall and stay asleep."
