Why getting enough sleep improves your mental health

According to recommendations from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society, you should get enough sleep every night. Get at least seven hours of sleep every night. Those who sleep less risk serious illnesses such as diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and depression. In 50-80% of patients undergoing psychiatric treatment.

In this article, we show you the impact that too little sleep can have on your mental health. Whether insufficient sleep is the cause or effect of mental health problems may be debatable in some cases, but the causes of mental disorders are also complex and cannot be attributed solely to a lack of sleep. Sufficient sleep and relaxation are always part of the treatment for mental disorders. Those who ensure sufficient and relaxing sleep are definitely doing their mental health good.

Lack of sleep impairs memory, the ability to make decisions, react and concentrate

Lack of sleep impairs memory, decision-making, reaction and concentration skills

With regard to mental health, it can be pointed out that too little sleep is the cause of cognitive impairments of various kinds can be the cause. Even one night with too little sleep leads to significant impairments. Some people react to sleep deprivation as they would to a blood alcohol concentration of 0.6 per mille. On average, the ability to react of a person who has been sleep deprived for 24 hours is comparable to the ability to act with a blood alcohol concentration of 1.0 per mille. [3] According to official investigation reports, spectacular accidents such as reactor accidents or shipwrecks are often attributed to the fatigue of the people responsible. Not to mention numerous everyday accidents on the road or at work and many other mishaps caused by a lack of concentration due to fatigue. If you hear a report on the radio that a vehicle has left the road for unexplained reasons, the reason is often driver fatigue. Patients who suffer from clouding of consciousness often also state that they have difficulty sleeping, as well as Psychoses, anxiety and panic disorders and post-traumatic disorders are often linked to a lack of sleep. The connection between sleep problems and depression is - as already indicated above - controversial. Is the depression responsible for the sleep problems or vice versa? However, it is noticeable that depressive patients have deviations in their sleep cycle: less deep sleep and more dream sleep. In any case, it is important that sleep problems should be clarified.

The brain cleanses itself during sleep

The brain needs 25% of the body's energyAccordingly, many waste products are produced, which are mainly disposed of during sleep. Until recently, it was relatively unknown that the glymphatic system disposes of waste products via a lymphatic system in the meninges. It is even assumed that these flushing of the brain is one reason why we sleep so long and deeply. Alzheimer's patients are known to have sleep disorders long before they are diagnosed. The accumulation of proteins in the brain, which is considered to be a cause of Alzheimer's disease, may therefore be due to a lack of sleep. It is also suspected that Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis can be caused by a disruption to this system. [2]

More sleep for better mental health

In this article, we explained why getting enough sleep is important for your mental health. In addition to the illnesses mentioned here, there are other disorders and illnesses that are linked to a lack of sleep, such as Depression, ADHD, anxiety disorders or autism spectrum disorders. The causes of these and other disorders are complex and cannot be attributed solely to a lack of sleep, but you can minimize the risk of mental illness by eliminating sleep deprivation.

Sources:

[1] Elmenhorst, David and Eva-Maria (2018): Risk of sleep deprivation spektrum.de
[2] NN (2018): Cleansing the brain pharmazeutische-zeitung.de
[3] Mother, Rosalie (2021): Lack of sleep: these are the consequences css.ch
[4] Sleep and mental health. Sleep deprivation can affect your mental health health.harvard.edu