Sleep is as important to the human body as food and water, but many people don’t get enough sleep.
Insufficient sleep, inadequate quality of sleep, or disruptions to the sleep-wake cycle have negative consequences on how we function in the daytime, causing sleepiness and fatigue.
Lack of sleep also could be linked to an increased risk of emotional problems such as depression.
In a study from the University of Sheffield, scientists found improving sleep quality leads to better mental health and reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Until recently it was assumed that mental health difficulties led to problems sleeping. However, the current study found that improving sleep quality can also improve mental health.
The review study combined the results of 65 studies involving 8,608 people using a technique called a meta-analysis.
The researchers also found that improvements in sleep provided significant benefits to mental health regardless of whether people had a physical health problem.
In addition, improving the quality of sleep leads to a reduction in symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression, regardless of their severity.
The findings point to the exciting possibility that improving sleep may help reduce the risk of developing or worsening mental health difficulties.
The team says this was a large review of existing sleep research that incorporated a wide range of sleep interventions and a wide range of mental health outcomes.
The evidence shows that by using techniques to get a better night’s sleep you can improve your mental health, especially for those experiencing depression, anxiety, and stress.
Given how likely it is that someone accessing mental health services is also experiencing problems with their sleep, the study emphasizes the importance of equipping health professionals with greater knowledge and resources to support better sleep as an essential next step to improve health outcomes for these common conditions.
If you care about sleep, please read studies about drugs that can treat sleep loss and insomnia, and Restless sleep may be an early sign of Parkinson’s disease.
For more information about sleep, please see recent studies about exercise that can help you sleep better, and results showing that 7 hours of sleep is best for people in middle and old age.
The study was conducted by Dr. Alex Scott et al and published in Sleep Medicine Reviews.
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