Sleeping is one of the most important factors for better mental and physical health.
A good sleeping schedule prevents diseases such as type 2 diabetes, chronic pain, and hypertension. Also, sleep deprivation can lead to negative psychological consequences such as anxiety, depression, and attention-related disorders, therefore, it is important to have a good sleeping schedule to avoid having negative consequences regarding your health. When talking about sleep quality we must analyze all the factors involved such as sleep latency, efficiency, disturbances, duration, and medication .As it is important to avoid sleep deprivation is also important to avoid oversleeping and this may be associated with disorders such as depression or chronic pain, it is relevant to investigate what is the cause of oversleeping because it can be driven by poor sleeping efficiency that may be associated with another disease. Although is important to self-report your hours of sleep per night, it is often overestimated and can lead to false diagnoses.
American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society Recommend for adults an average amount of 7 hours sleep rather than 7-9 hours sleep. Furthermore, when exploring the relationship between sleeping quality and depression some findings reveal that there is a consistent relationship between the two, however, greater evidence shows that poor sleep quality can lead to the development of depression rather than depression leading to poor sleeping quality.
Meta-analyses (Alvaro et al., Citation2013; Lovato & Gradisar, Citation2014) reveal a consistent relationship between sleep and depression, with greater evidence suggesting poor sleep quality precedes the development of depression, rather than depression predicting sleep. (Peach, H., Gaultney, J.F. and Gray, D.D., 2016)
Nevertheless, quality of sleep can improve your mental health if you maintain good sleeping hygiene, this will lead to better sleep quality and alertness – sleep hygiene behaviours are practices believed to promote sufficient sleep quantity, good sleep quality, and full daytime alertness. Such behaviors typically span four domains which include arousal-related behaviors, sleep scheduling and timing, and eating/drinking behaviors (Peach, H., Gaultney, J.F. and Gray, D.D. (2016).
According to statistical data from the World Sleep Society (WSS), in 2017, the quality of life and health of 30–45% of the global adult population was affected by sleep problems (Tsai-Ling Chen, Shu-Chen Chang, Hsiu-Fen Hsieh, Chin-Yi Huang c, Jui-Hsiang Chuang d, Hsiu-Hung Wang, 2020).
One of the most common sleeping problems is insomnia which may lead to sleep deprivation, this problem can be either a symptom or an illness, people suffering from insomnia complain about tiredness, nervousness, general weakness, tension, and irritability. If not treated this can cause one to have depression, substance abuse, and work inability, in extreme cases this can lead to depression, anxiety and even suicide.
Furthermore, individuals with insomnia often complain about tiredness, nervousness, and general weakness and are prone to have negative emotions such as tension and irritability [3], which can lead to depression, decreased cognitive function, substance abuse, and inhibited social and work ability [16]. Other studies have established that insomnia is highly comorbid with psychiatric disorders and is a risk factor for the development of depression, anxiety, and suicide (Tsai-Ling Chen, Shu-Chen Chang, Hsiu-Fen Hsieh, Chin-Yi Huang c, Jui-Hsiang Chuang d, Hsiu-Hung Wang (2020).
Needless to say, is imperative for one to find medical help when having sleeping problems. To conclude quality of life refers to one’s mental and physical well-being and as we already established sleep quality directly impacts one’s physical and mental health, hence, to have a good quality of life one needs to have a good night’s sleep.
Please note that this information does not replace professional advice. If you have any doubts, always seek advice from a professional in the relevant field.
