As you may have heard before and growing evidence is showing, sleep is quite important for those with mental illness. In addition when patients report sleep disturbances it may also help us identify conditions like depression and bipolar disorder. In this article, we learn of how being mindful of our patients' sleep when diagnosing and treating mental illnesses can be incredibly important and beneficial.
"Sleep abnormalities have indeed been identified in individuals prior to mental illness. For example we know that sleep disruption usually happens before an episode of depression. Furthermore, individuals identified as “at risk” of developing bipolar disorder and childhood-onset schizophrenia typically show problems with sleep before any clinical diagnosis of illness.
Such findings raise the possibility that sleep and circadian rhythm disruption may be an important factor in the early diagnosis of individuals with mental illness. This is hugely important, as early diagnosis offers the possibility of early help. It is also plausible that treating the actual sleep problems will have a positive impact upon the level of mental illness. A recent study managed to reduce sleep disruptions using cognitive behavioural therapy in patients with schizophrenia who showed persecutory delusions and found that a better night’s sleep was associated with a decrease in paranoid thinking along with a reduction in anxiety and depression. So the emerging data suggests treating sleep problems can be an effective means to reduce symptoms."
For the full article, click here: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/how-sleep-and-mental-health-are-linked-in-the-brain/?utm_content=buffer0592b&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer