Sleep is one way that you can do to rest your body and brain after a full day of activities. Not only is it helpful to 'recharge' energy, but sleep is also helpful in maintaining hormonal balance and the immune system. These benefits can certainly be felt if you have good quality sleep.

An adult is said to have good quality sleep if one has 7-9 hours of sleep per day. While those who are elderly, 7-8 hours is the recommended time. Many studies have shown that sleep quality has a vital role in maintaining a healthy body. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), lack of sleep can increase the risk of health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Not only that but sleep also plays an essential role in maintaining the performance of the body's cognitive functions, including learning, memory, and emotional regulation.

Yes, sleep quality is often associated with mental health conditions. Because many studies show that poor sleep quality can increase the risk of mental health problems, including depression, anxiety, to bipolar disorder. One 2018 study found that not sleeping for 3 or more nights in a row can increase the risk of perceptual distortions, hallucinations, and delusions. In addition, an insomniac is also known to have a 4x higher risk of depression. Not only that, but insomnia is also associated with the development of the bipolar disorder, anxiety, and an increased risk of suicide.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is one of the therapies used to help improve sleep quality, especially for insomniacs. Not only can it enhance the quality of sleep, but this therapy has also been shown to reduce the risk of mental health, including depression, anxiety, hallucinations, and paranoia. This therapy includes changing behaviour related to sleep patterns, including limiting daytime naps, avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine at night, and staying away from digital devices such as cell phones and television.

Text by Anggie Triana
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Source(s):

• Medical News Today - The close relationship between sleep and mental health (2020). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/sleep-and-mental-health, 10 August 2020.