One of the first symptoms you can see in a patient who is not getting their full 8 hours of sleep every night is often mood swings. Too many times you go to check on someone who is clearly still tired from the night before only to have them lash out at you or become emotional about a situation that does not warrant that level of response. While this can be a jarring experience for everyone involved, it is very normal for individuals experiencing any level of sleep deprivation. Mood stabilization problems can be even more extreme if a person is experiencing lack of sleep or getting poor quality sleep for an extended period of time.
That being said, if a person is exhibiting symptoms that seem out of character and do not ease up as the day goes on or after they have had more rest, this could be a sign of a bigger issue.
How Are They Connected?
Sleep and mental health are closely intertwined, with each having a significant impact on the other. The relationship between sleep and mental health is bidirectional, meaning that poor sleep can contribute to mental health issues, and mental health conditions can disrupt sleep patterns. This can make diagnosis and treatment difficult. While it is typically best to treat the primary health concern and monitor secondary symptoms, the nature of sleep disorders and mental health conditions can make strategic treatment planning feel like a guessing game.
Getting enough sleep is essential for emotional regulation and overall mental well-being. When our bodies are sleep-deprived, our ability to regulate emotions and cope with stressors is compromised and leads to increased irritability, mood swings, heightened emotional reactivity, and difficulties in managing daily challenges. This is because sleep plays a crucial role in cognitive processes such as attention, memory consolidation, and decision-making. Inadequate or disrupted sleep can impair cognitive performance, leading to difficulties in concentration, problem-solving, memory and regulation of emotions.
Sleep disturbances are also prevalent in many mental health disorders, such as depression, schizophrenia, ADHD, generalized anxiety, and bipolar disorder. Insomnia, for example, is commonly associated with depression; Many patients who are experiencing difficulty falling asleep, or staying asleep attribute their sleep trouble with a depression diagnosis, but the flip can also be true. In many patients diagnosed with insomnia, lack of sleep can imitate depression symptoms. On the other hand, daytime sleepiness or hypersomnia can also be a symptom of depression or other mood disorders. Psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia, PTSD, and ADHD can also disrupt sleep patterns, leading to insomnia, nightmares, or sleep-related movement disorders.
Common Mental Health Conditions That Affect Sleep
When you are not feeling your best, sleep is one of the first parts of your life that is affected. This applies to mental health struggles even more in many cases. In fact, the relationship between mental health and sleep is so intertwined that many mental health disorders and sleep disorders are used in an almost interchangeable way. While sleep disorders and other sleep struggles have been associated with nearly every mental health condition, here are some of the most common mental health conditions that can lead to sleep issues.
Depression
Depression can significantly affect sleep patterns and quality, leading to various sleep disturbances. The relationship between depression and sleep is complex and can vary among individuals, but there are some common ways in which depression typically impacts sleep
Insomnia and hypersomnia are probably the most common sleep disturbances associated with depression. Individuals with depression may experience difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep throughout the night, or waking up earlier than desired. While insomnia is a hallmark symptom of depression, some individuals may also experience hypersomnia, which can lead to a person feeling tired or lacking energy during the day.
Another issue that can arise with patients who struggle with depression is consistently receiving poor quality sleep. Patients may wake up frequently during the night, experience lighter sleep, or have vivid and disturbing dreams. As a result, they may not feel refreshed or rested upon waking. One of the reasons why depression can disrupt the natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to irregular sleep patterns. This can manifest as delayed sleep, where they might struggle to fall asleep for hours at a time, or advanced sleep phase, where individuals go to bed very early in the evening and wake up extremely early in the morning.
Anxiety
Perhaps one of the most common mental health conditions associated with trouble sleeping (particularly insomnia) is anxiety disorders. From generalized anxiety to social anxiety and everything in between, anxiety disorders are known for creating a sense of worry or dread that bleeds into every part of a person’s life, including sleep.
Anxiety disorders over-stimulate the brain so that an individual feels like they cannot get to a calm enough mental state to fall asleep or sleep soundly all night. Beyond that, a history of struggling with sleep can cause even more anxiety when it comes time to go to bed. Anxiety-related thoughts, anticipatory anxiety, or fear of not being able to sleep can prolong the time it takes to fall asleep, resulting in fragmented sleep.
Anxiety disorders can also contribute to sleep maintenance insomnia, where individuals have trouble staying asleep throughout the night. They may wake up frequently, experience restless sleep, or have difficulty returning to sleep after waking up.This could be because of racing thoughts or it could be a result of anxiety-related night terrors. Anxiety can increase the frequency and intensity of nightmares. These vivid and often distressing dreams can disrupt sleep and contribute to sleep disturbances.
ADHD
Many individuals with ADHD also experience difficulty falling asleep at night. Racing thoughts, excessive mental stimulation, and restlessness can make it challenging to wind down and initiate sleep, similar to individuals with anxiety disorders. As a result, they may have delayed sleep onset, going to bed later than desired or struggling to stay asleep all night. This is because they can be more susceptible to external stimuli, such as noises or movements, which can disrupt their sleep and lead to difficulties in maintaining continuous sleep throughout the night.
ADHD has also been associated with an increased risk of sleep-related breathing disorders, including invasive snoring and sleep apnea. These conditions can cause breathing interruptions during sleep, leading to fragmented sleep and daytime fatigue.These kinds of sleep difficulties can lead to daytime sleepiness and fatigue in individuals with ADHD. They may struggle to maintain alertness and concentration during the day, impacting their cognitive functioning and overall productivity. On top of the attention deficit already associated with ADHD, daytime drowsiness and the concentration associated with a consistent lack of sleep can make those existing symptoms worse.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a complex mental health disorder, and can have a significant impact on sleep health. Sleep disturbances are common among individuals with schizophrenia, and these disruptions can further contribute to the challenges associated with this mental health disorder.
On top of problems with differentiating reality from fantasy and the hallucinations that can come with severe cases of schizophrenia, patients with schizophrenia are also more likely to experience insomnia, night terrors, and circadian rhythm disorders.
It is important to note that not all sleep disturbances and difficulties are directly related to schizophrenia itself. In some cases the medication used to manage schizophrenia symptoms can have a major impact on sleep. Some medications may cause sedation, leading to excessive daytime sleepiness, while others may disrupt sleep patterns.
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) can significantly affect an individual’s ability to maintain a healthy sleep routine, leading to various sleep difficulties and disturbances. Sleep problems are highly prevalent among individuals with ASD, particularly young patients. These disruptions can have a significant impact on their overall well-being and health.
People with ASD are particularly susceptible to frequently waking up throughout the night due to sensory stimuli, including noise, light, or texture sensitivities. Sleep deprivation can also exacerbate existing ASD symptoms and make it more and more difficult to manage symptoms throughout the day. It is important that sleep difficulties are addressed by a physician before they worsen and cause other medical disturbances.
How Can a Sleep Medicine Specialist Help?
The most effective way to treat even the most extreme sleep problems or sleep disorders that may be related to any number of mental health conditions is to see a sleep medicine specialist. Sleep medicine specialists can help you find the root of your problem and treat it in the most healthy way for your body and your lifestyle.
At Gingras Sleep Medicine in Charlotte, NC, Dr. Gingras will take a thorough history to determine the cause of your sleep deprivation. She may order a sleep study if she suspects an underlying sleep disorder. Sleep studies are very effective tools used to evaluate how your body functions while you sleep. This test measures your heart rate, oxygen level, breathing, brain waves, and body movements. It is helpful for identifying a variety of sleep problems and has helped millions of people get back on track to healthier sleep patterns.
To book your appointment with Dr. Gingras today, visit us online or give our office a call today at (704) 944-0562!