Poor Sleep Increases Risk of Mental and Physical Health Issues
- ASU Paw Print
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
Paw Print Writer: Julia Donnelly
Mental health and sleep are closely integrated, and a lack of sufficient rest can
significantly increase the risk of mental health disorders. Studies show that sleeping fewer than 7 hours a night can lead to anxiety, depression, and weakened focus among young adults. A majority of college students fail to get the recommended amount of sleep due to busy schedules, and most of the time, it seems alright. This is why it’s detrimental, because this misconception is causing more and more young adults to put a block in growth.
When falling asleep, our bodies get the rest, growth, and healing they need to charge up for everyday life. With little sleep, it’s hard to pay attention and be motivated in school, sports, and any extracurricular activities there are to participate in. Sleep is an essential part of life, and it benefits in ways unknown to most.
Mental disorders are at a rapid growth among young adults, and individuals aged 5-24 are living with multiple diagnosable mental disorders with no clue as to why (Christian Kieling). While sleeping, our brain goes through a series of stages that are essential for good, restful sleep. We jump between light sleep, deep sleep, and REM, which are all necessary for the hours slept, but when we don’t get the right amount, it messes with our brain growth and the restoration of the human body. Min-su Lee, one of the authors of “The Association Between Mental Health, Chronic Disease, and Sleep Duration in Koreans: A Cross-Sectional Study,” says that when sleeping, our bodies are actively recovering, healing, and relaxing. Lack of sleep is a huge cause of mental and physical conditions. Along with that, it can weaken the immune system, affecting your daily life and emotional state. The mental aspects of not getting enough sleep are damaging to our health, but not only that, it’s also harming our physical health.
Usually, when a person doesn’t get sleep, it’s noticeable. They seem fatigued, slow, and
groggy, affecting multiple physical aspects. Lee informs the reader that there is an important
association between mental health in sleep physical health in sleep, and when there is a habit of lack of sleep, there are long-term negative effects. Lee states, “Mental health problems were associated with sleep duration with gender-specific patterns. Associations with osteoarthritis, cancer, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and abnormal sleep duration persisted after adjustment for mental health.” During sleep, tissues, muscles, and cells recover from the day, so not only is the mental aspect at risk, but also your physical. This is why it’s essential for young adults whose brains are still developing at this time to get an adequate amount of sleep. When resting, the human body shuts down, so it can get to work in healing, but if there is an inadequate amount of healing can be damaging to your physical health down the road. This physical decline in the body also leads many young adults to feel depressed over their body's degeneration. Mental disorders and physical health are at risk when getting insufficient sleep, which is why it’s important to find ways to fix these bad habits.
There are many ways to go about fixing bad sleeping habits. First is knowing the number of hours to get each night. Cecilie L. Vestergaard, author of “Sleep duration and mental health in young adults,” talks about the recommended sleep duration being 7-9 hours a night for young adults. This means going to bed at a reasonable time each night, suitable for whatever extra activities you do the next day. Another way to help your sleep schedule is by planning when you will do things, and making sure not to budge on the time expected to go to bed. Doing this will allow one’s body to automatically adapt to your set bedtime so it knows it will rest. This prepares the body for rest, so you get the most out of your sleep. The importance of sleep is something that affects all areas of life and correlates with the functions of the human body.
Now it is known that sleep is correlated with your mental health, physical health, and
quality of life. Now that the misconceptions about sleep are gone, strive to get the right amount of sleep to increase the chances of success in everyday life. This enhances the quality of life in which people live. Get some rest, and go out there and take life on!
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