Payne-Waldock 1

Jocelyn Payne-Waldock

Prof. Sobocinski

ENG 1101-547

22 March 2020

Literature Review

Throughout my life, I have suffered from a variety of mental health issues, as many

others have. I have noticed that when I would sleep all day or not sleep at all, it directly affects

my mental health. Because of this, my research question is how sleep is directly related to mental

health. Throughout all my sources, there are several reoccurring bits of information. One key

point that I am seeing in all my sources is that, ¨...It’s estimated that 40 million Americans have a

chronic sleep disorder. And with sleep and mental health being so closely related, there’s an

undeniable connection taking place¨ (How Sleep Affects Mental Health). This idea is important

because it shows that sleep disorders are very common within Americans and that there is an

absolute connection between mental health and those chronic sleep disorders.

It is seen that, ¨50% to 80% of people seeking mental health care also complain of issues

with sleep, and those who are suffering from depression, anxiety, or ADHD are particularly

likely to grapple with sleep as well¨ (How Sleep Affects Mental Health). Because of this,

scientists used to believe sleep disturbances were a result of mental health issues. However, in

light of more recent research, scientists have determined that sleep disturbances may actually be

working as a trigger, significantly raising your risk of developing a mental health condition.
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After comparing all my sources to each other, I have found that there are no

disagreements between the authors. All the sources contain similar ideas while providing

different approaches, but they all share the same key points. The main key point that I am seeing

throughout my sources is that, ¨ Traditionally, clinicians treating patients with psychiatric

disorders have viewed insomnia and other sleep disorders as symptoms. But studies in both

adults and children suggest that sleep problems may raise risk for, and even directly contribute

to, the development of some psychiatric disorders¨ (Sleep and Mental Health). Although it was

once previously believed by many experts that mental health disorders were the cause of many

sleep problems, the tables have turned. Scientists now believe that sleep problems directly

contribute to the development of mental health disorders.

Surrounding the topic of how sleep directly relates to mental health, I have found several

misconceptions. These misconceptions are things that I hear in my everyday life, and things that

I see all over social media. The first common misconception surrounding how sleep correlates to

mental health is the idea that ¨You can never get too much sleep¨. While it is true that so many

Americans struggle to get enough sleep at night, ¨Like insufficient sleep, oversleeping is a sign

of disordered sleep. It may be connected to a mental health issue, such as depression¨ (The

Surprising Risks of Sleeping Too Much). Although it is rarely talked about, oversleeping

contains the same mental health risks as getting insufficient sleep.

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One of the main takeaways from my sources that I have learned is that according to

research by experts, ¨Even a single night of sleep deprivation sets us up to react more strongly

and impulsively to negative or unpleasant situations¨ (4 Ways That Sleep Deprivation Can Harm

Your Emotional Health). Sleep deprivation or oversleeping directly effects the complex

emotional centers of our brain, making us more likely to overreact or lash out in frustration or

anger. Research shows that, ¨sleep deprivation increases activity in the amygdala—the emotional

rapid-response center of the brain. This part of the brain controls many of our immediate

emotional reactions. When short on sleep, the amygdala goes into overdrive, causing us to be

more intensely reactive to situations¨ (4 Ways That Sleep Deprivation Can Harm Your

Emotional Health). When we have overslept or we are sleep deprived, studies show that we are

more reactive across the whole spectrum of emotions, positive and negative.

Throughout all my sources, there were very similar points and ideas, while they all

demonstrated different approaches of projecting that information. While they all had similar

points, the articles each focused on different aspects of the correlation between sleep and mental

health, so they all provided different information. My sources did indeed answer my research

question, and I know have a broader understanding of sleep and how it directly relates to mental

health.
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“4 Ways That Sleep Deprivation Can Harm Your Emotional Health.” Psychology Today, Sussex

Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201811/4-ways-sleep-

deprivation-can-harm-your-emotional-health

“Sleep and Mental Health.” Harvard Health Publishing, July 2009,

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/sleep-and-mental-health

“The Complex Relationship Between Sleep, Depression & Anxiety.” National Sleep Foundation,

www.sleepfoundation.org/excessive-sleepiness/health-impact/complex-relationship-

between-sleep-depression-anxiety

Whittle, Emma. “How Sleep Affects Mental Health.” Neurocore, 11 Apr. 2019,

www.neurocorecenters.com/blog/how-sleep-affects-mental-health.

¨The Surprising Risks of Sleeping Too Much. ¨ Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers,

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/sleep-newzzz/201901/the-surprising-risks-

sleeping-too-much