The rock-and-roll saying of ‘we’ll sleep when we’re dead’ has done a lot of harm because it is precisely the lack of sleep that can bring many problems. Nowadays, insomnia is a pandemic, but even for those who manage to sleep well, living in a constant deficit of hours of rest is common. It seems that when it comes to finding time for everything, sleep is always the one to suffer. A serious mistake.
Lack of sleep affects mental health and promotes depression
Sleep disorders and sleep deprivation are very common and have significant consequences on health and quality of life. Psychological and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety are directly related to an unhealthy lifestyle dominated by stress, bad habits, and poor rest. There is also a connection, which various studies are exploring, with neurodegenerative diseases.
“Poor sleep quality is connected to increased psychological distress. The accumulation of nights without enough sleep doubles the risk of depression and increases the risk of anxiety disorders,” explains Dr. Javier Albares, clinical neurophysiologist, sleep expert for over thirty years, founder, and director of the Sleep Medicine Unit at Teknon in Barcelona.
How many hours do I need to sleep?
Although it has always been said that one needs a minimum of 8 hours of sleep, nowadays, it is considered to be 7 hours. Considering that each individual is different, it is a fact that below 7 hours, all experts agree that it is insufficient.
Some people are convinced that they need fewer hours of sleep than others and claim to be able to lead an active or healthy life with only 4 or 5 hours of sleep. The best gauge is our body, and when a person wakes up in the morning and does not feel fresh, rested, energetic, and in a good mood, it is very likely that something is affecting their rest or they are falling short on sleep hours.
Regarding the hours needed to sleep, psychologist Alejandra Vallejo-Nágera believes that our body needs around 7 hours of sleep every night and never less. “When we sleep, our system functions akin to a waste disposal truck, gathering unnecessary information and undergoing regeneration. If we don’t sleep enough, we are leaving the garbage at our doorstep.”
Living in a state of chronic fatigue generates sadness, and “from permanent sadness to depression, there is a step,” the psychologist reminds us. And we must not forget that depression has become another affliction of the current era.
Therefore, it may be advisable to set aside toxic productivity and rock & roll phrases for a while and invest a couple of extra hours of sleep in our mental health.
