The consistent message from this major conference in the USA in June this year is that any form of untreated/unresolved sleep disorder is predictive of worsening mental health status for that person later in their life. Sleep problems are simply not to be ignored.

Phone Use and Poor Sleep

Strong evidence was produced at the conference for limiting device time after dinner and making bedrooms device free zones, even recharging phones overnight in another room. The impact of screen time in the evening, as I have noted before, is especially bad on youth, as in some way the pixilation affects sleep quality and quantity. The more screen time per day the worse the mental health for the individual.

Poor Sleep and Mental Health

The message to all clinicians is clear – target sleep disorders as a first priority as they will of let to run, lead to all anxiety and depressive disorders. One researcher/presenter referred to “sleep inertia”.  I love the Americans in their invention of catchy phrases… What he referred to here was what we call “cognitive impairment” on rising from bed. Any flatness rather than “freshness” on rising and lack of recharge is a sign of a problem that will worsen mental health over subsequent years.

Midlife insomnia is clearly associated with poorer mental health outcomes for the older person affected. While most at the conference are trying to find new drugs to use, we can excuse our American friends, for that is their obsession, but we take the message – target sleep problems by settling the circadian rhythm of the client/patient asap.

Stabilization of daily circadian rhythm is to be a primary focus of all depression-anxiety related counselling. Sleep disruption is a “potent precipitant of mood disorders, and psychotic and anxiety episodes…”