The Link Between Schizophrenia and Sleep-Cycles

This article discusses how new tests are being done to compare the sleep cycles of schizophrenics. Many researchers had initially assumed that the sleep disruption in mental health patients resulted from their medicines or from social isolation. However, as we learn more about what sleep actually does, and the repercussions resulting from a poor sleep cycle, it is possible to see that perhaps poor sleep in not just a symptom after all. People with poor sleep cycles have demonstrated compromised immune functions, “cognitive disruptions, and metabolic abnormalities,” as well as social isolation and difficulty interacting with others. A similar study was conducted on mice whose genes had been modified to mimic schizophrenia, and similar results were seen. A healthier sleep-cycle leads to less severe symptoms. So while a better sleep cycle will not cure schizophrenics, it is believed that it will make a large impact on their quality of life. 

This study has opened the door to question the link between sleep and mental health issues. And Foster believes that it may even provide a way to indicate mental health issues earlier before the disease has fully set in. 

Though I feel like this is a relatively common sense concept, sleep better and feel better, I understand why it might’ve been overlooked earlier. Mental health is such a fascinating topic, but it is difficult to study, and even more challenging to treat. Of course people who suffer from mental disabilities are going to struggle with having any sort of “regular” day, unless they are forced to. However, if we could find a way to get patients to sleep better, and therefore feel better, then perhaps we wouldn’t need to medicate them as much, which would allow them to have a more “normal” lifestyle. The differences seen might help the patients realize these benefits sleep, which should, in turn, make treating schizophrenia easier. I find breakthrough articles like this one very interesting. As I would like to become a psychiatrist someday, it is very cool to see treatments and new ideas that I could potentially use to treat my patients with.

     It's also interesting because it is relevant to what we are learning in class. Since the sleep-cycle, and the parts of the brain that control this are on the next test, I have a better understanding in the importance of these topics!

http://oxfordstudent.com/2012/01/01/study-links-abnormal-sleep-and-schizophrenia-for-the-first-time/