HOW WELL DO WE SLEEP? – REVIEW OF SLEEP QUALITY AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS

Abstract

Introduction: Sleep quality as a basic physiological need can be challenged in patients diagnosed with serious mental health disorders. Sleep disorders such as nightmares and insomnia can affect individuals greatly and in various ways, in some cases resulting in exacerbation of their primary mental health disorder. We took a closer look into the treatment of sleep disorders, focusing mainly on pharmacological treatment.
Methods: This review included three international databases were searched, with appropriate key words (sleep quality, sleep disorder, mental health disorder, pharmacological treatment, medicine). Literature no older than 10 years was consulted, limited to English language.
Results: Seven articles matched our search, where we got a closer look into pharmacological approaches in the treatment of sleep disorders. Results show the effects of variety of medicaments. In the treatment of insomnia olanzapine, quetiapine, zolpidem, trazodone and dimdazenil showed to be effective. Gabapentin has shown to be as effective as clonazepam in the treatment of sleep disturbances in depression. For the treatment of nightmares, prazosine and hydroxyzine showed effect in certain trials. However, this type of treatment combined with other, non-pharmacological approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy shows to be much more effective.
Conclusion: Effective treatment often combines pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, with a wide range of medications, including antipsychotics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, and non-psychopharmacologic drugs, tailored to the specific disorder and sleep issue.