Sleep and Wellness: an Evidence-based Discussion

Abstract

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being. Growing evidence suggests that chronic insomnia and short and long sleep duration are associated with an increased mortality and a wide range of psychiatric and medical conditions, including depressive disorder, suicide, alcohol and substance abuse and dependence, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, stroke, autoimmune disease, chronic kidney disease, and cancer. A stepped-care model can be used to deal with the high prevalence of sleep disturbance in the psychiatric population. Sleep disturbance is a treatable condition. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia is a feasible, effective, and durable treatment.