Interconnected struggles: How insomnia, anxiety, and depression impact mental health

Insomnia, anxiety, and depression have emerged as significant public mental health concerns, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Early recognition and intervention, addressing COVID-19's health effects before diverse symptoms appear, will expedite recovery and significantly enhance public mental health. Li et al conducted a cross-sectional online survey to assess neuroticism, cognitive function, insomnia, and emotional disorders in adult participants, examining how these factors correlate with mental health. The study revealed that a substantial number of participants reported experiencing varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and insomnia, most of which were classified as mild. Neuroticism was found closely associated with cognitive failure and poor mental health. Furthermore, moderated mediation analysis indicated that cognitive failure mediated the relationship between insomnia and anxiety and depression, whereas neuroticism moderated the pathway. These findings suggest that improving the subjective cognitive function and emotional stability can significantly improve mental health. However, this study has several limitations, including a limited sample size, cross-sectional design, and a focus on behavioral-level data. Future research should broaden its scope to include multiple hospitals at various levels to enhance the representativeness of the study population, adopt longitudinal designs, and integrate advanced technologies such as neuroimaging to explore the neural mechanisms underlying these conditions.