[Sleep disorders and mental health]

Sleep disorders occur in almost one out of three people and are therefore among the most common disorders that physicians encounter in their practice. They often also present in the context of mental disorders. While it was previously assumed that they were merely a symptom of mental illness, current literature emphasizes the bidirectional connection between sleep and mental disorders. Even in the most common sleep disorders, namely sleep-related breathing disorders, insomnia, and restless legs syndrome / periodic limb movement disorder, reciprocal and sometimes complex interactions between sleep and the mental health are found. A diagnostic classification is often successful based on a targeted and sleep-specific medical history and can then be efficiently narrowed down using a step-by-step diagnostic approach. Due to the bidirectional connection between sleep and mental disorders, it is crucial to also inquire about mental symptoms in sleep disorders and to consider sleep in mental disorders. If a sleep disorder occurs together with a mental disorder, it is essential to treat both disorders specifically. While nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure therapy is the primary treatment for sleep-related breathing disorders, insomnia is ideally treated with cognitive behavioural therapy. Interestingly, this treatment also shows effects on the associated mental disorder. Restless legs syndrome and periodic limb movement disorder, on the other hand, are usually treated pharmacologically, with particular attention to the association with psychotropic medications.