What Impact Does Lack of Sleep Have on Mental Health?

Dear Colleagues,

Sleep is a fundamental biological process that significantly impacts mental health, cognitive function, emotional regulation, and overall well-being. Despite its importance, sleep deprivation remains a pervasive issue in contemporary society, affecting individuals of all age groups and demographics. This Special Issue of Brain Sciences, titled "What Impact Does Lack of Sleep Have on Mental Health?" aims to collate cutting-edge research addressing the various dimensions of how insufficient sleep influences mental health and neuropsychiatric functioning. Topics of interest include neurobiological mechanisms linking sleep deprivation and psychiatric disorders, such as major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia. It will also explore the bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbances and a wider range of mental health conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders. Additionally, the impact of sleep deprivation on neurodevelopmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), will be investigated. The role of sleep in neuropsychiatric disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and epilepsy, will also be examined, with a focus on how sleep disturbances may exacerbate symptoms or influence disease progression. The broader cognitive and emotional consequences of chronic sleep loss, including effects on executive function, memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and social cognition, will also be examined. Furthermore, this Special Issue will investigate the relationship between sleep deprivation and suicidal ideation, as well as its potential role in increasing the risk of self-harm behaviors. The impact of circadian rhythm disruptions on mental health, particularly in the context of shift work and jet lag, will be considered, and sleep disturbances in special populations, such as children, adolescents, older adults, and individuals with chronic pain or medical conditions, will be explored. The potential role of sleep deprivation in the development and maintenance of psychotic symptoms across various psychiatric and neurological disorders will be highlighted, along with innovative assessment methods for evaluating sleep quality and its impact on mental health, including the use of wearable technology and artificial intelligence. Finally, this Special Issue will discuss effective interventions and therapeutic strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of sleep deprivation on mental health, including pharmacological approaches, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), and chronotherapy. It will also explore the potential of sleep optimization as a transdiagnostic intervention for improving outcomes across multiple psychiatric and neuropsychiatric disorders. The public health implications of chronic sleep deprivation and strategies for promoting healthy sleep habits at the population level will also be considered.

In addition to the clinical and neurobiological aspects of sleep deprivation, this Special Issue will delve deeply into the critical impact of human factors, particularly shift work, on sleep quality, productivity, and overall health. The irregular schedules and circadian misalignment associated with shift work can profoundly disrupt natural sleep–wake cycles, often leading to chronic sleep deprivation and its myriad associated health risks (including poor mental health).

Considering the interests of various subspecialties, this Special Issue would constitute publications from multidisciplinary groups. Articles addressing different age ranges, as well as systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and narrative or evidence-based reviews, should be taken into consideration. The authors are advised to include the most recent advancements in the field in their specialties. Numerous subspecialties can be covered, such as neuroendocrinology and neuropharmacology, circadian biology, sleep homeostasis, aspects of dreams, dreaming, and dream deprivation, among others. The readers would also be very interested in the application of contemporary technology (such as AI and ML), therapeutic modalities, chronotherapy (light and dark therapy and melatonin), and conventional therapies.

Dr. Haitham Jahrami
Dr. Seithikurippu R. Pandi-Perumal
Dr. Khaled Trabelsi
Guest Editors

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