SLEEP AND MENTAL HEALTH IN MEDICINE
Sleep and mental health. More and more we hear these words and the importance of taking action to protect those individual things for ourselves. College students and those on the medical career track typically start prioritizing other things such as school, friends, and work while subconsciously demphasizing the importance of sleep and time to breathe. So more than simply hearing about issues revolving around sleep deprivation and mental illnesses, we need to take action to give ourselves the permission to get a full night's rest as well as time devoted to our mental well-being.
One may ask: Why?
Well for anybody, it is shown that inadequate sleep has, “a negative impact on the cognitive capacity of the brain. It can hinder spatial learning… memory, attention span, and reaction time” [Sleep Disorders Sourcebook]. In particular to the student, one might see how this severely impacts a student's success and more importantly their ability to simply thrive in an environment. With all of the pressures facing undergraduate students daily, sleep becomes something sacrificeable. Specifically for those undergraduate students on the pre-medical track, one faces the pressure of choosing a very specific four-year plan, taking intense courses, adding more and more units/credits to one's schedule, and more. While college presents many difficulties in a variety of forms to all students, pre-medical students commonly face more stress and anxiety.
Mental illness is defined as a mental health disorder that negatively impacts one’s functionality in school, work, and beyond, and it affects one’s mood, actions, and thoughts [Goldman, Howard., Grob, Gerald N.]. There are many people globally and within the education system that struggle with all forms and severities of mental illness. We as a society have been striving to provide more resources and advocacy to students who require help, and yet it still doesn’t seem like enough, there are always ways to improve. The responsibility falls on both the administration and persons in charge of these aspects on any given campus, as well as the student. It's incredibly hard to reach out for help and is a tremendous risk to be present for support and a huge ask to be vulnerable and honest about deep struggles. While remaining so difficult, it should be encouraged and normalized to receive support.
When looking at different students along the medical career track, students all across the board are facing mental illness. Due to many different environmental factors, pressures, stress, required hours of work, and the unending items on one’s to-do list, students, residents, and fellows on the medical career pathway are more prone to experiencing mental illnesses. We as a society need to find ways to support these students, as well as anyone else. Once on the medical school track, it can be difficult to find other ways to navigate the system. This is why it is important for one to enter into medical school, or any schooling for a career in medicine for that matter, to be equipped with the necessary skills and coping mechanisms to navigate anxiety, depression, stress, and more. It is imperative that we normalize taking time for one’s mental health as well as providing the people along this track with support from professionals or close relationships. Learning skills to successfully navigate years of schooling could significantly help one’s battle with mental illness.
One may ask: Why?
Well for anybody, it is shown that inadequate sleep has, “a negative impact on the cognitive capacity of the brain. It can hinder spatial learning… memory, attention span, and reaction time” [Sleep Disorders Sourcebook]. In particular to the student, one might see how this severely impacts a student's success and more importantly their ability to simply thrive in an environment. With all of the pressures facing undergraduate students daily, sleep becomes something sacrificeable. Specifically for those undergraduate students on the pre-medical track, one faces the pressure of choosing a very specific four-year plan, taking intense courses, adding more and more units/credits to one's schedule, and more. While college presents many difficulties in a variety of forms to all students, pre-medical students commonly face more stress and anxiety.
Mental illness is defined as a mental health disorder that negatively impacts one’s functionality in school, work, and beyond, and it affects one’s mood, actions, and thoughts [Goldman, Howard., Grob, Gerald N.]. There are many people globally and within the education system that struggle with all forms and severities of mental illness. We as a society have been striving to provide more resources and advocacy to students who require help, and yet it still doesn’t seem like enough, there are always ways to improve. The responsibility falls on both the administration and persons in charge of these aspects on any given campus, as well as the student. It's incredibly hard to reach out for help and is a tremendous risk to be present for support and a huge ask to be vulnerable and honest about deep struggles. While remaining so difficult, it should be encouraged and normalized to receive support.
When looking at different students along the medical career track, students all across the board are facing mental illness. Due to many different environmental factors, pressures, stress, required hours of work, and the unending items on one’s to-do list, students, residents, and fellows on the medical career pathway are more prone to experiencing mental illnesses. We as a society need to find ways to support these students, as well as anyone else. Once on the medical school track, it can be difficult to find other ways to navigate the system. This is why it is important for one to enter into medical school, or any schooling for a career in medicine for that matter, to be equipped with the necessary skills and coping mechanisms to navigate anxiety, depression, stress, and more. It is imperative that we normalize taking time for one’s mental health as well as providing the people along this track with support from professionals or close relationships. Learning skills to successfully navigate years of schooling could significantly help one’s battle with mental illness.
Commonly, people struggle both with sleep deprivation and mental health issues. Enough sleep and support can truly make a difference in one’s life. Educating those on the medical career path about sleep deprivation and mental illnesses, in order to bring awareness to the risks they could be putting their bodies under, is important as it has been shown to improve how these students operate after learning about how their current habits can truly hurt their bodies.
Beneficial mentorship is another way in which people are able to learn and grow as they are guided by somebody knowledgeable who has gone through the long and significant process of medical education. Learning from someone wiser, who can personally and purposefully educate you and grow in relationship with you, would naturally allow one to learn from others’ mistakes, learn where to say no and yes to new opportunities, and how to navigate the stress and balance of work and life.
Sleep disorders/deprivation as well as mental health issues are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and more so for those pursuing a career in medicine. Bringing awareness to any student’s struggle and making changes to help students thrive instead of just surviving is necessary.
As for any student, we need to be aware of the vast majority of students struggling to grasp the understanding that we are not alone. Students should reach out to resources to provide them with the best form of support throughout their education, no matter how long. For those striving after a medical career, it is important to recognize the struggles and prepare and set boundaries to better protect your well-being.
I encourage you to take the time to take care of your mental health and give yourself enough sleep to fully rejuvenate for each day. You deserve to thrive!
Beneficial mentorship is another way in which people are able to learn and grow as they are guided by somebody knowledgeable who has gone through the long and significant process of medical education. Learning from someone wiser, who can personally and purposefully educate you and grow in relationship with you, would naturally allow one to learn from others’ mistakes, learn where to say no and yes to new opportunities, and how to navigate the stress and balance of work and life.
Sleep disorders/deprivation as well as mental health issues are incredibly prevalent in the world today, and more so for those pursuing a career in medicine. Bringing awareness to any student’s struggle and making changes to help students thrive instead of just surviving is necessary.
As for any student, we need to be aware of the vast majority of students struggling to grasp the understanding that we are not alone. Students should reach out to resources to provide them with the best form of support throughout their education, no matter how long. For those striving after a medical career, it is important to recognize the struggles and prepare and set boundaries to better protect your well-being.
I encourage you to take the time to take care of your mental health and give yourself enough sleep to fully rejuvenate for each day. You deserve to thrive!
WORKS CITED:
Goldman, Howard H., and Grob, Gerald N. “Defining ‘Mental Illness’ in Mental Health Policy.” Health Affairs, vol. 25, no. 3, 2006, pp. 737–749., https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.25.3.737.
Sleep Disorders Sourcebook. 4th ed., Omnigraphics Inc. , 2016.