Sleep affects both mental and physical health. Sleep deprivation leads to impaired functioning and is associated with several mental disorders, particularly depression and anxiety disorders. The result is a high burden of illness, work loss and negative consequences for quality of life. But even before a person becomes ill, too little sleep affects their emotions, and impairs memory, concentration, speech, responsiveness, decisiveness, and the immune system. Questions in this research area focus on both causes and consequences of disturbed sleep, as well as ways to prevent and remedy sleep disorders. There is also a direct link to questions on the higher mental functions of humans. Scanning techniques have greatly improved in recent years and animal models of cognition are also developing. Within a decade, an important translational bridge is expected to be built between the basic and applied fields of expertise in this area.
Connecting character
Sleep disorders have negative consequences for both physical and mental health, and thus for the economy and society. A growing number of hospitals now have dedicated departments for sleep-related problems. New insights from basic research can lead to better ways to help people with sleep problems. There is a clear connection to questions focused on cognitive and mental disorders, looking at both the relationships between poor sleep and mental instability, as well as the link to factors such as age, heredity, education level, sugar levels and depression. Research on higher mental abilities includes the field of cognitive psychology. A variety of methods are employed to investigate the neural basis of mental functions: From imaging and psychophysiological techniques to behavioural genetics, simulations, pharmacology, neurofeedback and behavioural research. The interdisciplinarity of this research is illustrated by the collaboration between psychologists, neuroscientists, computer scientists, mathematicians, linguists and philosophers.
