In a study of 8,155 men and women in the Scottish Health survey, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers found non-smokers exposed to a lot of secondhand smoke were 50 percent more likely to suffer from psychological distress than those not exposed to other people’s smoke. Their risk of being admitted to a psychiatric hospital over the next six years nearly tripled. Previous studies had suggested a link between smoking and mood disorders, and nicotine exposure in animals is known to trigger depressive symptoms, stress, anxiety and a dampening of feelings of reward and satisfaction. (Reuters, 6/08/10)
Lack of Sleep Linked to Long-Term Mental Illness: Sleeping fewer hours than recommended puts young adults at increased risk that any mental health conditions they already have will become more severe, a new study finds. In addition, it can trigger mental health problems for the first time in extreme cases. Researchers in Australia found that for each hour of lost sleep, levels of psychological distress rose by 5 percent in nearly 3,000 17-to-24-year-olds who were followed for 12 to 18 months. Overall, short sleepers were 14 percent more likely to report symptoms of psychological distress on a standard test, compared with people who got adequate sleep. The effect was especially pronounced among young people who already suffered from anxiety; in this group, lack of sleep triggered more serious mental health problems like full-blown depression and even bipolar disorder. (Science Daily, 9/02/10)
