Akpoveta ED, Okpete UE, Byeon H. Sleep disorders and mental health: Understanding the cognitive connection. World J Psychiatry 2025; 15(6): 105362 [DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v15.i6.105362]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Haewon Byeon, PhD, Associate Professor, 1600, Chungjeol-ro, Worker's Care & Digital Health Lab, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, South Korea. bhwpuma@naver.com
Research Domain of This Article
Psychiatry
Article-Type of This Article
Letter to the Editor
Open-Access Policy of This Article
This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Eguono Deborah Akpoveta, Department of Community Medicine, Federal Medical Centre, Asaba 322022, Delta, Nigeria
Uchenna Esther Okpete, Department of Digital Anti-Aging Healthcare (BK21), Inje University, Gimhae 50834, South Korea
Haewon Byeon, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, South Korea.
Co-first authors: Eguono Deborah Akpoveta and Uchenna Esther Okpete.
Author contributions: Akpoveta ED and Okpete UE contributed equally to this study; Byeon H designed the study; Akpoveta ED and Okpete UE were involved in data interpretation; Akpoveta ED and Okpete UE developed the methodology; Akpoveta ED, Okpete UE, and Byeon H assisted with the writing of the manuscript.
Supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, No. NRF- RS-2023-00237287.
Conflict-of-interest statement: No benefits in any form have been received or will be received from a commercial party related directly or indirectly to the subject of this article.
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Haewon Byeon, PhD, Associate Professor, 1600, Chungjeol-ro, Worker's Care & Digital Health Lab, Department of Future Technology, Korea University of Technology and Education, Cheonan 31253, South Korea. bhwpuma@naver.com
Received: January 20, 2025 Revised: March 15, 2025 Accepted: April 1, 2025 Published online: June 19, 2025 Processing time: 130 Days and 0.9 Hours
Abstract
Sleep disorders, particularly insomnia, have emerged as a critical public health challenge, with the situation worsened by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic. Insomnia symptoms, which affected up to 45% of the population during this period, highlight the urgent need to understand the mechanisms linking sleep disturbances to mental health outcomes. Recent findings suggest that cognitive failures, such as memory lapses and attentional deficits, mediate the relationship between insomnia and emotional disorders such as anxiety and depression. The role of personality traits, particularly neuroticism, adds further complexity, as it may either exacerbate or buffer these effects under specific conditions. This review explores the study by Li et al, which offers valuable insights into the cognitive-emotional pathways influenced by sleep disturbances. The study makes significant contributions by identifying key cognitive mechanisms and proposing the dual role of neuroticism in shaping emotional outcomes. To advance these findings, this letter advocates for future longitudinal research and the integration of targeted interventions, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia, into public health frameworks. By addressing insomnia-induced cognitive dysfunction, these strategies can enhance emotional regulation and foster resilience, particularly in vulnerable populations facing the mental health impacts of the pandemic.
Core Tip: Sleep disorders such as insomnia significantly affect mental health by contributing to anxiety and depression through cognitive failures. Personality traits such as neuroticism, which is traditionally seen as a vulnerability trait, may either exacerbate or mitigate these effects, adding complexity to its role. While Li et al’s study advances the understanding of these pathways, future longitudinal research is needed to confirm causality. Targeted interventions addressing both sleep quality and cognitive function can offer effective strategies for enhancing emotional resilience in vulnerable populations, particularly amid the mental health challenges of the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic.
