Is sleep disorder a mental illness?

Sleep problems are not mental diseases in and of themselves. In reality, they are physical diseases that change the type, time, and length of sleep. However, sleep disorders and mental health problems often go hand in hand, and sleep disorders may make symptoms worse or even cause mental health problems. As an example, sleeplessness, a common sleep problem, can make people more stressed, irritable, and unable to focus, which can make anxiety or depression symptoms worse. Sleep apnea can also affect your mood and ability to think clearly if you don't fix it. Mental illnesses and sleep problems can be linked, but they are still separate conditions that need different ways to be diagnosed and treated. Mental health problems and sleep problems are both important for general health, but they are usually taken care of by different doctors: sleep specialists for sleep issues and mental health workers for mental diseases.