Edwin Frimpong-Boakye Yiadom, a psychiatric at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital has advised that sleep be taken seriously, as it is one of the major ways to improve one’s mental health.

According to him, everyone needs a good amount of sleep to keep the body active and healthy. Lack of it impairs the ability of the brain and body to function properly.

Yiadom provided the counsel while speaking to Asieduwaa Akumia on Prime Morning Wednesday.

“The first thing I will prescribe is sleep. The truth is that everybody requires enough sleep. Some people give a time frame, but it’s actually different per person. Some people will be fine with just three hours, and others may need 10 hours of sleep. You just have to know yourself. You will know how many hours of sleep your body needs,” he said.

He also said that sleep and mental health are intertwined. Living with a mental health issue can influence your sleep, and bad sleep can affect your mental health.

Research proves that sleep deprivation can also cause physical illness. It has been connected to heart disease, diabetes, rapid aging, and in the worst cases, road accident deaths.

Doctor Yiadom said people must prioritise sleep, as he believes it is one of the key remedies that can help preserve, enrich, and improve mental health.

The psychiatrist further explained that eating right can also play an important role in preserving and improving mental health. What is consumed by the body can determine how it reacts. It can either limit or restrict a body’s movement or boost the immune system. Hence, eating healthy is important.

Mr. Yiadom also said that people with mental health conditions fail to visit psychiatric centres for the fear of being stigmatised by society. According to him, this only leaves the mental health problems lingering and can introduce more problems if proper care and attention are not provided.

That notwithstanding, the mental health expert has advised people to prioritise their mental health regardless of how and what others perceive of them. He believes that seeking the necessary help when needed will go a long way to preserve lives.

“The thing we are pushing the most now is encouraging people to seek help. This is because there are many people who have developed a number of things but, out of fear of being tagged as mad when they visit the psychiatric hospital, (they) shy away from seeking help. So just seek help, eat right, and sleep more,” he explained.

The psychiatrist acknowledged the fact that stress also generates and fuels mental health issues. Stress is inevitable in every human being's life.

He admonished people to pay close attention to themselves, pinpoint the triggers, and find ways of dealing with stress for longevity.