Lack of sleep could cause depression and ADHD, expert says

Sleep deprivation could be a cause of major psychiatric disorders, a scientist will tell a conference in Australia on Saturday.

Professor Robert Stickgold, a Harvard psychiatry expert from the US, believes that sleep deprivation is not only linked to, but is a possible cause of psychiatric disorders such as depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reports the Australian Associated Press.

The researcher's comments come ahead of his speech at the Australasian Sleep Conference in Adelaide, Australia, on Saturday.

Children with "massively disrupted" sleep patterns are five-times more likely to have ADHD, Professor Stickgold said.

And he believes the rising number of cases of depression and ADHD in Australia is a "direct reflection" of not having enough sleep, the article noted.

"This is staggering if it's proven to be concrete and it suggests that taking a closer look at the sleeping habits of mentally-ill people could be key to treating their condition," he told the news provider.

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