What your weird sleep habits are doing to your mental health

By Angeli Kakade, Buzz60

Jet lag got you feeling down? You're not alone.

An hour here and there can add up and lack of sleep is linked to depression, leaving you more susceptible to viral infections.

See more on healthy sleep:

In an op-ed for the New York Times, Richard Friedman, a New York based psychiatrist, wrote about the importance of the circadian rhythm, our body's natural 24 hour cycle of day and night that, according to Friedman, has taken years of evolution to create.

It's not just jet lag either. Insomnia and even those prone to mental illness should play closer attention to their sleep cycles.

Sleeping pills are a quick fix and don't solve the problem.

Instead the author suggests taking the natural aide melatonin or turning to chronotherapy, which is being exposed to bright light earlier in the day with the hopes of feeling sleepy earlier in the night.

Dr. Friedman pointed to a 2009 study of depressed patients which found those who underwent chronotherapy felt better quicker than those with antidepressant medication alone.

So why isn't chronotherapy used more widely? The author points to a lack of financial incentive for investing in this treatment because you can't exactly patent the sun.

The next time you book a vacation overseas allow yourself an extra day upon arrival to get back to your natural 24 hour cycle.

You want to return from your tip refreshed, not depressed.