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Sleep Disorders and Depression

Have you ever been so exhausted that your daily responsibilities seem too overwhelming to tackle? Have you ever experienced a sleepless night and felt extremely hopeless the next day? If so, you're not alone.

Science has established a strong link between sleep disorders and depression. Read on to learn how depression might be causing your sleep disorder.

What is Depression?

Depression is a mood disorder that is characterized by extreme sadness, melancholy or despair. While everyone has probably felt a bit blue at some time in his or her life, depression is different. The feeling of sadness is more intense, lasts longer and can prevent someone from leading a normal, satisfying life.

Here are some of the common symptoms of depression:

an increase or decrease in the need for sleep
feeling hopeless or a lack of personal worth
feeling lethargic or lacking energy
feeling very sad
having feelings of anxiety
having problems making decisions or thinking straight
having suicidal thoughts
not taking interest in things that once gave you pleasure
significant changes in appetite.

Depression has many causes, including chemical imbalances, genetics, stress, alcohol or drug abuse, poor diet and certain medications. If you are feeling depressed and are experiencing changes in your sleeping patterns, you should schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Sleep Disorders and Depression

Here are a few sleep disorders that have been linked to depression:

Hypersomnia: Many people don't realize that they suffer from hypersomnia, or excessive sleep disorder. People who have this disorder feel tired or exhausted for a majority of the day, often sleep more than 10 hours a night and feel the need to take frequent naps.
Insomnia: Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which a person is unable to fall asleep or sustain sleep for normal periods of time.
Sleep Apnea: Studies have shown that people who are depressed are five times as likely as an average person to have a breathing-related sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea. In this condition, people stop breathing for short periods of time during the night.

While not all sleep disorders are linked to depression, not being able to sleep or sleeping excessively is certainly one of the signs of depression.

Treating Sleep Disorders by Treating Depression

If you are experiencing a sleep disorder that you think may be related to depression,you should address factors relating to your depression. Visit a doctor, who will examine your medical history to look for clues pointing toward a genetically related depression. He may also ask you to describe your moods, appetite, energy and sleeping patterns.

Most likely, your doctor will also suggest a physical examination, in which he will look for other illnesses that might be causing your depression or sleeping problems.

Once your doctor has decided what is causing your depression, he will talk to you about a course of treatment, which may include:

Medication: Medication often works quickly to lessen the symptoms of depression. Some medications for depression include:
- Celexa
- Paxil
- Prozac
- Zoloft.

These medications may help you sleep better and may also improve your mood.

Psychotherapy: Major depressive disorders can sometimes be treated with counseling or by attending therapy sessions with a psychologist, psychiatrist or licensed counselor.

It is often necessary to attend multiple talking sessions, where an experienced counselor will guide you into talking about problems in your life or things that are on your mind. In this way, patients can learn to change negative thinking patterns and can come to a better understanding of how relationships work.

Usually, the right combination of psychotherapy and medication can alleviate your depression and sleeping problems. However, there are other methods that you can also try to treat your depression. These include:

avoiding caffeine, alcohol and nicotine
exercising regularly
learning breathing and relaxation techniques
writing concerns down on paper.

Resources

MedicineNet.com (2007). Depression Questions? Retrieved January 15, 2007, from the MedicineNet Web site: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=47548.

National Sleep Foundation (2007). Sleep and Depression. Retrieved January 15, 2007, from the National Sleep Foundation Web site: www.sleepfoundation.org/hottioucs/index.php?secid=14&id=126.