The Insomnia/Depression Link
It is an obvious fact that depression can cause people to lay awake at night. If a person is worried or experiencing stress, going to sleep is naturally harder. The most troubling fact can be found in the evidence presented by new studies showing that insomnia can actually cause depression.
As Michael Perlis, PhD stated on www.livingstrong.com, insomnia may be an early warning sign indicative of an oncoming depressive episode or underlying depressive disorder.
One study conducted at the Zurich University Psychiatric Hospital tracked 591 people over a period of 20 years to determine a link between insomnia and depression. As the time period of the study advanced, Dr. Jules Angst found that periods of insomnia increased as the subjects aged. With this study, Dr. Angst was able to predict the occurrence of depression over time based on periods of insomnia. If the period of insomnia lasted for two weeks or longer, it was certain that the subject would have a depressive episode or depressive disorder by the time the next interview took place.
Michael Perlis, PhD explains the reason that insomnia causes depression as a mixture of a chemical imbalance in the body and a persons behavior. The director of the University of Rochester Behavioral Sleep Medicine Department states that because a person that is prone to depression falls into REM sleep faster than normal, the mood-regulating aspect of that stage of sleep causes the patient to remember painful feelings and events.
What this means is that a normal person cycles through the different stages of sleep several times during the night. A person with insomnia experiences an interruption in this pattern, often leading to depression.
The site www.psychcentral.com has several suggestions for alleviating episodes of insomnia. By eliminating naps, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and keeping your sleeping area cool and dark you can combat occasional insomnia. It is also suggested that the bedroom be used only for intimacy and sleep, and if a person fails to fall asleep, he or she should engage in another activity outside of the bedroom until they become tired.
The most important suggestion, in my opinion, is to develop a bedtime ritual. I feel that in this way, it is possible to "train" yourself to go to sleep by following a strictly adhered to pattern.
www.livingstrong.com
www.psychcentral.com
www.sciencedaily.com
Published by Dallas Bolen
I am happily married, and living in WV with my husband and two dogs. My career has spanned many areas of healthcare. I have many interests, the most important being ongoing educational endeavors. View profile
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