Depression and Your Nocturnal Lifestyle
Feeling a little down every once in a while is a normal part of the human experience – more so during challenging times. However, constant feelings of anxiety, hopelessness, sadness, and lack of interest in the things you used to enjoy doing – these are symptoms of depression. It is not a condition that you can simply ignore or hope will pass. It is a serious problem that can greatly affect how you eat, act, think, and feel, among others.
The real cause of depression is still unknown, but that does not mean you cannot control it with the right treatment plan.
Your Nocturnal Lifestyle is a Factor
Depression and sleep have a very complex relationship and it is impossible to talk about one without mentioning the other. Some patients complain, for example, that depression has caused sleep problems. For others, sleep problems occurred first and they seemed to have contributed to their depression.
Both depression and sleep problems also share risk factors and features. They respond to the same treatment approach, too.
People who live active nocturnal lifestyles are often those who have sleeping problems, too. Since they find it difficult to sleep at night, they choose to do something instead. It is that concept “since I am up anyway, I might as well be productive.” Unfortunately, this belief is actually making their sleep problems worse.
Insomnia is a sleep problem that is really common among patients with depression. Evidence shows that those with insomnia are also ten times more at risk of developing depression compared to people who sleep well. Depressed individuals may experience a range of symptoms reflective of insomnia, including difficulty in falling asleep or sleep onset insomnia, difficulty in staying asleep or sleep maintenance insomnia, daytime sleepiness, and un-refreshing sleep. Research also suggests that people with both sleep onset and sleep maintenance insomnia have the highest risk of developing depression.
Addressing sleep problems is critical for the recovery from depression. Monitor and discuss with an expert any and all sleep problems that persist even as your mood improves. These sleep problems may be an indication that there is an underlying sleep disorder that needs to be treated, too.
Depression can be exhausting and frustrating. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness is not to be taken lightly. For years, David Sloan from Sloan Natural Health Center has been providing therapeutic programs that have been proven effective for patients suffering from depression and other mental health concerns. Visit us as soon as you can and let us help you!