Does depression impact the quality of sleep or is it the other way around? Getting a good night’s sleep allows us to have a well-rested mind and body. Along with proper diet and exercise, sleep is critically important for the overall health and well-being of every individual.
As you continue reading this post, we hope to give you a better understanding about the link between sleep and depression.
What is depression?
Depression can be defined as a mood disorder mostly characterized by sadness, sudden disinterest, changes in appetite and disrupted sleep. While it’s normal to feel down from time to time, feeling it for extended periods of time. It can affect all types of people from all over the world.
How is sleep related to depression?
Sleep and mental health, according to various researches, are actually closely connected. For one, sleep deprivation can gravely affect your psychological state and mental condition. Oftentimes, people suffering from mental health disorders such as depression and anxiety are even more likely to suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia. Sleep-related conditions are also considered as symptoms or indicators of different kinds of mental health disorders.
To say the least, sleep is deeply related to various mental health conditions – not just depression. Chronic sleep problems affect almost 50% to 80% of patients in a normal psychiatric practice. Sleep problems are even common to patients who suffer from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Normally, professionals and psychologists often group sleep-related problems as symptoms of psychiatric disorders. However, a recent study suggest that sleep problems increases the risk and contribute to the development of some mental health disorders. And while the direct link between sleep disorders and psychiatric disorders are not yet officially established, neuroimaging and neurochemistry studies show that ample amount of sleep can help foster mental and emotional resilience, while chronic sleep deprivation can cause negative effects such as emotional vulnerability and mental health deterioration.
