Depression is more common than you might think, and depression and sleep issues may go hand-in-hand.
Over 16 million people in the United States have some form of depression, and over 75 percent of people with depression have some form of sleep disorder. Sleep disorders may also increase your risk of developing symptoms of depression.
But the relationship between sleep and depression is complex. Let's get into the gritty details and discuss some treatments and lifestyle changes you can make to help improve your symptoms.
Depression and sleep are linked in an interesting way. Depression symptoms can affect your sleep, and symptoms of sleep disorders like sleep apnea or insomnia may also lead to depression.
The effect that depression has on sleep is well-documented. One of the most common symptoms of depression is sleep disturbance. Up to 70 percent of people with depression have some sort of sleep disturbance. This can take the form of either:
The link is becoming clearer. For example, a 2005 study found that insomnia increased your likelihood of depression symptoms nearly 10 times. A 2009 review of sleep apnea studies noted a strong correlation between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and depression symptoms.
Perhaps less well understood is the link in the other direction: The effect that sleep has on depression.
Let's go a little deeper into this connection. First, it's well known that insomnia is a common symptom of depression.
But research increasingly shows that the connection between insomnia and depression is a two-way street. A 1997 study found that both insomnia and hypersomnia were connected to a higher rate of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Insomnia itself increases your risk of developing depression symptoms 10 times over.
And a 2006 study of nearly 25,000 people drew a clear link between depression and getting too little sleep (less than 6 hours), as well as too much sleep (more than 8 hours).
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is also linked to depression.
A 2003 study of nearly 19,000 participants found that depression increased the risk of developing a sleep disorder with breathing symptoms by five times. A 2009 review noted that in samples of people being treated at sleep clinics for OSA, anywhere from 21 percent to 41 percent also showed depression symptoms. And a 2017 sleep study of 182 people found that, out of 47 participants who had depression, 44 had mild to severe OSA.
The risk of developing depression from OSA may also increase as you get older. A 2005 study suggests that at least 26 percent of people over 65 with OSAhave notable symptoms of depression.
If you have depression and are experiencing sleep-related symptoms, it's best to seek treatment for your depression. If you have a sleep disorder and are noticing signs of depression, it's more helpful to treat the sleep disorder to reduce the resulting depression.
Some effective treatments for depression include:
Some treatments for OSA include:
Sleep deprivation therapy consists of staying awake for long periods of time. For example, you might stay awake for an entire night until the next day, or wake up at 1 a.m. and stay awake for the entire next day. A 2015 study found that this treatment can give you temporary relief from depression symptoms.
Here are some steps you can take to help improve your sleep and relieve symptoms of depression:
Seek medical attention right away or mental health services if you experience one or more of the following symptoms:
Depression and sleep are connected to each other in various ways. While depression may make you want to sleep more often and longer, it can also keep you awake at night with insomnia. And conditions like insomnia and sleep apnea increase your risk of developing symptoms of depression.
The links here aren't all conclusive, and more research is currently being done to better understand how these conditions are related.
Reach out to a mental health professional if you're:
You can also call one of the following hotlines: