Why does lack of sleep cause depression

Keep in mind: Antidepressants can take weeks to be effective and some may cause side effects including symptoms of insomnia while beginning or withdrawing from medication. Ask your healthcare provider about the best option for you. You may also need to take an additional medication for sleep. Hypnotics, also known as sleeping pills, can also be prescribed short-term to help you fall and stay asleep.

These may include:. Because some prescription sleeping pills can be habit-forming, make sure to talk to your healthcare provider about possible side effects and which options would make the most sense for your short- and long-term sleep health needs. This is where meeting with a mental health professional may be important. Along with help and guidance from a healthcare provider, many coping mechanisms can help improve both your mood and sleep health.

While it may take some time to sort out what works best for you, here are a few to consider adding to your life. First, sleep hygiene—or basic steps you can take to support your sleep health—are a must.

Getting active can help you fall asleep faster, get more restorative deep sleep, and wake up less throughout the night. If possible, include regular exercise outdoors such as a morning walk since natural light helps maintain your circadian rhythms or your internal body clock.

Life with depression and insomnia can be so stressful, but relaxing is a skill you can practice to help ease yourself into bedtime. Progressive muscle relaxation , deep breathing exercises , meditation , and guided imagery are all worth trying out as you figure out your ideal wind-down routine. Poor sleep and depression often strike at once, but you don't have to be condemned to either. With the guidance of a healthcare provider, you can learn how to rescue your mood and start getting the quality sleep you need to thrive again.

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Friedrich MJ. Depression is the leading cause of disability around the world. CNS Spectr. Does improving sleep lead to better mental health?. Written by Rob Newsom. Medically Reviewed by Alex Dimitriu. What Causes Depression? What Are the Symptoms of Depression? How Is Depression Diagnosed? What Are the Types of Depressive Disorders? How Are Depression and Sleep Related?

How Is Depression Treated? What Is Depression? Related Reading. Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us. Was this article helpful? Yes No. Alex Dimitriu Psychiatrist MD. National Institute of Mental Health. Depression Basics. Friedrich, M. JAMA, 15 , Coryell, W. Merck Manual Consumer Version: Depression. Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th ed. Schramm, E. Review of dysthymia and persistent depressive disorder: history, correlates, and clinical implications. The Lancet Psychiatry, 7 9 , — Jindal, R. Treatment of insomnia associated with clinical depression. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 8 1 , 19— Franzen, P. Sleep disturbances and depression: risk relationships for subsequent depression and therapeutic implications.

Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 10 4 , — Sheila, a Boston district attorney and mother, became sleep deprived due to the conflicting demands of a full-time job and caring for her young children.

She began to feel cranky, irritable, and uncharacteristically depressed. When she got both of her children on a consistent sleep schedule, she herself started sleeping an average of seven to eight hours a night and her mood improved considerably.

Read more and watch a video about this in Sheila's Balancing Act. What Can You Do? Share Email Digg Facebook Delicious. People who have problems with sleep are at increased risk for developing emotional disorders, depression, and anxiety. Epstein The Takeaway Sleep and mood are closely connected; poor or inadequate sleep can cause irritability and stress, while healthy sleep can enhance well-being.

Chronic insomnia may increase the risk of developing a mood disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Although the connection between sleep and mental health is not yet known, studies suggest that sleep is important for fostering emotional and mental resilience. When sleep-deprived, people are more likely to experience more emotional vulnerability and negative thinking.

Sleep is important for restoring both the body and the brain and when someone experiences either disrupted sleep or not the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night, it can have harmful effects on mental health.

For example, those who suffer from insomnia are 10 times more likely to suffer from depression and 17 times more likely to suffer from anxiety. The less sleep one gets, the more likely they will suffer from a mental health disorder. One of the conditions that can cause you to have disrupted sleep is sleep apnea and it often goes undiagnosed. There are many instances where patients seek help for their mental illnesses but not the underlying cause of them.

Without sleep apnea treatment, depression and anxiety disorders might not improve as much as they should. Sleep apnea occurs while you sleep; often brought to your attention by someone close to you. Most likely you have been told you snore like a freight train or you stop breathing for a few seconds; maybe you do both.