The Relationship Between Sleep and Depression

Could poor sleep contribute to your mood disorder?

When talking about sleep and depression it’s often a chicken or the egg phenomenon: which came first and what’s contributing to which problem? While it’s true that many people with depression also have sleep problems, your sleep problems could actually be making your depression worse. If you’d like to discuss your sleep issues and how they are impacting your depression, our Bradenton and Sarasota, FL, sleep medicine specialist Dr. Jeremy McConnell and the team at Sleep Manatee can help.

The Relationship Between Sleep and Depression

One of the most common symptoms our Bradenton and Sarasota, FL, sleep medicine specialist sees in people with depression are sleep disturbances. Insomnia tends to be a common one, especially for people diagnosed with major depression. If you are dealing with chronic insomnia this can also contribute to depression and anxiety. It’s important for everyone, particularly individuals living with depression, to get a good 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night.

When to Seek Care

If you are experiencing issues with sleep it’s important not to let this problem continue night after night. While it’s true that we will all experience a poor night of sleep occasionally, when sleep quality is consistently bad, depression, anxiety and irritability are increased. This can also lead to a decrease in work performance and an increase in other health problems and accidents. It’s important that you seek an evaluation from our sleep team here at Sleep Manatee if you’re finding it impossible to catch those high-quality ZZZs.

Practice Good Sleep Hygiene

If you aren’t dealing with a diagnosable sleep disorder, trying to create an effective sleep routine can actually be rather simple (and even if you do have a sleep disorder, these practices are still great!). Here are some helpful tips to follow every night. Try this consistent for two weeks to see if your sleep has improved,

  • Make sure you are going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning (yes, even on weekends)
  • Optimize your room for sleep by shutting off all lights, powering down electronics and keeping the temperature between 66-68 F
  • Do not eat 2-3 hours before bedtime
  • Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which are major sleep disruptors
  • Practice a winding-down ritual such as taking a relaxing bath (raising your body temperature before going to bed could also aid in better sleep)
  • Avoid exercise at night, as it could make it harder to wind down and fall asleep
  • Use earplugs and eye masks to block out any light
  • Try a guided meditation app to help ease you into sleep

Don’t let another night of poor sleep impact your mental health and wellbeing. Our Bradenton and Sarasota, FL, sleep specialist Dr. McConnell can determine what’s causing your sleep problems and help you better manage it to improve mood disorders. To schedule an evaluation, simply call Sleep Manatee today in Bradenton, FL, at (941) 792-8383 and in Sarasota, FL, at (941) 827-0701.