The Link Between Depression And Insomnia
21 Aug 2010
Finding effective sleep remedies often means finding an underlying cause to a person’s insomnia. And if it happens that they are suffering from depression, there’s a very good chance that this will turn out to be either directly responsible for the sleeping problems, or a large part of the cause. If they are not yet on medications for the depression, then finding a good antidepressant might automatically deal with the insomnia as the depression is brought under control. Or if they are already taking a medication, they might need to make an adjustment to dosage, or find a different drug.
It’s possible that fully eighty five percent of people with depression also suffer from insomnia. So it’s very important to find sleep remedies for these people, because while depression can cause insomnia, the sleeplessness can also make the depression worse. In fact, even if the person’s depression is more or less under control, if they begin to exhibit signs of insomnia, the likelihood that they’ll have another major depressive episode in the next year goes up considerably. So insomnia treatment is compulsory, rather than optional.
There are certain antidepressant drugs that seem to double up quite well as medications for insomnia. Those who aren’t depressed but use stress relieving sedatives such as Valium have an easier time falling asleep; just keep in mind that this kind of medication can exacerbate problems such as sleep apnea.
Many people in the field of natural health methods highly recommend St. John’s Wort as the best of the natural sleep remedies, and it is also frequently touted as a remedy for depression. But much of the evidence for its effectiveness is anecdotal, and medical studies are not yet conclusive.
When a cycle of chronic insomnia and depression is underway, each feeding off the other, sometimes the person can help break the cycle by altering routines and using other physical means to try to break through the sleeplessness. Some of these sleep remedies might involve having regular bedtime routines, using the bed only for sleep and sex, relaxing and meditating before bedtime, and other behavioral therapies. If these are helping to reduce the insomnia, it’s often possible that antidepressant medication can do the rest, and stop depression and insomnia from egging each other on.
Chronic insomnia is not something to take lightly. Without the proper amount of sleep the body does not function as it should. You have to get rest so your body can recharge. You might want to try a natural sleep remedy to help you get the rest you need. Visit the Sleep Remedies site to learn how to get a better night’s sleep.
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