Know the link between sleep and depression

Depression is a mood disorder affecting a person’s general interest and results in reduced energy in activities. People with depression usually display symptoms like anxiety, disturbed sleeping pattern, lack of appetite, loss of confidence, and concentration problem.

Depression is closely related to sleep and most people affected by this mental disorder have some form of sleep problems, like insomnia and hypersomnia. While it’s no secret that maintaining a constant time of going to bed and waking up is good for overall sleep quality, recent studies have revealed that people with irregular sleep schedule are at higher risk of developing depression symptoms.

Various research has revealed that depression is connected to sleep, but It’s not a one-way link. The symptoms of sleep disorder may lead to depression, likewise depression symptoms may also affect your sleep quality.

Connection between irregular sleep schedule and depression

Michigan researchers studied a group of young doctors, who were undergoing residency training, for one year. The participants of the study had long, hard days and their schedule did not allow regular sleeping hours. For data collection purpose, each participant wore a sleep tracking device and reported their mood every day. Screening for depression was done once in every few months.

The study analyzed the connection between sleep consistency and mood data of a group that belonged to same social group and went through similar amount of stress. In the course of the study, it was found that when the sleep schedule of participants was varied, they reported depression (as expected) during quarterly questionnaire sessions.

However, even participants who got adequate sleep (but the time of going to sleep and waking up varied) did not fare better in mood than those who got to sleep less than them. The research concluded that sleep consistency is directly connected with depression and overall wellness of a person.

Findings from the Michigan study reiterate the importance of maintaining the natural circadian rhythm. For when the sleep schedule is not consistent, the circadian rhythm may get confused. And a confused circadian rhythm is likely to put us in bad mood. No wonder, mental health experts have been stressing on the close connection between sleep and depression. People with sleep disorder are likely to develop depression symptoms, and it’s well documented that sleep disturbance (insomnia & hypersomnia) is a common symptom of depression.

The takeaway

Sleep is vital for overall health and wellbeing as it repairs the body and gives you energy to face the next day. It’s essential to get quality sleep and for better mental health it’s necessary to maintain sleep consistency. Besides preventing risks of depression, maintaining regular sleeping pattern will prevent weight gain and associated health condition.