One of the symptoms of depression is insomnia.
It is a well know fact that depression and insomnia are connected.
Now some research studies are showing that instead of insomnia being a symptom - the effect of insomnia may be a trigger for depression as well.
The question is - can treating one prevent the other? About 80% of people diagnosed with depression experience insomnia.
Depression is a result of chemical imbalances, behavioral imbalances or a combination of the two.
A disruption that triggers one of these balances can lead to depression if someone is already prone to this illness.
Since sleep is critical to refreshing the body and keeping it in balance, it's not hard to see how insomnia can trigger depressions.
Dr.
Michael Perlis of the University of Rochester has done studies showing that insomnia may actually start about 5 weeks before a depressive episode.
When you can't sleep, your body's chemical and behavioral patterns are disrupted.
If you are already prone to depressions, the theory is that this disruption can actually trigger a depressive episode.
From there the effect of insomnia can turn into a vicious cycle.
When you can't sleep you start to change your behavior to try to get some sleep.
After not sleeping well, you may go to bed earlier the next night.
You may decide to take a nap during the day to catch up.
Others may turn to alcohol to wind down at night with the hopes of getting to sleep easier.
Unfortunately these changes lead to a further imbalance in behavior, and, as previously noted, a change in behavior can trigger depression.
Another effect of insomnia is emotional.
Lack of sleep may make you irritable.
You may also lose interest in things that you previously enjoyed because you are just too tired.
Lack of sleep also reduces your ability to deal with stress.
This may lead you to feel out of control or helpless.
All of these are also symptoms and triggers for depression.
So, in effect, the insomnia gradually turns into depression.
There is now a theory that if you can treat the insomnia early, you may be able to completely prevent a depressive episode.
In order to do this, you need to make sure you have good sleeping habits.
This includes an established routine of going to bed and waking at the same time every day - including weekends.
In turn, your body should be able to better regulate itself since it will have a routine schedule.
And stable body chemistry and behavior patterns are key to dealing with depression.
It's not a far leap of faith to believe you can help depression by minimizing the effect of insomnia and you may be able to avoid depression all together if you treat the insomnia before it becomes a serious problem.
So how do you minimize the effect of insomnia so it does not trigger a depressive episode? Instead of turning to medication, there are natural ways you can deal with insomnia.
The trick is learning techniques you can use to fall asleep.
These may include relaxation techniques to help you unwind as well as tricks you can use to quiet a restless mind.
For both insomnia and depression, consistency is important for keeping your body and mind in balance.
If you can minimize the effect of insomnia, you will see improvements in physical health in addition to mental health.
Sleep is critical for re-energizing and recovering from daily activities.
We know the physical benefits of sleep.
But do not underestimate the effect of insomnia on your mental state as well.
Address your insomnia before it has a chance to get out of hand.