The Insomnia And Depression Relationship

Do You Suffer From Insomnia And Depression?

Before getting into the links between insomnia and depression let's take a close look at just what insomnia is. Basically insomnia can be viewed as: a very light sleep where you wake up often and are still tired in the morning.

It can also be described as not being able to get to sleep regardless of how exhausted you are or not getting enough total hours of sleep. As a result of this you can see just why insomnia and depression can be so closely related.

Here are the three main types of insomnia along with a brief description of each:

1. Transient Insomnia. This type of insomnia will tend to last for just a couple days at a time. It's more often than not a result of a change in your life or environment such as a work change, moving to a new home, etc.

2. Short-term Insomnia. Insomnia like this can last for around 3 weeks, but not usually any longer. Insomnia causes for this type are very similar to that of transient insomnia.

3. Chronic insomnia. If you have this type of insomnia you will have more stressful symptoms. There are 2 types of chronic insomnia. They are primary and secondary. If you suffer from these symptoms you may also suffer from insomnia and depression.

   Primary chronic insomnia usually appears if your insomnia symptoms are not a result of a physical or mental health issue. Secondary chronic insomnia may be a direct result of a physical or mental health issue. This includes of course depression, stress, anxiety or psychiatric health issues.

Insomnia and depression is a symptom of health problem and as such should be diagnosed by a doctor. an underlying disease or an imbalance, evaluating the cause of insomnia is very important before prescribing any medication.

Stress and insomnia is something that anyone can experience regardless of age.

Many studies on insomnia have shown than depression and insomnia are very prevalent in older people of both sexes. This age group can suffer from both insomnia and depression at the same time for a year or more at a time.

Other research has shown that even if you don't have any history of depression but you suffer from insomnia, then you can end up having both depression and insomnia at some point. This is especially true if you are an elderly woman.

Insomnia of any type can affect your life in some way or another. It can develop into a more serious health issue if not looked after properly. Stress related insomnia, as well as insomnia and depression is very common.

Depression by itself as you may already know is an emotional disorder that brings with it a feeling of sadness. Most people do experience a certain amount of depression in their lives at some point but if it lasts for a lengthy time then it becomes a more serious situation.

It's also interesting to note that with depression and insomnia some of the prescription medications used to treat depression have been found to cause insomnia. It's just another reason to look for a more natural alternative.

Some of the prescription medications that have been found to be insomnia causes include Prozac, Paxil and Zoloft.

Here are some tips to help control insomnia and depression:

• Limit the amount of caffeine drinks and food that you consume along with reducing the amount of alcohol and nicotine you use as well. All 3 of these things will cause insomnia.
• Try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time each morning. Doing this helps your internal clock (also known as the circadian rhythm) which will reduce the effects of fatigue.
• Try to exercise on a consistent basis. However, don't exercise too late at night as this may cause you to have a hard time getting to sleep. This happens due to the fact that any type of exercise will get your body energized even if your mind is tired.
• Don't go to be too early. Go when you are ready to go to sleep.
• Don't read in bed or watch television. Your mind needs to become accustomed to sleeping in bed.
• Proper nutrition can help with insomnia and depression. Eat proper meals at proper times. Don't eat late at night.

The information here may be helpful for you to manage and control stress related insomnia, but you always need to make sure you check with your doctor regardless of the severity of your insomnia symptoms.

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