Nightmares of the mind: depression and its impact on sleep can be profound.

My problem a few years back, I had depression and was sleeping too much. Matter of fact, I feel depressed now and can’t think straight.

Anyway, I would sleep during the day, be up for a few hours and then go back to bed. Somehow, it was safer there.

When I slept, there was no emotional pain. I became obsessed with sleep. I could escape there.

Some people on the other hand, have depression insomnia. They don’t sleep because of the depression. I have insomnia, but it isn’t because of depression.

I can’t imagine not being able to escape the sorrows of the day and night. Of course sleeping doesn’t solve the problems of depression. It only extends it.

Sleep Apnea and Depression

I was once tested for sleep apnea and it came back negative. I had all these electrodes stuck to my head and chest for the test.

Therefore, I kept thinking, how am I supposed to fall asleep? But I did thanks to the Trazodone. It was working back then, not so much now.

I was snoring loudly at night and the doctor didn’t know if that was contributing to my depression. Lately, I’ve been waking up feeling like I haven’t slept.

I don’t know if I should go in for another test if it keeps up. Oh, I forgot, the government won’t let me do that since I have Medicare!

Insomnia, Depression, and Anxiety

Nightmares of the mind: depression and its impact on sleep can be devastating. Anxiety, depression, and insomnia is really not a good mixture to have.

The anxiety makes sure you don’t get any sleep and with the depression you want to escape through sleep.

Insomnia and Depression

People with insomnia are 10 times more likely to develop clinical depression than those who sleep well. 

Depression can also lead to sleep difficulties, such as waking up more often at night.  

Insomnia and Anxiety

Insomnia is the most common sleep disturbance associated with anxiety disorders. 

Generalized anxiety disorder is a common comorbid disorder for people with insomnia, and is characterized by excessive worry and anxiety.  

Insomnia and Daytime Effects

People with insomnia may experience daytime effects such as feeling tired, having trouble concentrating, or having delayed responses

Sleep Procrastination Depression

Yes, depression and sleep procrastination are closely related, and depression can be a predictor of bedtime procrastination:

Depression and Negative Emotions

People with depression may avoid or delay tasks that cause negative feelings, such as going to bed.  

There have been some nights that I stay awake all night because of procrastination.

Bedtime Procrastination and Depression

Studies have shown a positive correlation between bedtime procrastination and depressive symptoms. 

For example, one study found that participants with higher bedtime procrastination scores were more likely to report higher levels of depression.  

Sleep Deficiency and Depression

Depression symptoms are closely related to inadequate sleep.  Lately, it takes me approximately two hours to fall asleep because I have racing thoughts.

Smartphone Use

Smartphone use is a key factor in bedtime procrastination, with procrastinators using their devices for an average of almost 80 minutes before bed.  

Some tips for getting enough sleep include:

• Limiting daytime naps
• Setting up a relaxing pre-bedtime routine
• Avoiding big late-night meals
• Cutting back on caffeine, alcohol, and tobacco
• Staying hydrated, but avoiding drinking a lot of water before bed
• Being consistent with waking up and going to bed times
• Priming your bedroom for sleep by setting the temperature between 66 and 70°F, dimming or turning off lights, and powering down devices with screens 

Bipolar, Depression, and Insomnia

Insomnia is a common symptom of bipolar depression:

• During depression Insomnia is a nearly daily occurrence for people with bipolar depression. One study found that 100% of people with bipolar depression experienced insomnia during a depressive episode.  
• Impact Insomnia can negatively impact a person’s health, psychosocial well-being, and occupational life.  
• Treatment Treatments for insomnia include:
  • Improving sleep habits  
  • Behavior therapy  
  • Identifying and treating underlying causes  
  • Sleeping pills, but with monitoring for side effects  

Other sleep disturbances associated with bipolar disorder include:

• Hypersomnia, or oversleeping
• Reduced need for sleep
• Delayed sleep phase syndrome
• REM sleep abnormalities
• Irregular sleep-wake schedules  

Sleep disturbances can affect the progression, severity, treatment, and outcome of bipolar depression. 

Depression From Insomnia

Nightmares of the mind: depression and its impact on sleep can cause insomnia.

I can speak for this one. This is exactly what I’m going through. When I do sleep, I don’t think I’m getting any REM sleep.

I focus more on my sleep than anything else because of insomnia. And when I don’t sleep or have little sleep, the depression sets in.

I lost count of how much “sleep-aid” meds I’m on and they don’t work. That there is the major reason I’m depressed most days.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have good days. I didn’t sleep well last night, so…I have an additude problem. Sorry.

Should You Let a Depressed Person Sleep?

If you let a depressed person sleep, they’re really not dealing with the depression and how to overcome it. They’re avoiding the issue.

If I truely had a good friend or partner, I would want them to wake me up. Being on the other side now, all the sleeping isn’t going to fix the depression.

You’re just avoiding the issue. So, get your but out of bed and start dealing with the issues at hand. Nothing’s going to change unless you do.

Don’t think you can sleep your life away and your life is going to magically get better. That’s not how it works in the world today.

What are the Four Levels of Depression?

The four levels of depression are:

• Subthreshold: Fewer than five symptoms of depression
• Mild: A few symptoms, but they don’t cause much impairment
• Moderate: Symptoms or impairment are between mild and severe
• Severe: Most symptoms, and they significantly interfere with functioning  

Depression is often viewed as a continuum, with symptoms that change in severity over time.

Some experts have proposed a staged model for classifying depression, which includes:

• Wellness: A stage without sustained emotional upset
• Distress: A stage of mild or moderate emotional upset that’s relatively short
• Depressive disorder: A stage where emotionally distressing experiences last several weeks and impair regular functioning
• Refractory or recurrent depressive disorder: A stage where depressive disorder is resistant to treatment or prone to relapsing 

What are Some Treatments For Depression?

Nightmares of the mind: depression and its impact on sleep can be scary.

As well as supporting your recovery, psychological therapies can help you stay well by identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and behaviour.

There are several different types of psychological treatments including:

• cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
• interpersonal therapy (IPT)
• behaviour therapy
• mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT)

Antidepressants take at least two weeks before they start to help, and it may also take some time for the doctor to find the most suitable medication and dosage.

Antidepressants can make people feel better, but they won’t change their personality or make them feel happy all the time.

As with any other medication, some people will experience some side-effects.

Common side-effects, depending on which medication is taken, include:

• nausea
• headaches
• anxiety
• sweating
• dizziness
• agitation
• weight gain
• dry mouth
• sexual difficulties (for example, difficulty becoming or staying aroused).

Some of these symptoms can be short-lived, but people who experience any of these symptoms should tell their doctor, as there are ways of minimising them.

The likelihood of a particular side-effect happening varies between people and medication.

Sum It All Up

Nightmares of the mind: depression and its impact on sleep can be impactful.

Summing up depression and sleep, the two are intertwined. Each one can cause the other and they both egg each other on.

Don’t do what I did, just slept-I don’t know-how many years away. I wasted precious moments of my life to depression.

I could do “if I knew what I know now,” but that is a cop out. Hence, I should have done something about it when it started, not years later.

If I would have had a doctor that cared, it also would have made a world of difference. Live and let learn! Peace and always, love. Until next time…

Articles About Depression and Sleep

Bipolar Disorder and Sleep Problems

It Goes by the Name ‘Bedtime Procrastination,’ and You Can Probably Guess What It Is

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD)

Depression and Sleep: Understanding the Connection

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy
“One Voice Feeling Tired Now”

“Depression is a war you fight alone, but don’t have to win by yourself.” – Unknown

“There is hope, even when your brain tells you otherwise.” – John Green

“Sometimes the strongest people are the ones who fight battles you know nothing about.” – Unknown

“You are not your depression. You are a person who has depression.” – Stephen Fry

“Sometimes, the only way to cope with overwhelming emotions is to hope you can fall asleep and find some relief.”

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