By definition, depression is a mood disorder, while insomnia is defined as being a sleep disorder that can have depression as a symptom. But, like the chicken and the egg enigma, which one can be definitely determined to come first or is one the result of the other only under certain circumstances? This is a question that has puzzled the medical community for years.
Depression Defined
As a mood disorder, depression is usually characterized by a constant feeling of sadness, also known as feeling blue. Everyone can feel this way from time to time but when those feelings become more intense, last for long periods of time or prevent someone from leading an otherwise normal life, then it can be classified as depression.
The inability to sleep or insomnia, is often called a symptom of depression, even though not being able to sleep has not been proven to cause depression. Oddly enough, depression is also considered to be a symptom of the sleep disorder as well, which leads to the confusion as to which one causes the other. While sleeping too much or too often, is also considered to be a sign of depression, an inability to sleep regularly over a long period of time can often lead your doctor to believe that you are indeed depressed.
Can Treating the Depression Cure the Sleep Disorder As Well?
The answer to that is an emphatic yes, if the sleep problems you have been experiencing are proven to be caused by the depression. Once the depression has been successfully treated and managed, the inability to sleep should abate as well. Treatment for the depression however, will depend upon how serious the condition is.
The most common treatment for depression is often counseling combined with medication. The medication will abate the obvious symptoms more quickly than the counseling, while the counseling will teach sufferers coping techniques to help them manage their depression. These skills can also be used to prevent the depression from recurring, and even help them alleviate any sleep problems that go along with it.
What you need to be aware of is that some of the normal medications prescribed for depression, such as Zoloft, Prozac and Paxil, may cause you to develop sleep problems, even if you were not already suffering from them, a side effect that happens to a small percentage of patients over time. Talking to your doctor honestly about any side effects you may be experiencing is the only way that he has to determine whether the medication is working or not.
Effective Sleep Habits That You Can Develop
Whether you are depressed or not, there are some changes you can make in your sleeping habits that can actually help you to improve your ability to fall asleep regularly. The first, learning how to relax, is a fairly simple one. Most people concentrate on their bodies while lying prone on the bed, and mentally will each part of the body to relax, one by one. Combining this technique with some deep breathing exercises, drawing each breath in and releasing it in a practiced rhythm will also distract your mind and allow you to relax gradually, as each minute passes by.
Exercising a few hours before bedtime will help to tire you out and aid in relaxing those tired muscles. Try not to drink anything containing alcohol or caffeine in the evening, because of the stimulants and sugars within them. If you smoke, it is best not to do so after the sun goes down for the same reasons.
Another change you can make to avert insomnia is to reserve your bedroom for only sleep related activities. This means no television, radio, and especially no computer. If your subconscious recognizes that it is a sleep only zone, it will comply, eventually, with your desire to sleep. The mind is a powerful tool for healing, if you let it.
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