Sleepless Nights Prevalent Among 92% of Individuals Struggling with Depression
Revised Article:
Catch those ZZZs, but not too many! A connection between sleep and melancholy exists, but it's not all doom and gloom for your shut-eye. Monitor your slumber patterns as oversleeping can be rough on your bod. If you catch some extra z's for more than nine or ten hours daily, your peppy mojo may take a hit and you might feel worn-out. Depression might creep up next. You're probably wondering: what's the deal with sleep and misery? Here's the lowdown according to the boffins.
Proper Sleeping Hours
Most adults require 7 to 9 hours of sleep, while adolescents should get 8 to 10 hours. On the flip side, sleeping more than nine to ten hours every day could result in feelings of gloominess.
The Sleep-Depression Conundrum
Brainiacs hypothesize that sleeping too long isn't the root cause of melancholy, but rather a symptom. A 2017 study revealed that a whopping 92% of depressed folks dealt with sleep troubles. Insomnia was the most prevalent problem among them. About half struggled with oversleeping, while one-third battled simultaneous insomnia and oversleeping[1][4][5].
1. Disrupted Sleep Cycle:
Over- or under-sleeping can mess with your body's natural sleep-wake rhythm. This can lead to exhaustion and weakness.
What could be the reasons for oversleeping?
2. Sleep Disorder:
If you often sleep too much and still hanker for some extra shut-eye, it might be a sleep disorder called hypersomnia.
Does oversleeping always mean depression?
Not necessarily! If you occasionally snooze a lot and feel a wee bit drained, it doesn't mean you're down in the dumps. In depression, negative emotions persist for a significant period. If you're experiencing these symptoms, they could be red flags for depression: chronic fatigue, gloomy or hopeless feelings, and loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities.
[1]jospoort.nl/files/JOSPOORT_THESIS.pdf[2]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2638297/[3]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2863915/[4]ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6356464/[5]jcsp.ascopubs.org/content/11/6/mc199
- An excessively long sleep duration, beyond 9 or 10 hours daily, may lead to feelings of melancholy, but it's important to note that the underlying cause could be a symptom of a sleep disorder such as hypersomnia rather than a definitive indication of depression.
- Ensuring proper sleep hygiene can help maintain a healthy sleep-wake rhythm, reducing the risk of feelings of depression or weariness. This involves sleeping for 7 to 9 hours as an adult and 8 to 10 hours as an adolescent, while avoiding oversleeping more than 10 hours daily.
