People who are suffering from depression or anxiety often
have trouble sleeping. Indeed, one of the first signs of
depression is insomnia, although lack of sleep by itself is
not thought to cause depression.
Regardless of the cause, sleeping problems of any kind are
not pleasant and can significantly lower quality of life
whether or not depression is present. Some of the more
common types of sleep problems include insomnia, sleep
apnoea and snoring.
Insomnia
Insomnia is a condition whereby a person has difficulty in
getting to sleep, or has no problem in getting to sleep but
awakens often during the night, or who wakes up too early
in the morning. Another type of insomnia is sleep state
misperception where a person has managed to sleep during
the night but believes that they didn't.
It's important to note that not everyone requires the same
amount of sleep but a standard 8 hours a night give or take
an hour or so, is probably the ideal for most people to
feel alert and energetic throughout the day.
There are different types of insomnia too. Sleeplessness
that occurs for only a few nights is known as transient
insomnia, or if it goes on for a couple of weeks, short
term insomnia, or when it persists for over a month with
difficulties experienced most nights it is classed as
chronic insomnia. Some factors which could influence an
individual's ability to get a good night's sleep include:
- Too much caffeine during the day
- Some types of medication
- Anxiety, stress and worry
- Depression
- Physical pain
- Noise
- Changes in temperature
- Jet lag
- Underlying physical or mental illness
- Too much alcohol before bed
Obviously, any treatment for insomnia will ultimately
depend upon its underlying cause. For example, if the
insomnia is caused by medication, the problems may cease if
the medication is stopped or changed. Similarly, dealing
with any underlying anxiety, stress or worry may resolve
the problem. Sometimes it's not possible to identify the
cause of insomnia and in some severe cases sleeping pills
on a temporary basis may help, however, these should only
be taken under medical supervision as there are potential
side effects and contraindications to be considered.
Sleep Apnoea
Sleep apnoea can be a potentially serious sleeping disorder
which is characterised by short periods during the night
where breathing stops. Symptoms associated with sleep
apnoea include loud snoring, morning headaches, night
sweats, insomnia, jerking or twitching during the night,
waking up gasping for breath and getting up to go to the
toilet frequently during the night. These symptoms can vary
from mild to severe.
Sleep apnoea is caused by some sort of obstruction in the
airways, the throat or nasal passages which could be a
blocked nose and too much tissue being present, the tongue
slipping back into the throat, enlarged tonsils, or even
the angle of the jaw. One of the most significant factors
though is being overweight.
If you suspect that you or your partner suffers from sleep
apnoea it's important to speak to a doctor for a proper
diagnosis and advice. If the problem is mild then it might
just be a case of losing weight, sleeping on your side, and
not drinking alcohol in the evening, however, if it is
severe then there are other options available including the
wearing of a special mask. People who suffer from sleep
apnoea have a shortage of oxygen reaching the brain and may
also have an increased risk of strokes and heart disease as
well as other health problems.
Snoring
Snoring is extremely common and is caused by vibration of
the palate and the uvula whilst breathing during sleep. If
the snoring is regular, rhythmic and not very loud and you
wake up feeling alert and refreshed, then there is probably
very little to worry about other than possibly disturbing
others who are trying to get to sleep.
If on the other hand the snoring is loud, accompanied by
snorts and gasps and periods of interrupted breathing, then
you should speak to your doctor as it would indicate sleep
apnoea.
Ways to improve sleep
- Talking therapies can be useful in highlighting ways to
cope with any anxiety and/or depression, which in turn will
improve sleep
- Learn some relaxation and breathing techniques, take up
yoga or meditation, These may help you to relax and unwind
and make falling asleep and staying asleep much easier
- Increasing the amount of physical exercise not only
improves health in general it helps the blood flow to the
brain, relieves stress and anxiety, makes you feel good,
and facilitates a better night's sleep
- Avoid the temptation to lie in bed watching television
and if you do awake during the night and can't get back to
sleep, try getting up for a while
- Avoid drinking too much tea and coffee in the evening or
drinking alcohol just before going to bed
- Remove any computers or television sets from the bedroom
and make your bed a place that is only used for sleeping
and for sex
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Depression and anxiety are serious mental health conditions
that can strike anyone at anytime. For more information
about depression and selp help come and visit
http://www.fightingdepression.co.uk
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