Depression and Sleep Trouble by Robyn Tamanaha, LMFT
What is depression?
Each individual can experience depression differently: They can experience a different number of depression symptoms, with different levels of impairment to their daily life. A clinical diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder includes at least 5 of the following symptoms for at least 2 (consecutive) weeks (DSM, 2017):
Depressed mood more often than not
Loss or decreased interest in things that were once enjoyable
Change in weight without trying
Sleeping a lot during the day or inability to fall asleep at night
Moving very slowly or difficulty staying still
Extreme tiredness or lack of energy
Feeling worthless, hopeless, or guilty
Trouble concentrating or making decisions
Thoughts of death and/or suicide
What does sleep trouble look like in depression?
Increased need for sleep: The individual feels lethargic and tired, which can lead the individual to sleep during the day, more often, or for longer periods of time altogether. Although the person gets sleep, they do not feel rested and will still feel tired.
Trouble falling asleep: The individual does not necessarily have energy, they are just unable to fall asleep.
What happens?
It’s easy to be guided by mood, which can lead the individual to go along with how tired they feel. If the individual feels tired, they might feel pulled to stay in bed or sit around, take a nap, not go outside, etc.
If the individual has trouble falling asleep at night, they might do things that continue to prevent sleep from occurring, such as moving around, going on the computer, looking at social media, etc.
Why does it matter?
Sleep is the foundation for mood management in depression. It’s also an indicator of when the individual might be in a depressive episode.
It can have an impact on how the individual feels throughout the day, how well they handle stressors, and lead to the experience of other emotions such as irritability.
Consider:
When it comes to managing depression during an episode, it’s important to do the opposite of what the depression wants. This might include going outside instead of sitting on the couch to take a nap. Or, doing strategies that promote relaxation if you’re not tired at night.
Try therapy: Therapy can assist with regulating your mood so that regular patterns of sleep can be obtained.
You don’t have to do this alone. If you are interested in receiving therapy with me, let’s schedule a free 15-minute phone consult.
(NOTE: This video was filmed when my office was at a previous location. I am now located in Irvine, CA)
My office is located in Irvine, which is near Newport Beach, Orange, Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Huntington Beach, Mission Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Hills, Tustin, Seal Beach, and beyond. I work with anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and Asian American & Pacific Islanders.
Disclaimer: This information is being provided to you for educational and informational purposes only. The topics being discussed are meant as a self-help tool for you own use. It is not psychotherapy or counseling. This information is to be used based on your own judgment. If you need to speak with a professional, you should find one local to you and contact them directly.