Regardless
of the cause of your depression, it won’t automatically go away on its own. It
can, however, be effectively controlled by treatment and often by lifestyle
changes.
One
symptom of depression is insomnia or sleep difficulties.
Conversely, insomnia or sleeping problems can cause depression, so it can be a
difficult issue to diagnose and tackle. Studies indicate that you’re at a
higher risk of developing depression if you have difficulty falling asleep and staying
asleep.
Some of the symptoms include:
~ difficulty falling asleep
~ difficulty staying asleep
~ poor sleep that leaves you feeling
tired upon waking
~ feeling sleepy during the day
In
addition, if you are pregnant, recently given birth or have hormonal
fluctuation, you may have difficulty sleeping and may be have a higher risk of suffering
depression.
And if you are in a period of grief, you will most likely experience some type of depression that accompanies sleep disturbances.
Treatment
for sleep problems can be a critical part of depression therapy. To help you
and your doctor or therapist with your treatment, make sure you keep a detailed
sleep
diary or journal for at least two weeks. Knowing your sleep patterns and
specific problems will help you get the best diagnosis and treatment.
What Kind of Damage Can
Impaired Sleep Do?
Impaired
sleep can:
~ Severely weaken your
ability to fight disease
~ Increase rate of tumor
growth and decrease your body’s cancer-fighting
ability
~ Contribute to a
pre-diabetic condition
~ Seriously affect your
memory by impairing it (Just one night of sleep
deprivation—only 4-6 hours of sleep—can
impact your ability to think
clearly the following day.)
~ Negatively affect your
physical and mental task performance. Of course,
if you’re suffering from depression, you’ve
already noticed impairment
in these areas. Lack of sleep only worsens
it.
Can You Catch Up on Your
Sleep?
Unfortunately,
no, you can’t. As one doctor said, “Lost sleep is lost forever.” And worse news
is that when you lose sleep night after night, it has an accumulative effect on
you.
What’s The Optimal
Amount of Sleep?
Recent
research indicates 7-9 hours of sleep a night for adults is optimal. Some
people do all right on 6-8. Children and teens need much more. Unfortunately, our society and school system
isn’t set up to provide them optimal sleep.
So What Can You Do to
Improve Your Sleep—Naturally?
Exercise
Regularly and Not Too Late in the Evening!!
Yes,
I’m back to exercise and can’t say enough good things about it. Thirty minutes
a day improves your sleep. Exercising in the morning gets your body charged and
working efficiently. This helps you metabolize well and make sure your body’s
humming along nicely. Then you’ll be all ready for a good, efficient night’s sleep.
Exercise
too close to bedtime, and you may be wide-eyed well past your bed time. Some
professionals say nothing past 7:00 PM, but you’ll need to personally judge
what time is best to call it quits.
Sleep in
Complete Darkness or as Nearly Dark a Room as Possible
Any
kind of light filtering into your room disrupts your body’s ability to produce
melatonin and serotonin, chemicals that make you fall asleep or feel relaxed.
Even the alarm clock glow can disrupt your sleep. So cover your windows with
drapes or blinds that have blackout
backing. The tiniest amounts of light entering your optic nerve can signal your
body that it’s time to get up and get going!
If
you can’t get your room dark enough, put on those sexy eye covers you used to
see starlets wearing in movies. But make sure the elastic isn’t too tight
around your head. That can cause pressure and headaches!
Sleep in
Optimal Room Temperature
When
my son Parker had a bout of croup at the age of three, the first thing I did
was take him out into the cool, humid coastal night air while Chris got the car
ready to take him to the hospital. At the hospital, the nurse told me to never
set your thermostat above 68 degrees at night, that anything above that
negatively affects your respiratory system because the dry heat coming from
your heating system dries out your respiratory tissues, making it difficult to
breathe. (That’s one way to disrupt your sleep!)
Well,
it turns out that studies show that the optimal temperature for sleeping is
between 60-68 degrees. Anything hotter or cooler can cause you to have a restless
sleep. Your body’s natural temperature drops about four hours after you fall
asleep. Keeping it warmed up may interrupt relaxation and disrupt sleep. So
drop that thermostat and sleep easier.
Get Those
Electronic Devices Away Form Your Bed!
Move
those lighted alarm clocks. The optimal distance is 3 feet.
Avoid
Using Loud Alarms to Wake Up
They’re
too stressful to the system. You don’t want your body jolted awake. Check out
using a sun alarm that combines all the gadgets you want with a special light
that gradually increases in intensity, just like the sunrise.
Stop
Watching Television, Working on Your Computer or Texting in Bed!
These
activities can make it hard for you to drift off to sleep. Watching television
or working on your computer or texting on your phone before sleep makes it
difficult to fall asleep because these activities
stimulate the brain. Your brain needs to know that when you’re in your bed it’s time for sleep, not crunching away
on your electronic devices. Television disrupts your pineal gland, which produces melatonin, that all-important sleep
hormone!
Separate
Bedroom, Anyone?
Because
my husband is a snorer, sometimes I think that my grandparents’ idea of
sleeping in separate bedrooms wasn’t such bad idea! And recent studies suggest
that sleeping with a partner may significantly disrupt your sleep. (And don’t
let the pet in your bed either!) It’s drastic, but if your sleep is severely
hampered by your spouse, seriously consider this alternative. Or at least try
it.
Have a
Bedtime Ritual
Having
a bedtime ritual signals your brain that bedtime is approaching and helps it to
settle down for rest.
Get to Bed
as Early as Possible
Different
researchers suggest that your body does most of its recharging between 11:00 PM
and 1:00 AM and that the liver does its cleansing between 1:00 M and 3:00 AM.
The catch is that you need to be asleep
for those things to occur. Consider going to bed soon after sunset, just like in the olden days, and just
like most animals do. I firmly believe it’s what God intended for our bodies to
function optimally.
Don’t Keep
Altering Your Bedtime
Don’t
have a work-week-wakeup time and a weekend-wakeup time. Get your body into a
sleep rhythm. Constantly flipping back and forth makes it difficult for your
body to get in a healthy sleep—wake groove.
Just Like
You Do With Your Kids, Establish a Bedtime Routine
Wash,
brush your teeth, pray, meditate, do deep breathing exercises, stretch lightly take
a warm bath or shower or indulge in a massage
just prior to going to sleep. Find something that helps you unwind and release
the day’s tensions. A warm bath or shower raises your body temperature. Then,
when you exit the shower or tub, your temperature drops. This is a signal to
the body that it’s bedtime and actually helps you fall sleep. (When we get to
integrative medicine, I’ll give you more great activities that trigger
relaxation!)
Take Your
Last Drink of Water (or any fluid) Two Hours Before Bedtime
That
will decrease your chances of having to get up to use the bathroom in the
middle of the night. (My urologist actually told me no beverages after 7:00 PM,
so you might try the earlier time if nighttime voiding is a problem for you.)
No Large, Full
Meals After 7:00 PM or Within Three Hours of Bedtime
You
need to reduce the load on your digestive system before retiring to bed, and
three hours before bedtime is the optimal time, especially if you’re
suffering from Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease, or GERD.
Eat a
High-Protein Snack Several Hours Before Bedtime
Protein,
like a nice slice of turkey breast, will give you the L-tryptophan that
triggers sleep through melatonin and serotonin production. Adding a small piece
of fruit to it will help the L-tryptophan get into the brain.
A
neuroscientist told us at a recent lecture that eating a banana or drinking a
warm glass of milk just prior to bed works well too. (That was my nightly
ritual for years as a kid.) Sometimes a small spoonful
of peanut butter does the trick.
No Snacks
Before Bed, Particularly Grains and Carbohydrates
They’ll
likely raise your blood sugar and postpone sleep. Then, when your blood sugar
crashes, you’ll most likely wake up and have difficulty returning to sleep. Consuming
sugar just prior to bed usually causes problems for me, and then I have a
horrible time returning
to sleep.
Wear Socks
to Bed
Your
feet have the poorest circulation than any other body part, and when they get
cold, that can cause sleep disruption. A study has shown that sock wearers have
less night waking. (My husband disagrees with this one, because his feet are
always hot, so you’ll have to try it and see how you respond! Personally, I’m a
sleep-with-socks-on devotee.)
This
gives your brain a chance to unwind so you can relax and prepare for bed.
Listen to
Relaxation CDs
Some
people like the sound of crashing waves, Celtic flutes, forest winds or white
noise to stimulate sleep. See what works for you. In college, I often went to
sleep with a love song playing. Drove my roommate nuts.
Read
Something Spiritual or Uplifting
Keep
the mysteries, suspense or detective novels for wide-awake time. They stimulate
the brain too much.
Journaling
Writing
in a journal may help you unload your stressful thoughts and better prepare you
for sleep. It may also get your brain wired up by replaying the day’s negative
events. Try it to see if it works. If it worsens your go-to-sleep ability,
journal at another time.
What If
You Can’t Fall Asleep After Going to Bed?
If
after ½ hour you’re still staring at the ceiling, get out of bed, go into a quiet room and read until you feel
sleepy. DON’T watch TV!
Watch Out
for Any Drugs You’re Taking!
Some
prescription and over-the-counter drugs can disrupt sleep, so be careful about
taking, or combining them. Always check with your doctor, or, better yet, your
pharmacist, especially if you’re having sleep problems.
Put Down
That Cup of Caffeine!
Once
again, you really need to limit your caffeine intake. Some people, like me,
don’t metabolize it well and are left feeling wired and shaky long after they
finish the last drop.
And
pay attention to the sources of your caffeine. It’s found in coffee, tea and
chocolate (the darker the chocolate the higher the levels of it). If I’ve had
more than one cup of coffee during the day, I’m wide-awake at 2:00 AM. And if I
add processed sugar to it, it’s even worse.
So,
only one cup of coffee a day, and no
caffeinated coffee after 3:00 PM. And
if you’re suffering sleep deprivation, try to skip it all together. And that
means no more Red Bull or caffeine-infused power drinks!! I’m serious about
this. For many reasons besides sleep disruption, they are horrible for your health!
Skip the
Alcohol
Yes,
alcohol does make you drowsy, but as soon as that effect wears off, you’re wide
awake and unable to get back to sleep. Alcohol also keeps you from entering
that critical Rapid Eye Movement sleep that recharges and repairs the brain.
Skip The
Ambien
At
a recent brain science symposium I attended, the instructor told us that the
sleep aid Ambien should be avoided. Even though it doesn’t cause dependence,
after two days it can cause sleep disturbances and nightmares. So try
everything else you can before resorting to this, or any other sleep aid drug.
Avoid
Foods That Cause You Problems
Remember
that food journal I asked you to keep in an earlier blog post? Well, keep
working on it to determine if you have any food sensitivities.
For
example: When I eat inflammatory foods, my arthritis flares up and wakes me up
in the middle of the night. The pain makes it difficult for me to return to
sleep. If I disciplined myself to not cave in and eat them, I’d be much better
off and have a better night. Know what ails you, and avoid it!
Lose Any
Excess Weight You’re Carrying Around
Now
we’re back to diet and nutrition again. But being overnight can affect
breathing and increase your risk of sleep apnea.
Keep Naps
to a Minimum
If
you have to nap, make sure you start napping around 1:00-1:30 PM, nap only for
15 minutes to 1 ½ hours, and don’t start napping after 3:00 PM. The 15 minutes
is really just a cat nap, but it can do wonders for the energy system.
Research
does indicate that naps are beneficial to older adults, so they get a pass on
longer naps, like the hour-and-a-half kind. My mom doesn’t miss hers, and
she’ll be 92 in four weeks!
Increase
Your Melatonin
You
can buy over-the-counter melatonin supplements, but the best way to increase it
is by getting out in the sunlight, or using full-spectrum light bulbs in the
winter. Melatonin supplements have been shown to increase sleepiness and help
you fall asleep rapidly. It also decreases restlessness and helps decrease that
daytime drowsiness.
Warning:
The long-term effects of melatonin are unknown. Use it
carefully, as you would any other sleep aid. Do not use it long
term,and use it only under your doctor’s. Do
NOT use it along
with any other sleep aid.
Get Your
Thyroid and Hormone Levels Checked
If
these are disrupted, they can cause sleep disturbances and unusual fatigue or
jitteriness.
Get Into
Bright Light as Soon as Possible in the Morning
Get
up, get ready, and get out of the house, even if it’s just for a walk. There’s
nothing like fresh air and sunshine to get the system up and working. It will
have positive effects for you throughout the day and well into the night. Even
if you don’t feel like it, get out of your jammies and head for the door, even
if you just manage to walk down the driveway and back.
Wrap-Up
Identifying
the cause of your sleep problems and depression is critical to your health and
recovery. It’s when you are sleeping that you are healing and rebuilding protein.
Sleep, exercise and nutrition are the BIG THREE to optimal health.
Start
slowly, keep that sleep journal, make changes slowly and keep track of the
benefits, which may take several days to severalweeks.
I
pray that all of you suffering from sleep problems will soon have more restful
nights!
_________________________________
NEXT WEEK: We’ll begin Fighting
Depression with Mind-Body Medicine.
________________________________
Thanks
for joining me.
Until
next week!
Blessings,
Andrea
An important
note: If you are suffering from depression and sleep problems, make sure
you tell your doctor about your sleep issues. It may make a difference in the
kind of medication you’re prescribed. If you have diagnosed obstructive sleep
apnea, sedating types of antidepressants can worsen this condition.
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