6 Tips for Better Shut-Eye

If you have depression, sleep can be elusive. Insomnia (difficulty falling or staying asleep) is a common symptom of depression, affecting up to 75 percent of people with the condition.

Depression can also lead to hypersomnia (an excessive need for sleep) for some people, says Chester Wu, MD, a sleep medicine physician in Houston and a medical reviewer for Everyday Health.

Not only can depression itself cause sleep problems, but poor sleep can make depressive symptoms worse. That can become a difficult cycle to break, says Joel Frank, PsyD, a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist in Sherman Oaks, California, who treats people with depression.

Exactly why depression hampers sleep isn’t well understood, says Dr. Wu. Experts believe one reason is that depression disrupts the circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock), which regulates cycles of sleepiness and alertness.

What that means: If your depressive symptoms are throwing off your circadian rhythm, there’s a good chance you’ll have a hard time falling asleep at night, you might wake up several times overnight, or you might not feel refreshed when it’s time to wake up in the morning.

If your depression is messing with your sleep, these six tips can help you get better shut-eye.

1. Talk to a Mental Health Professional

You don’t have to sort out your sleep issues alone. A licensed therapist can help guide you to better sleep through psychotherapy, or talk therapy. Therapy, along with medication in some cases, can help improve both sleep issues and depression, says Wu.