How to Sleep Better with Depression

Depression can quickly encroach on your day. Be it a meeting where you appear disorientated or trying to get motivated to do some exercises rather than idling on the couch. Those who have suffered from depression know it is usually associated with sleeping problems. If you're depressed, you will find it challenging to fall and stay asleep all night.

 

Similarly, sleep problems can aggravate depression, resulting in a vicious cycle between sleep and depression that can prove difficult to break. Knowing the intricate relationship between sleep and depression can help improve your sleep quality and manage your depression better.

 

Ahead, you'll discover more regarding depression, how it compromises your sleep, and the steps you can take to keep depression from disrupting your quality of sleep. Stick around!

 

 

What is Depression?

 

Depression is a serious medical disorder that brings about feelings of sadness, disappointment, or hopelessness. It affects how you act, think, and feel and can cause several emotional and physical problems. You may have difficulty performing typical day-to-day operations and feel like life isn't fit to live.

 

Depression is more than simply a bad mood and isn't something that can be snapped out of. It may necessitate long-term treatment, but don't be disheartened because most people suffering from this condition benefit from medication, psychotherapy, or sometimes both.

 

What Causes Depression

 

Depression is a complex mental illness caused by various factors. It's usually perceived that a chemical imbalance brings on depression. Still, that line of thought doesn't convey the disease's complex nature. The possible causes of depression include genetic vulnerability, stressful life events, and defective mood regulation by the brain. Most of these forces combine, resulting in depression.

 

Sure, chemicals are a part of this process, but it's more complicated than one chemical being relatively low while another is too high. Instead, plenty of chemicals are involved, operating inside and outside nerve cells. With this rate of complexity, it's easy to see how different people may have similar signs of depression, but the real concern on the inside, and thus what remedies will work best, could be completely different.

 

What are the Symptoms of Depression?

 

The following are the common symptoms of depression:

 

• Social isolation
• Reduced or increased appetite
• Difficulty in decision-making and concentration
• Anxiety/nervousness
• Irritability or anger
• Feelings of hopelessness or sadness
• Lack of motivation
• Suicide attempts
• Sleep disturbances
• Loss of interest in activities

 

Treatment for Depression

 

While depression can negatively impact your sleep and quality of life, it is treatable. Treatment may include:

 

• Counseling: Different types of counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can effectively treat depression.

 

• Medications: Antidepressants are an excellent choice for treating depression. However, this prescription medication takes time to start working, so you'll want to try different antidepressants before determining the right fit.

 

• Brain stimulation therapies: When other treatment options fail, you can try several types of brain stimulation, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Brain stimulation therapies can be helpful but should only be administered by experienced professionals.

 

Note: Treatment for depression isn't always restricted to the methods mentioned earlier. It would be better to combine medication and psychotherapy to alleviate depression rather than relying on one option.

 

How to Sleep Better with Depression

 

Sleep disturbances can elevate your likelihood of developing depression. Similarly, persistent sleep problems might also increase the chances of relapse in those successfully cured of depression. By implementing the following tips in your routine, you'll have better sleep, a good mood, and decreased symptoms of depression.

 

• Limit Alcohol

 

Although you may be tempted to use alcohol ( a depressant) to assist you with falling asleep quickly, it has a reverse effect on your sleep. When you consume alcohol, particularly in large quantities, you will experience sleep disruptions at night. But if you must drink, ensure you do it several hours before bedtime, and stick to the recommended daily limit.

 

• Use white noise

 

If you're experiencing trouble sleeping, try adding some noise to your sleeping area to drown out other ambient noises. This will divert your brain, giving you something to focus on rather than your anxieties or attempts to sleep.

 

• Allow time to relax

 

If you find sleeping difficult at night, you should allocate time to relax and do things that bring you happiness. You can take a warm bath, listen to soft music, meditate, light a candle, or read a novel. This routine should commence roughly an hour before bed.

 

• Create a sleep schedule

 

It's best to choose a convenient time for sleeping, so your body gets accustomed to sleeping on a regular schedule. Ensure it applies each day to stick to a consistent pattern. This way, your body will adjust to the new cycle with time.

 

• Avoid looking at the clock.

 

When you have difficulty falling asleep, try not to stare at the clock for so long. This can make you contemplate too much about how long it takes you to sleep, causing you to be more upset and depressed. Instead, concentrate on something different to keep your mind from constantly worrying about the time.

 

• Get outside

 

If you're depressed, you can sleep better by spending time outside. Sunlight exposure aligns with your body's internal clock, informing you when to be awake and when to sleep. For example, regular sunlight signals your body to be active. When sunset comes, your body releases melatonin to cause sleepiness and encourage sleep.

 

• Cut back on napping

 

Depression can induce a sense of drowsiness, making you feel like you should sleep the whole day. Sleeping randomly during the day can result in nighttime sleep disruptions. To avoid this, you should wake up and make your bed. Then keep off the sleeping area unless it's bedtime. If you must sleep, ensure it is a short nap, at most 40 minutes.

 

How to Sleep Better with a Futon Mattress

 

Futons are honored for their versatility and supporting materials, which can alleviate back pain. Quality options, such as the MAXYOYO Japanese futon mattress, provide numerous benefits for enhancing sleep quality. For example, this mattress has a high-quality polyester cover while the inner filling is memory foam which keeps your body from sinking excessively. With its medium-firm design, this futon mattress from MAXYOYO is compatible with all sleep positions and body types.

 

But just like other mattresses, futons can't last forever. Maximum use and other dynamic stresses can make your futon mattress less supportive, adding to the issue of back pain. Fortunately, there are ways to sleep better with a futon mattress. One option is to use a high-density mattress topper to add instant comfort by offering pressure-relieving cushioning in the shoulder and hip area.

 

Mattress toppers will also prolong the lifespan of your mattress and keep it from harboring germs and other agents that can cause bacteria.