Depression And Insomnia: What Is It & How To Treat Depression Insomnia

Last Update on August 29, 2022 : Published on May 1, 2021

Swarnakshi Sharma

Feeling depressed? Have trouble sleeping? You are not alone.

Depression and insomnia, more often than not, go hand-in-hand. This close relationship between depression and insomnia is complicated and until recently, insomnia was seen as just another symptom of depression.

But what makes depression insomnia different from regular insomnia? Understanding more about the connection between depression and insomnia can help you get the proper treatment for your condition.

Depression And Insomnia

It easy to see how depression and insomnia might be connected. When a person face difficulty sleeping, they become anxious and stressed about not getting enough sleep. This stress and anxiety of losing sleep might develop into depression with sleep problems.

Insomnia is more or less a warning sign of depression. But it is more than that. A depressed person with insomnia is more prone to recurring depression than those who deal with depression without insomnia. So while insomnia may be a warning sign of depression, it can also cause continuous depression.

People like to use insomnia casually when they face trouble getting sleep for a night or two. There are two types of insomnia that you need to know about:

Acute insomnia: Causes poor sleep for several nights and weeks
Chronic insomnia: Causes poor sleep or no sleep for several weeks or months

With insomnia, you not only experience nights of no sleep but it can also accompany daytime sleepiness, irritability, trouble focusing, clumsiness, among other things.

Insomnia can be caused by:

Stress
Trauma
Problematic working hours
Poor sleep hygiene
Poor bedtime habits
Other mental health disorders

Understanding the exact reason for your insomnia can help you narrow down your treatment options. In the case of depression insomnia, it is likely it is your depression causing insomnia or that the cause of your insomnia is depression.

What Is Depression Insomnia?

Depression Insomnia

Depression insomnia is not like regular insomnia because the cause of insomnia is nothing other than depression. As I’ve stated before, depression can be a major cause of insomnia in many people. While depression and insomnia might go hand in hand, depression can cause insomnia and vice versa.

Depression insomnia can be caused by:

Postpartum depression
Premenstrual depression
Menopause
Hormonal changes during pregnancy, etc

Note:Women are more prone to depression and sleep problems than men.

How To Treat Depression Insomnia?

Treat Depression Insomnia

Depression and insomnia, both, can be treated with the help of psychotherapy, medications, and making lifestyle changes. While the treatments are similar for depression and insomnia, there are some differences that you must know.

For example; in depression, the therapy focuses on changing or reframing your thoughts and behaviors. In insomnia, therapy focuses on the root cause of your sleeplessness. If in any case, depression and insomnia are present, a therapist will focus on depression sleep problems.

Making healthy lifestyle changes can also help in treating depression and insomnia. For example; getting sunlight can help boost mood and adjust your internal clock as well. Exercising can release endorphins and can make you feel tired, just enough to get some rest.

While there are medications available to help treat insomnia, depression, and depression insomnia, many therapists recommend therapy before they prescribe medications to counter the conditions.

Treating Depression Insomnia

Depression insomnia is not a chronic condition and does not have to last forever. With the right treatment and self-help, you can learn to heal from depression and insomnia.

To heal from depression sleep problems, you can try:

Changing your bedtime routine: Maintaining a normal bedtime routine can help you counter both, depression and insomnia. Having a routine will prepare your body and mind for rest.
Disconnecting digitally: Activities such as staying on social media before bedtime can make it harder for your mind to get into a restful mindset. Avoid using your phone or any digital devices an hour before bedtime. Not doing so might amp up your mind and will make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Avoid beverages before bed: While drinking water, milk, or other beverages before bedtime are common, they can disrupt your sleep in the middle of the night. Avoid drinking anything before bed, especially caffeine and alcoholic beverages.
No exercising before bedtime: Exercising can indeed help you get into a restful mindset but exercising before bedtime is not recommended. Give at least three to four hours between exercise and bedtime. It will give your mind to come down from the endorphin high to get a restful night’s sleep.

Final Thoughts

The first step is to identify the symptoms of depression and insomnia and know if your depression is causing your insomnia or vice versa. Therapy and making some lifestyle changes can help you manage your depression and insomnia, and can also help treat depression insomnia.

I hope this article helped you understand the connection between depression and insomnia, what is depression insomnia, and how to treat depression insomnia.

For more content, visit our website or write to us at info@calmsage.com.

Take care and stay safe.

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About The Author

Swarnakshi Sharma

Swarnakshi is a content writer at Calm sage, who believes in a healthier lifestyle for mind and body. A fighter and survivor of depression, she strives to reach and help spread awareness on ending the stigma surrounding mental health issues. A spiritual person at heart, she believes in destiny and the power of Self. She is an avid reader and writer and likes to spend her free time baking and learning about world cultures.