Better Sleep, Less Depression
It was no surprise to see the results of a recent poll we did among depression support group attendees. Only about 16% of our respondents reported that they sleep well for seven to nine hours a night. Seventy-two percent of our poll respondents said that they had trouble falling asleep, that they woke up during the night and couldn’t get back to sleep or had a combination of the two. These are very common sleep problems associated with depression. Poor sleep is both a cause of depression and a result.
The good news about sleep issues is that there are a number of very effective things that can help. Here are some things that you should try. Make sure you read all the way down to my last suggestion – probably the most important.
Try to keep a regular sleep schedule – no matter what! When we experience poor sleep it is very common to try to make up for it by sleeping longer or taking a nap. These two strategies might feel good in the moment but they actually reinforce your sleep problems by making you less sleepy at night when you want to get to sleep and stay asleep.
If you are falling asleep during the day use this technique to regain your energy. Drink a caffeinated beverage, set a timer for 15 minutes and nap until the timer goes off. This will give you a little rest while the caffeine is kicking in. You will wake up with the energy you need to carry on.
Prepare to go to sleep. Don’t drink caffeine later than mid afternoon. Don’t drink alcohol or exercise within a few hours of your bedtime. Stop watching TV or working on your computer 30 minutes or an hour before bedtime. Do something quiet like reading a book or listening to relaxing music. Take a warm bath or have some warm milk.
Make your bedroom a restful place. Make sure that it is dark and the temperature should be on the cool side. Only use your bed for sleep and sex. Don’t watch TV in bed, work in bed or eat in bed. Your bed should be an oasis – not an activity center.
Don’t be a clock watcher. Either don’t look at your clock or turn it away from you.
If you can’t fall asleep or wake up for about 15 minutes - get up, leave your bedroom and do something quiet until you are sleepy. The “Prepare to go to sleep” suggestions will work here as well.
Okay, here’s the most important tip I can share. If you have been sleeping poorly, your expectations are that you will not sleep well and you will tend to interpret any sleep experience as unsatisfactory. So try to tell yourself, as you are trying to improve your sleep that your sleep will be improving! Don’t expect it to improve in one day or even a week. Don’t expect to sleep like a baby – adults sometimes have trouble getting to sleep and sometimes wake up during the night – it's okay. Be patient with your progress and see if sleep can again become a help to you. I hope it does.