Feeling Down? Depression May Be Linked to Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that 70 percent of individuals with sleep apnea also experience symptoms of depression. This may be because sleep has a profound impact on how the brain works and how chemicals throughout the body function. Without enough high-quality rest, sadness, stress, irritability, and anxiety inevitably worsen. The severity of the subjects’ sleep apnea was directly correlated with the severity of their depression.

Depression and Sleep Apnea

The study also indicated that OSA sufferers who began using a CPAP machine to treat their condition reported dramatic mood improvements. Thus, some researchers have stated that sleep apnea can even be misdiagnosed as depression.

A separate study found that depressed individuals are five times more likely to have a breathing-related sleep disorder than people without depression.

A Complex Relationship

Of course, the above information doesn’t mean that sleep apnea treatment should be viewed as a cure for depression. However, individuals who are genuinely depressed may find that their symptoms are easier to cope with if they achieve adequate high-quality rest each night.

Various sleep disorders, including both insomnia (which may be a symptom of sleep apnea) and sleep apnea, can worsen depression. However, insomnia is often viewed as one of the early indicators of depression. Thus, simply encouraging a depressed individual to get more sleep may be pointless. A team of medical professionals, potentially including a primary care physician, a psychologist, and a sleep medicine expert, may have to work together to help a patient regain a happy, balanced outlook on life.

It is also worth noting that in some cases, medications used to treat depression can worsen sleep disorders. Doctors should keep such risks in mind when they are striving to design the best treatment regimen for a particular patient.

Are you struggling with depression? Talk to your doctor about your sleep habits. Treatment for sleep apnea, or other therapies designed to improve the quality of your sleep, might be able to lift your mood and help you start feeling like yourself again.

Meet Dr. Mogell

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is an experienced dentist who has spent more than a decade mastering the intricacies of sleep medicine. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine. If you would like to learn more about how you can overcome OSA, he would be happy to speak with you. Contact any of our three locations or call us at 321-265-3462