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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : February 3, 2014 11:04 AM IST
Sleeping for six hours or less per night may increase the risk of major depression especially among adolescents, a new research has warned. A genetic study of adult twins and a community-based study of adolescents both report novel links between sleep duration and depression. A study of 4,175 individuals between 11 and 17 years of age is the first to document reciprocal effects for major depression and short sleep duration among adolescents using prospective data.
Results suggest sleeping six hours or less per night increases the risk for major depression, which in turn increases the risk for decreased sleep among adolescents. 'These results are important because they suggest that sleep deprivation may be a precursor for major depression in adolescents, occurring before other symptoms of major depression and additional mood disorders,' said principal investigator Dr Robert E Roberts, from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. Another study of 1,788 adult twins suggest that sleep durations outside the normal range increase the genetic risk for depressive symptoms. Read why depression is a serious ailment that needs to be treated.
Among twins with a normal sleep duration of seven to 8.9 hours per night, the total heritability of depressive symptoms was 27 per cent. 'Healthy sleep is a necessity for physical, mental and emotional well-being,' said American Academy of Sleep Medicine President Dr M Safwan Badr. 'This new research emphasises that we can make an investment in our health by prioritising sleep,' said Badr. However, the genetic influence on depressive symptoms increased to 53 per cent among twins with a short sleep duration of five hours per night and 49 per cent among those who reported sleeping 10 hours per night. 'We were surprised that the heritability of depressive symptoms in twins with very short sleep was nearly twice the heritability in twins sleeping normal amounts of time,' said principal investigator Dr Nathaniel Watson, from the University of Washington Medicine Sleep Center in Seattle. 'Both short and excessively long sleep durations appear to activate genes related to depressive symptoms,' said Watson. Read how Michael Jackson's lack of sleep caused his death!
The studies are published in the journal Sleep.
Tips to sleep better
Stick to your sleep time Each one of one is unique, even with our sleep patterns. Some people feel refreshed with only 6 hours of sleep; others might need 9 10 hours. Know what your body needs. Fix up your sleep time accordingly. Always maintain regular sleep and waking up times to regularize your sleep patterns.
Visit the doctor Your physician can help to review any drugs, medical conditions or stressful situations that may be causing your insomnia or making it worse.
Lifestyle management Maintain a routine that is not extreme. If your work demands it, balance it by other factors like diet and a healthy mental state. Meditation, creative visualization may help you be calmer and restful.
Daytime sleepiness Stop those afternoon naps. Indulge in some physical activity that requires you to move about during that time.
Physical activity Physical exercise or a walk before bed time is ideal for chronic insomnia. Team up with someone or even with soothing music to help you maintain it as a habit.
Diet Have a healthy dinner, drink warm milk or herbal tea with camomile. Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco to help you sleep quickly.
Pamper yourself to sleep Warm bath with bath salts, massages, soothing music or chants, stomach rub or a hot water bottle can help.
Avoid any engaging activity Watching TV or reading a book just because you cannot sleep may often work against letting you sleep.
Do something monotonous Count sheep or try to chant the alphabet backwards. Keep at it till you sleep out of sheer boredom.
With inputs from PTI
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