Sorting Out Sleep Patterns

Sleep deprivation is a form of torture!

It is not surprising that sleep deprivation or disruption is an effective method of torture. Sleep deprivation alone can bring about many of the symptoms of depression, in an experimental situation. But even too much sleep of the wrong kind can cause problems. The body is built to function best on a consistent pattern of sleep and waking, rather than on pure numbers of hours of sleep.

Why does depression disrupt sleep?

One theory* is that depression disrupts sleep because habits of depressed thinking during the day build up such high levels of stress and emotional arousal that when the brain tries to discharge the stress during periods of REM sleep it becomes exhausted rather than refreshed. This would explain the common experiences of

• waking feeling exhausted
• waking early (protecting the brain from any further over-active REM sleep)
• wanting to sleep all the time.

Strategies

• Work on your "sleep hygiene"

  • Make a realistic plan for a consistent sleep pattern. Get up at roughly the same time every day, including weekends, and go to bed only when tired.
  • If you find yourself tossing and turning, get up and do something gentle in low light. Only go back to bed when you are tired. Tossing and turning makes you associate going to bed with being awake.
  • Some people might benefit from a "siesta" pattern, but make a set nap time and restrict it to no longer than 75 minutes.
  • If you are over-sleeping, give yourself small realistic goals for getting up at a set time and staying up for a set period (eg. 10 minutes to start with) before going back to bed if you still wish to. Plan an activity to get up for each day.

• Set your body clock

  • Get into a routine of staying awake during the day and sleeping at night. Staying up late and sleeping in does not give the same quality of sleep. Avoid "all nighters" and inconsistent patterns of eating (see depression in student life).
  • Make sure you get outside, even briefly, during daylight hours. Exposure to natural light helps keep the body clock regular.
  • The light from TVs and computer screens can make it harder to get to sleep. Turn them off at least half an hour before you go to bed.

• Tackle depressed thinking habits

  • Avoid getting into a rigid expectation about sleep. The more pressure you put on yourself to fall asleep the less likely it is to happen. Worry about sleep can be just as damaging as lack of sleep itself. Remind yourself that it is almost as useful to lie down and rest.
  • Learn more about depressed thinking and how to challenge it, so as not to build up too much internal stress.
  • Write down a list of the thoughts that habitually bother you when trying to go to sleep, or the ones which are relevant that day. Work through them from a reasoned, realistic perspective, then set them aside to be dealt with the next day.

• Use other strategies to help your body sleep

  Brain chemicals controlling sleep can be better regulated by:
  • raising activity levels and taking regular exercise
  • eating good mood food
  • avoiding caffeine and alcohol
  • practising relaxation techniques.

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