Sleep Abnormality and Depression

[hmkpoker]

For starters, I'm not a depressed person. I'm not suicidal or pessimistic or lethargic or any of the things that would describe depression. I exercise, work, I'm pretty healthy, not on medication or in therapy; life is generally pretty good.

Today, however, I was awoken very early (had gotten a mere four hours of sleep, used to getting eight or nine), and for most of the day, I've been very, very depressed. Thinking about killing myself and such, unable to do anything but lay in bed and cry.

The only other few times I can think of when this has happened were when my sleep was similarly disturbed. When I got only a little bit of sleep only to be woken prematurely. Is there some sort of causal effect between breaks in the sleep cycle and depression?

(btw, I don't mean to whine or ask for help, I'm feeling better now, I'm just asking if anyone knows anything scientific about this sort of thing)

[yukoncpa]

Serotonin levels in the brain are restored while you’re sleeping.

[Lestat]

If you're serious, I would see a doctor. Healthy people do not have suicidal thoughts, lay in bed and cry, because their sleep was disturbed for a night.

[hmkpoker]

I've been woken up many times before without this happening, I think it's only happened two or three times in about as many years. But I've only actually been depressed when my sleep was messed up.

[Lestat]

Take into consideration I'm a guy who gets by on 4-6 hours of sleep a night.

I'm sure not enough sleep can effect one's mood, but an otherwise healthy person who comes up short on sleep for one night shouldn't be spending the next day laying in bed, depressed, crying, and thinking of killing himself. I don't like the sound of that. I'm not a doctor, and I'm sure it's just some freak thing that happened to you, but if it continues, I think you should look into it.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
if it continues, I think you should look into it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll take that into consideration. Thanks for your concern /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Hopey]

This sounds a lot like how I feel (without the suicidal thoughts and crying) when I go a few days without sleep. Some people need sleep more than others -- if I don't get 8 solid hours a couple of times a week it really messes up my mood.

The only "cure" that seems to work for me is to either catch up on my sleep (I've called sick into work a few times simply so that I could sleep some more), or forcing myself to get up and do something energetic to get my blood pumping.

[billygrippo]

i actually feel more depressed the longer i sleep. normally i get like 8-10 hours of sleep and dont wana get out of bed each morning. after i wake up for a while i feel fine.

however, if i get woken up early i still wana just sleep but simply cause im tired. not cause im depresed.

[RainDog]

Sure there's a link...probably a seratonin thing as someone else brought up. But yeah, I sleep more than anyone I know. I need at least 8 hours of sleep to feel normal. To be happy I NEED 10. But sometime this just isn't possible in our sad sad world. When I'm cut short on sleep or don't sleep at all, I am generally pessimistic about people in general and everything around me. I don't cry or think about killing myself, but I do think about stabbing everyone that walks by me with whatever is handy at the moment. Really, lack of sleep just makes me more judgemental, which in turn makes me depressed because I realize everything sucks.

With ample sleep on the other hand, it's a beautiful romantic world.

I'm also a proud alcoholic!
Cheers!