With sleep deprivation against depression

Sleep deprivation improves the mood for depression in the short term

08/10/2011

Usually, a lot of sleep is considered to be especially beneficial. However, sleep deprivation is an advantage for the treatment of depression, a lot of sleep here is rather counterproductive, so the statement of the experts such as psychiatrist Prof. Dr. med. Ulrich Hegerl at the 27 Symposium of the Association for Neuropsychopharmacology and Pharmacopsychiatry (AGNP) in Munich.

Dullness and tiredness are typical symptoms of depression. Those affected feel regularly tired and impotent, but thorough sleep does not help here, said the doctors at the AGNP Congress. Instead, a controlled sleep deprivation may be beneficial to improve the mood of the depressive patients in the short term relatively clear, said the psychiatrist and director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Leipzig, Ulrich Hegerl. Currently, the researchers are looking for ways to permanently receive the previously only short-term positive effects of sleep deprivation.

Positive effect of sleep deprivation in depression
The positive effect on the mood of the depressive patients triggered by the sleep deprivation lead the researchers back to the fact that many of the affected people already suffer from significant sleep disturbances anyway. Controlled sleep deprivation prevents depression patients from staying awake for hours at night and giving up their mood swings, according to the experts. In order to achieve this controlled sleep deprivation, depressive patients are awakened in the sleep laboratory a few hours after falling asleep and then kept awake until the next evening, explained Ulrich Hegerl. The therapists specifically interrupt the disturbed night sleep of the depressed, which makes them feel much better the next day, the director of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy continues. However, the controlled sleep deprivation shows so far only a relatively short-term effect, added the sleep researcher of the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry in Munich, Axel Steiger. Therefore, research is currently working to maintain the positive effects of sleep deprivation in the long term, emphasized Steiger.

Feeling overburdened as a sign of depression
According to the German Depressionshilfe Foundation, sleep disorders are one of the typical symptoms of depression in addition to mood swings, listlessness, tiredness and guilt. The sleep researcher Steiger also explained that sleep disorders are a common symptom in depressives. In addition, the lack of emotion and loss of appetite may point to a depressive illness. Also accompany „the feeling of being overwhelmed and overburdened“ every depression, explained Ulrich Hegerl. The director of the Polyclinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy emphasized that pressure and stress, which are often thought to cause depression, do not act as major risk factors in the onset of the disease. „Life is constantly offering opportunities to become depressed“, But by no means all people suffer from corresponding psychological problems, emphasized Hegerl. However, it is clear that a lot of sleep - which contributes significantly to the healing of many other diseases - is rather counterproductive in depression.

Supply of depression patients so far insufficient
At the first German Patient Congress on the topic of depression in Leipzig on 2 October, the experts had already warned for a better care of the depression patients in Germany. Many sufferers would wait too long for a medical appointment and „Of those with depression, only ten percent receive optimal care“, the private lecturer Dr. Christine Rummel-Kluge during the patient congress. In the opinion of the expert, this also often applies „diagnostic and therapeutic deficits in care“. Despite the existing treatment options, can not be helped by all stakeholders, said the experts. (Fp)

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Image: Sarah Blatt