Insomnia and Depression Go Hand-in-Hand

Insomnia is one of the words that carries such weight in my world. There are in fact a few single words that bear a lot of weight in my life. Depression is another one of these words. Insomnia and depression are often 2 words that walk hand-in-hand. 

Luckily in our world, there is always growth and research happening, and people are starting to see the link that depression and anxiety have with each other. Knowledge is power, the more we know, the more we will be able to manage and understand what we are going through.

What is depression

Depression is something that I believe has become very prevalent in our world. There are a variety of forms of depression and it is something that affects so many people. Depression is listed as a mood disorder that causes a contestant feeling of sadness and loss of interest. I do not think there is a better way to explain it.¹

In my experience, I find that depression hits me hardest when there is no sad event, but I feel deeply sad. When I have every reason to be interested in what I am doing in my life at that moment, and yet I have no interest, in anything - working, getting, up, nothing draws my interest. Depression can have a severe impact on my quality of life.

Treating my symptoms

I choose to medicate for my depression, along side this, I also attend regular therapy and have made some changes in my day-to-day life to try and manage this as best I can.

My insomnia is stubborn and despite the use of sleepy teas, and a variety of interventions - it sticks around. I do however choose not to medicate for most of the time. I manage some sleep some nights, and I have chosen for now to continue to try and find the balance in my own life without more medication.

Something to be aware of when it comes to medication and treatment of depression specifically is that your insomnia may make it harder to treat your depression. It is possible that treating your insomnia and sleep disturbance could possibly improve your symptoms of depression.²

Insomnia weighs-in

Insomnia includes difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, not getting enough sleep, and having impaired function the following day. I like to call it an insomnia hangover. More and more it is being diagnosed as a distinct disorder and it seems a lot more prevalent in our world today than it was before. It is said that insomnia is also possibly very under-treated.²

My daily life

Both insomnia and depression along with some other conditions, are part of my daily life. Sometimes it can be hard for me to decide what to treat, and some treatments could affect my other health conditions. So, along with my incredible health team, we make choices that would be best for me and my health at the current time.

Every 6 months we do a recap and I am careful to keep a close record and sometimes even email myself with new concerns of symptoms that may have popped up. Being open and honest with my doctor and opening the lines of communication has been a game changer for me.

I also make sure to keep up with my homework from my therapist and when I am unable to go due to financial reasons, I make sure to stay on top of my mental health daily.