Depression and insomnia, the chicken or the egg?
Have you ever found yourself feeling depressed as a result of poor sleep? You’re not alone.
Depression and insomnia often go hand in hand. In fact, studies have shown that 83% of depressed patients have at least one insomnia symptom. When you think about it, it’s no surprise that your sleep suffers when you’re feeling low, or that you feel low when your sleep suffers, but which comes first?
The truth is, it’s a vicious cycle, and we don’t know for sure which is the key trigger. However, what has been shown is that when depression alone is treated, often the sleep problems remain. This then increases the chances of depression returning. So, whichever came first, it’s clear that treating the insomnia can increase the chances of recovery.
In fact, research has shown that treating insomnia with CBT-i (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) has a double impact, not only treating the insomnia, but helping alleviate the depression too.
So, what is CBT-i? Looking at our circadian rhythm, creating a higher sleep drive, tackling our beliefs about sleep and anxiety, and exploring our internal system, CBT-i is far more than a programme of sleep hygiene.
The effectiveness of CBT-I is exactly why this is the method we follow at The Insomnia Clinic. Our 4-step process offers a structured programme that helps you identify negative thoughts and behaviours around sleep, replacing them with habits that promote sound sleep. Studies have consistently shown that these techniques can help up to 85% of people to improve their sleep- often seeing benefits in a few days.
This method helps you overcome the underlying causes of your sleep problem, treating the cause rather than medicating the issue. This means you can learn how to use your own body clock and sleep drive to improve and control your sleep pattern, meaning you need never lie in bed awake again!
In fact, CBT-i has such a large evidence base proving its effectiveness that it’s recommended as the preferred treatment for long-term insomnia by the National Health Services (NHS).
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