How to treat insomnia with depression: what is recommended to do

Insomnia during a depressive disorder can lead to the development of dangerous diseases that worsen the patient’s already serious condition.

Treatment of insomnia with depression should be careful and careful, since the use of potent drugs sometimes leads to increased signs of depression.

Treatment of sleep disorders should be carried out by a doctor - a psychiatrist or psychotherapist in case of depression.

Depression and sleep disorders

Depression is a severe emotional disorder characterized by the following symptoms:

Apathy, inability to rejoice. The person is negatively disposed and does not experience joyful excitement or positive emotions. A rare forced smile does not relax, does not help lift the mood, and once again demonstrates displeasure.
Thinking disorders. A person’s thoughts are filled with negative judgments about himself and the world around him. He does not believe that the dark period will ever end and sees no logical basis for improving the situation.
Motor retardation. A person loses the ability to live an active life and motivation to work. He prefers to stay in one place and move as little as possible. The reason for this is not illness, but a depressed state.

How to get rid of bad mood and depression

While there is no quick, one-time solution to treating depression, the following tips may help.

Create structure for your day

Lack of planned activities and inconsistency can contribute to a feeling of helplessness and loss of control over the events of your life and its aspirations. Planning regains control of the self and allows you to get rid of the feeling that you are just an inert participant in your life.

The following guide will help you create structure and evaluate whether you are managing your time optimally. Buy a notebook in which you write 5 columns:

Time of day. You need to write down data in your diary a couple of times a day: immediately after waking up, late in the morning, before lunch, in the evening, before resting at night.
What do you intend to do?
What did you actually do?
How do you feel about what you accomplished? Describe your feelings in a few words and rate them from 1 to 10.
Situations and thoughts that can negatively affect your mood. Complete at the end of the day.

Tony Robbins' 90 Second Rule

Motivational presenter Tony Robbins believes that most people like to suffer, be depressed or apathetic. We are subject to anger, loneliness, boredom, confusion and much more only because we think (albeit subconsciously) that this will allow us to cope with the situation or pressure.

Robbins is convinced that it only takes 90 seconds to pinpoint a problem. This is what needs to be done.

Determine which types of suffering have become your favorite. It is necessary to be as sincere as possible and answer this question boldly (and it would be good to be alone so that there is no temptation to defend yourself).
Notice the thoughts that initiate torment and realize that external moments essentially do not have the slightest meaning. For example, thoughts about money can drive even a tycoon crazy. We become who we imagine ourselves to be. Thinking about finances and their lack seems to whisper to your consciousness, “You are poor and unhappy.” By focusing on them, you are only making the problem worse.
Decide firmly that you are ready to get out of depression and control your thoughts. The point is that we are not making a clear decision, and in all likelihood we are not doing anything to solve it. As soon as an irrevocable decision has been made, as soon as you have categorically decided to bring yourself back to normal, only then can you start treatment.
Even if all your projects collapse and the worst imaginable situation comes to fruition, this should not push you into the abyss of depression. You can't control 99% of the situations in your life, but you can control how you think and feel about it.
Calm your breathing. Drop your shoulders. Feel how negative thoughts float through you without causing any damage to your psyche.

Robbins testifies that for him the 90-second rule was originally a 4-hour or 4-day rule. With experience, you will learn to bring yourself back to normal in a matter of moments and prevent depression.

The Stoic Method

The Stoics practiced mental exercises that trained their psyche. One of their best practices is to imagine the worst-case scenario. This does not mean believing, but it means reconciling.

If you could be fired from your job and you haven’t slept at night for a month, finally come to terms with this possibility and stop torturing yourself. Tell yourself, “Okay, I'm ready for this.” Once you do this, you will feel relief. Work through alternatives. Now if you get fired, you will know what you will do next. If you don’t get fired, you can move on with your life just fine.

The most important thing in this exercise is to relieve the tension that has accumulated in you and let go of the situation.

Gratitude Skill

Gratitude has a powerful therapeutic effect. Depression often occurs due to regrets about the past or fears about the future. When you are grateful, you are present and aware of how much you have now.

Instill this habit in yourself. There is nothing more effective than developing it immediately after waking up and before going to bed. When you wake up in the morning, take 10 minutes to remember what you have. The best thing to do is keep yourself a gratitude journal. Also try throughout the day to notice what you forgot to mention in the morning. And finally, the evening ritual. Go to sleep thinking about what you have. Staying in a state of gratitude for a long time automatically relieves you of regrets, fears and worries. Gratitude has an incredible ennobling effect on a person.

Causes and provoking factors

There are many reasons why a depressed state appears and develops:

strong feelings associated with moving, loss of a loved one, social, economic status;
overwork;
health problems;
experience of violence;
peer pressure;
hormonal changes;
some diseases;
alcohol abuse, drugs;
medicines.

Factors in the development of the disorder:

Age. Older people are more likely to experience depression. This may be due to a decrease in the production of the happiness hormone - serotonin.
Floor. Women are more prone to depression, but it can be more severe in men.
Social status. Middle-income people are more resistant to negative psychological influences than poor or very rich people.
Individual characteristics. Psychological trauma suffered in childhood, introversion, genetic predisposition, health, family support, character traits.
Features of modern life. High pace, lack of physical activity, a large number of people around, “loneliness in the crowd.”

Consequences

The causes and factors of the occurrence and development of depression are very diverse. As, indeed, are its manifestations. However, one manifestation of depression deserves special attention. These are sleep disorders. According to scientists, 80% of people experiencing depression face this problem.

The underlying causes of depression, primarily stress, prevent you from getting a good night's sleep. In the morning, without sufficient rest, everything falls out of a person’s hands, he begins to get nervous. While awake, he continues to think about his worries, becoming fixated on them.

What does chronic insomnia lead to due to depression?

A constant state of depression and chronic sleep disorders can cause serious harm to a person’s mental health, leading to hormonal imbalances and metabolic disorders. Character traits may include:

irritability;
tearfulness;
anxiety;
aggressiveness;
inattention;
tendency to hysterical reactions;
fatigue.

The person suffers from memory impairment, and suicidal thoughts and intentions may appear.

In turn, any of these disorders can lead to more complex disorders. Apathy and lack of proper rest not only worsen your mood, but also lead to loss of appetite. A person may start eating too much, turning to sweet foods. This brings relief only for a short time. Or he stops eating altogether.

Irritability, aggressiveness, and bad mood lead to deterioration in relationships with friends and family. Instead of relaxing, resting, and having fun, a person grumbles, gets angry, and looks for flaws in everything. Gradually, friends, children, and relatives begin to avoid him or become afraid of him. Their attempts to correct the situation are even more annoying.

Increased fatigue, impaired memory, attention, drowsiness, together with pessimistic thoughts, lead to the inability to perform one’s job efficiently. Accidents are possible in hazardous industries. On the road, a depressed person can create an emergency situation. When performing routine work, the risk of serious errors increases.

General human development slows down. The desire to achieve something, to do what you love, to be creative, to achieve success disappears.

Particular attention should be paid to the fact that chronic insomnia and depression can lead to various diseases:

cardiovascular pathologies;
diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
musculoskeletal disorders;
vision problems;
obesity;
neuroses;
psychoses;
frequent manifestation of symptoms of influenza and ARVI;
alcoholism and/or drug addiction.

Premature aging and skin aging are also negative consequences of depression and lack of sleep.

In especially severe cases, hallucinations and delusions may occur, which requires the immediate involvement of specialists.

General treatment regimen

If insomnia has not yet developed into an advanced form, you can try to normalize sleep hygiene, namely:

Try to go to bed at the same time so that your body develops a routine on its own.
Avoid sleeping during the day completely. It can interrupt or worsen the quality of night's rest, resulting in insomnia for the patient.
Do not try with all your might to fall asleep, otherwise your sleep will be intermittent and superficial. It's better to go rinse off, read a book or knit, and then go back to bed.
Before going to bed, do not eat much, drink alcoholic or caffeinated drinks, and do not engage in strenuous sports. All this will excite the body, as a result of which it will not be able to relax.
Listen to calm and soft music before bed.
You can make tea based on soothing and relaxing herbs. These include lemon balm, mint, St. John's wort, and chamomile. They can be taken without a doctor’s prescription, but if the condition worsens, it is better to stop this method of relaxation.

Along with these rules, you can try contacting a psychotherapist who will prescribe treatment sessions - they will help you understand yourself, survive unpleasant situations that have happened in life, and also find a solution to any problem.

Attention! Those people who have cured insomnia endure depression much easier and also recover faster from mental illness.

Taking herbal preparations

This method of treating insomnia today is available to every patient, since herbal medicines are sold in any pharmacy, and thanks to their natural composition, they are suitable for almost all patients.

There are many herbal-based drugs that help cure insomnia. These include:

Motherwort forte;
Valerian;
Novo-passit.

Such remedies are considered the most effective and also have no side effects. However, if a person experiences vomiting and diarrhea, you should not take herbal remedies prescribed by your doctor. Also, any negative change in the functioning of the body is considered a termination of the course of treatment.

Tranquilizers

It is possible to get rid of insomnia with the help of tranquilizers, which improve the process of falling asleep and also eliminate all negative signs that interfere with night's rest. These include disturbances in the functioning of the central nervous system, anxiety and restlessness of the patient.

The most effective tranquilizers are:

Noofen;
Adaptol;
Tenoten;
Afobazole;
Phenazepam.

You should drink them only as directed by a doctor and in strict accordance with the instructions.

Taking antidepressants

Since insomnia is a sign of depression, doctors often prescribe antidepressants to patients, which eliminate all the symptoms of this disease, including stress.

These medications include:

Deprim;
Trittico;
Amitriptyline.

Attention! Each type of antidepressant should be prescribed by a doctor, since such drugs have side effects and contraindications, which during depression can greatly worsen the patient’s condition. It is important to take the tablets in a strict dosage prescribed by the doctor.

Traditional treatment of the disease

Traditional recipes and Ayurveda can cure insomnia just as well, as they are endowed with several properties: calming, relaxing and normalizing blood pressure.

Infusions and decoctions can overcome all signs of depression that prevent the patient from falling asleep. The most effective recipes:

We take the same amount of barberry, lavender, lemon balm and violet, and then pour 1 pinch of herbs with a liter of water. Close and let it brew. You should take this infusion 200 ml before bedtime.
Take 1 spoon each of motherwort, hops, mint and valerian, pour half a liter of boiling water and leave for 3 hours. We drink the finished product 100 ml several times a day.
Mix 2 pinches of calendula, motherwort and thyme, add 700 ml of water and boil. Then cool and strain the broth. It is recommended to drink 100 ml in the evening.

You can also try making a medicinal bath based on herbs and plants. It is made from:

pine;
needles;
calamus;
valerian.

If desired, aromatic oils are added to warm water. This procedure will help you relax and calm down, which are considered important criteria for falling asleep quickly.

Taking sleeping pills

In severe cases, patients are prescribed sleeping pills, thanks to which the person can fall asleep soundly. When taken correctly, medications will calm the central nervous system and have a relaxing effect on the body.

Effective drugs with a hypnotic effect:

Doxylamine;
Reslip;
Melaxen;
Circadin.

It is permissible to take such medications without a doctor’s testimony, but if the condition worsens, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Depending on the type of insomnia (hidden, anxious, and so on), the doctor chooses medications, so it is not recommended to take them yourself, otherwise you can only worsen your health.

Characteristics of sleep in a mentally depressed state

Signs of sleep disturbance in depression:

Difficulty falling asleep. The person is too excited, cannot relax, constantly remembers sad events, and torments himself with thoughts of how to correct the situation. Excessive nervous tension may cause a buzzing sensation in the head.
Frequent awakenings at night. A person usually wakes up a short time after falling asleep and then cannot fall asleep for a long time.
Superficial sleep, in which awakening occurs from any sound. It does not become deep, the person does not get enough sleep, does not get proper rest. His brain does not have time to process the information received during the day, his psyche cannot get rid of the negative.
Lack of REM sleep. Instead, the person falls into a doze. Those scraps of REM sleep that you manage to get are filled with unpleasant dreams and nightmares.
Early awakening. A person can wake up early, lie around, even get up and start doing something, but soon he feels drowsy again. Narcolepsy may occur. A sudden attack of drowsiness leads to the fact that during the day a person can fall asleep for a short time and disconnect from everything.
Hypersomnia is characterized by sleeping more than 10 hours at night, which does not bring relief. Increased daytime sleepiness and prolonged waking up are also common.
Reducing sleep duration.
Nightmares often repeat real events and experiences, but sometimes in a phantasmagoric form. It is then difficult to get rid of memories of them; they annoy and take away strength.
Walking in your sleep. Scientists from the Stanford Graduate School of Medicine (USA) in their study proved that people suffering from depression are 3.5 times more likely to sleepwalk.
Apnea. According to Australian researchers, 47% of those suffering from this disorder show symptoms of depression.

Signs

In most cases, insomnia is a frequent accompaniment of pathology and is characterized by common symptoms:

difficulty falling asleep and frequent awakenings;
predominance of disturbing shallow sleep;
REM sleep is replaced by drowsiness;
early awakening, accompanied by feelings of fear and anxiety;
fatigue and drowsiness during the day;
absent-mindedness and irritability.

Sleeping at night does not give you the feeling of rest. Patients suffering from insomnia have decreased vitality, constant daytime sleepiness, general weakness with depression and frequent headaches.

Insomnia in different types of depression

Currently, there are several types of depression. Each of them has its own characteristics of sleep disturbance.

Exogenous and dreary

It develops under the influence of external factors. Characterized by prolonged wakefulness, early awakenings filled with fear and hopelessness.

Anxious and apathetic

Anxious depression is characterized by the presence of a constant expectation of bad things about oneself, others, and future events. A person has trouble falling asleep and wakes up early, expecting something bad to happen to him. Dreams are filled with disturbing stories.

Apathetic depression is based on a lack of desire to do anything, depression, low level of activity, lack of initiative and bad mood. A feeling of drowsiness during the day is typical if the night's sleep was quite calm and long. In particularly difficult cases, the boundary between sleep and wakefulness may be destroyed.

Endogenous and organic

Endogenous disorders are characterized by internal causes. Probably, the main role belongs to congenital predisposition. The process of falling asleep may be trouble-free, but at night a person wakes up and then falls into a doze that does not bring rest.

Organic disorders are associated with congenital or acquired disorders of the central nervous system. There may be difficulties in falling asleep, sleep phase disturbances, frequent episodes of drowsiness during the day, nightmares, including those associated with experiences of traumatic moments. Another feature is the inability or inability to accurately describe your dream.

Symptomatic and iatrogenic

Symptomatic depression is based on the development of one or another pathology. It also occurs under the influence of medications, alcohol, drugs, and poisoning. Drowsiness, hypersomnia, nightmares, and insomnia characterize this type of depression.

Iatrogenic depression is a depressed state caused by medications and their side effects. Characterized by difficulty falling asleep and excessive sleepiness.

Seasonal

The exacerbation of seasonal depression is associated with the onset of the autumn-winter period. At this time, according to scientists, the amount of serotonin, the “happiness hormone,” decreases in the brain.

In the dark, it turns into melatonin, which regulates periods of sleep and wakefulness. A person prone to seasonal depression is characterized by hypersomnia and increased sleepiness.

How to understand that it is insomnia?

The clinical picture of sleep disorders includes presomnic disorders - difficulties in initiating sleep, intrasomnic - disturbances during sleep, and post-somnic - disturbances immediately after waking up.

If a person cannot fall asleep for more than 30 minutes after going to bed, if there are frequent awakenings at night, after which it is also difficult to fall asleep quickly, if a person gets up earlier than, for example, he needs to get ready for work, and night sleep is reduced to 6.5 hours on average, and also if subsequent wakefulness is disturbed, there is fatigue, attention and concentration decrease - this indicates insomnia. It is also signaled by bad mood, irritability, drowsiness, decreased motivation, errors occurring while driving and at work, muscle tension, and headache.

The clinical picture may also include complaints of general dissatisfaction with sleep, light sleep, and lack of a refreshing effect of night sleep.

Treatment methods for sleep disorders associated with depressive disorder

How to cure insomnia and other sleep disorders with depression? Only complex therapy, including relaxation, consultations with a psychotherapist, and the use of medications, will help restore healthy sleep and restore peace of mind.

Sometimes a person prescribes treatment for himself, thinking that the insomnia will go away the next night. However, most often only a specialist can tell you what to do to get rid of lack of sleep and anxiety.

Attention! Any medicine can only be prescribed by a doctor after a thorough examination. Incorrectly selected treatment measures can lead to worsening of the condition.

Medicines

The drug treatment for depression involves prescribing antidepressants, which help normalize the chemical balance in the brain and promote the production of serotonin. Drugs such as Cipramil and Cipralex improve mood, increase motivation for activity, reduce drowsiness, help restore a feeling of joy, and get rid of apathy.

But they can also lead to sleep problems, in particular insomnia, so their use should be monitored by a specialist. The main component of Valdoxan, agomelatine, helps both reduce mental stress and restore sleep. Elenium is prescribed to treat insomnia and reduce nervous tension. Anaprilin reduces anxiety.

Sleeping pills and sedatives are often used to treat insomnia due to depression. You can only take herbal products on your own.
All others are prescribed by a specialist and are issued only by prescription.
Sleeping pills can be addictive, so it is important to monitor your condition, not self-medicate, and let a specialist decide how to deal with insomnia.

Other methods

A psychotherapist is an important and sometimes irreplaceable assistant in the fight against sleep disturbance due to insomnia. With its help, you can find the causes of the problem and understand them. Several sessions will help alleviate a person’s condition, increase his self-esteem, reduce anxiety and eliminate fears.

Drug treatments may have temporary effects. An additional means of getting rid of insomnia is a daily routine, showering before bed, ventilating the room and maintaining a comfortable temperature in it. An evening walk or jog two to three hours before bed will give you some energy and improve your mood.

Relaxation and meditation will relieve stress and insomnia. Doing a few relaxation exercises in the morning will help restore your mental balance. Regular exercise before bed, a cup of tea or other drinks infused with herbs, allows you to calm down and take your mind off problems.

Treatment of insomnia in depression is a very important point, helping to break the vicious circle formed by disorders of night rest and a depressed state. Daily deep, restful sleep will allow the human nervous system to rest, get rid of tension and negativity.

Features of treatment of depressive insomnia

Lack of sleep has a negative character, even if there are no pessimistic moods. Many people attribute stress to ordinary fatigue and end up using alcohol or drugs. Being in such euphoria, you no longer think about how to treat insomnia during depression and get rid of the stressful state itself: life becomes easier if you look at life itself through the glass bottom of a glass. This is a very big mistake.

Instead of drinking alcohol, you should turn to your loved ones: talk about the problem and ask for help. Depression will not go away on its own, it can calm down, but everyone knows that the calm comes just before the storm.

Drugs

Antidepressants are a word that is familiar to everyone. There are hundreds of reviews and articles on the Internet: both laudatory and scary. Before you look for a generic remedy, make sure it is necessary. Visit a doctor (neurologist, psychotherapist), let him examine the condition. Proper treatment begins not with forums on the Internet, but with a dialogue with a specialist. Remember that picking up pills and diagnosing yourself by reading Wikipedia or listening to friends is an extremely dangerous step.

Advice! It won't hurt to take medications for proper hormone production. Such drugs help improve the production of serotonin and melatonin - these substances are responsible for joy and night rest. But, again, you should only use anything if it has been prescribed by a doctor.

Psychotherapist sessions

Seeing a specialist is a great way to treat insomnia and depression. It is important to remember that a person does not go to a psychologist. This doctor's treatment is completely different.

After undergoing a series of examinations, you can find that the causes of sleep disturbances arose as a result of severe stress, phobias, anxiety, and depression. A positive effect is achieved using one of the following methods:

hypnosis by M. Erickson;
behavioral psychotherapy (eg, stimulus control therapy);
art therapy;
self-hypnosis, auto-training.

In case of serious violations, treatment is combined. In addition to the above methods, the psychotherapist writes a prescription for medications, indicating the dosage schedule and dosage. In this case, the recommendations of other doctors will be taken into account, for example, if insomnia is caused not only by depression, but also by diseases such as apnea.

Phytotherapy

Often non-standard, folk methods come to the rescue. Since ancient times, herbal treatment has taken place in the everyday life of both ordinary people and the “cream” of society.

If insomnia occurs due to active brain activity caused by frequent anxiety, panic and fear, or a feeling of despair, you should pay attention to calming decoctions. There are enough recipes on the Internet, everyone will find an elixir for themselves.

Advice! Alternatively, you can consider the ancient Indian healing modality known as Ayurveda. It is still based on herbs; in addition to them, medications also include many vitamins and minerals.

Thus, it is possible not only to cope with insomnia during depression, but also to have a beneficial effect on the body. Before you start taking such medications, be sure to discuss this issue with your doctor.

General recommendations

A depressive state that causes sleep disturbances can destroy a person’s life. Sometimes, before eliminating insomnia, it is worth dealing with the negative feelings that are eating you up from the inside. But this doesn't mean you don't need to take care of your sleep. There are several ways to restore your sleep.

Daily regime. No matter how hard it is, you should go to bed and get up regularly at the same time.
While awake, try to maintain activity and mobility. Even a regular walk in the fresh air can help.
It's better not to overeat at night. It is believed that this causes nightmares; an overly full stomach will prevent you from falling asleep.
Before going to bed, you should not abuse alcohol, you should avoid caffeine and definitely give up energy drinks.
Make sure your sleeping area is comfortable. A clean bed, comfortable clothes for sleeping (if we are talking about winter), a ventilated room will help ensure that your rest will be pleasant.

It is useful to create bedtime rituals. Perform certain actions in the same order regularly before going to bed. As soon as you notice that it is becoming a stable habit, make changes - swap some points, for example.

Remember that healthy sleep will not only ensure a normal mood, but will also help maintain the body in good condition. At first everything will seem pointless, but no one said it would be easy. The road grows under the feet of the walker - it is impossible to heal without taking even such small steps. Think about it.