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Depression and sleep disorders “profoundly” linked

May 14, 2015
Photo supplied.

Photo supplied.

An Adelaide University study has demonstrated a “profound” link between depression and sleep disorders in men.

A five-year study of 1800 men found that those with an undiagnosed sleep disorder (diagnosed during the study) who were prone to falling asleep in the daytime, were four times more likely to suffer depression than those without a sleep disorder.

Those who had been diagnosed with a sleep disorder surveyed in the study – many of whom were being treated for the disorder – were twice as likely to suffer depression.

Researcher Dr Carol Lang told InDaily that GPs should be assessing male patients for both depression and sleep apnea if they present with one of the two illnesses.

“If you have depression, make sure you talk to your doctor about sleep apnea,” she said.

“Often someone will walk into a clinic and the GP will say ‘let’s assess your depression’ and not the sleep disorder itself (or vice versa).

“Depression is a serious public health concern and a lot remains unknown about how to treat it effectively in men.

“Our study found excessive daytime sleepiness and severe obstructive sleep apnea are both associated witht he prevalence and onset of depression and the presence of both is associated with an even greater risk.

“With the link between sleep disorders and depression being so strong, I’d encourage clinicians to investigate men with symptoms of either depression or a sleep disorder for the other problem.

“It is also important that people with depressive disorders raise any concerns about their sleep with their physician because often sleep problems are assumed to simple be a result of the depression itself and not investigated.”

Lang said more than 80 per cent of people with sleep apnea were undiagnosed.

“Obstructive sleep apnea affects approximately one in two men and one in five women, but most of these, up to 82 per cent, remain undiagnosed,” Lang said.

“An association between sleep apnea and depression has been noted in previous research, but now we know just how strong this relationship really is in the general community.”

The research was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

Image: Shutterstock

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