The Centers for Disease Control has reported that Sleep Apnea is related to Depression. Sleep Apnea is a condition in which sleep is disturbed by the repeated cessation of breathing during slumber. I have written previously about the importance of adequate sleep to one’s mental health. In my own practice I have seen many cases of depression and anxiety that are directly connected to lack of sleep.

Snoring, while a great annoyance to one’s partner, did not appear to affect the quality of sleep in the CDC’s research (at least not for the person doing the snoring.) The disturbance was specifically related to the gasping for air, snorting, or the complete stoppage of breathing that ultimately translated into higher rates of depression.

The study’s author, Anne G. Wheaton, Ph.D., reported that the frequency of snorting, or episodes where breathing stopped, was related to how likely a person was to have depression.

It is important for clinicians to screen for the presence of sleep apnea when sleepiness is reported as a symptom of depression. It is always critical to rule out the presence of physical conditions when diagnosing individuals with any mental health disorder.

- Cyndi