Surprising Depression Trigger CONFIRMED
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted December 25, 2023
Merry Christmas!
I hope you’re spending TODAY celebrating with family and friends.
And I hope you can finally get some good rest TONIGHT after pulling off another successful Christmas.
Many of us run short on shuteye around the holidays. But if that trend continues, it can become a problem.
Good quality sleep is critical for MANY reasons. But THIS one may surprise you…
Anyone who has been kept up all night by a barking dog or a crying kid can tell you it’s tough to see silver linings when you’re downright exhausted.
But there’s always been a bit of a chicken or egg issue with the link between depression and poor sleep.
Is it a lack of sleep that causes depression? Or does depression trigger bad sleep?
Luckily, a group of researchers decided to take a closer look.
The study was published in the journal Translational Psychiatry and focused on data gathered from folks with an average age of 65.
And the researchers confirmed that regularly not getting enough sleep was linked to the START of depressive symptoms.
In fact, even when other mental health risk factors are considered, this link between not getting enough sleep and the chance of developing clinical depression in the future still exists.
The researchers found that…
- folks who slept for five hours or less were 5 times more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms
- while those who were already depressed were 33 percent more likely to experience sleep disruptions
The scientists believe not getting enough sleep increases cortisol production, ramps up inflammation levels, and affects parts of the brain that control emotions.
This can cause negative thoughts, low mood, and other signs of depression to develop over time.
But there ARE some simple steps you can take to support better sleep and drive down your depression risk…
- Exercise is one of the best paths to a good night’s sleep. When your body is physically tired, your mind has no choice but to give in.
- Avoid caffeine in the afternoon. This means skipping coffee, tea, chocolate, and energy drinks.
- Cut back on alcohol, which leads to light and easily disturbed sleep.
- Sleeping alone is a valid option for folks who are often woken up by their mate.
- Calming herbs such as hops, passionflower, lemon balm, chamomile, and valerian relax the body and mind so you can sleep.
- Theanine is an amino acid in green tea that helps folks feel calm.
- Melatonin is a hormone that promotes good sleep.
Getting enough quality sleep is vital for your mental health. To avoid triggering mood issues or depression, adults should aim for seven to nine hours of shuteye every night.
P.S. Exciting new therapy SLASHES depression nearly 80%!
Source:
Hamilton, O.S., et al., “Polygenic predisposition, sleep duration, and depression: evidence from a prospective population-based cohort.” Transl Psychiatry 13, 323 (2023), doi. org /10.1038/s41398-023-02622-z
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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