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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by waki on August 27, 2004, at 3:14:35
I wanted to share something with all of you. Several weeks ago at the research center the p-doc asked me how much sleep I was getting.
Like half the people on this board I said it was poor. I used to boast I could live on 4 hours sleep every night. I wake up 2 hours early then my clock. I wake up in the middle of the night. How many of us know this too well?
He said he did not want to digress and dwell on the "whys" of sleep, however some doctors spend their entire career on sleep.
What he did tell me, is no matter how we do it (meaning staying on a sleep aid longer then advised) I need to get a solid 8 hours sleep. Preferably no less then 7 hours solid sleep.
We tried different sleep aids until we found one that gave me a solid 8 hours sleep, and I did not feel tired from the after effect of the sleep aid. (during the day)
This solved 50% of my depression. I was slipping into a depression every 4 days after my sleepless nights caught up with me. For 3 days I would nap and stay in doors.
I take temazepam every night now but I also sleep 8 hours every day SOLID.
I do not get depressed every 4 days now.
Everyone of you out there who is on this board for some mental illness, look at your sleep habits.
If you are answering yes, to these 7 questions you have a serious problem:
1) Does it take you more then 30 minutes to fall a sleep?
2) Do you wake up more then once in the middle of the night?
3) Do you get less then 7 hours sleep per night?
4) Do you nap during the day often?
5) Do you wake up at least 1 hour before you are supposed to?
6) Do you need a stimulant like cafeine to keep you awake during the day?
7) Are you fatigued during the day?If you answered yes to question #3, due to all the other questions you have serious problem.
Get with your doctor and find an appropiate sleep aid that will allow you to say no to these 7 questions.
Trust me, you will feel 1000000% better!
cheers M8's
Posted by irishcatholic on August 27, 2004, at 12:40:02
In reply to How to cure 50% of your depression by next week., posted by waki on August 27, 2004, at 3:14:35
I agree with much of your theory.
And in my case Prozac (of all things) seems to be a significant contributor to sleeping thru the night, even though I take it first thing in the morning. Falling asleep was not the problem, but early wakening (often after 4 hrs sleep and with very depressed mood) was terrible.I am sleeping 6-7 hrs consistently per night and feel better. Not all the way back but a solid improvement.
Posted by Ilene on August 27, 2004, at 13:36:07
In reply to How to cure 50% of your depression by next week., posted by waki on August 27, 2004, at 3:14:35
Sorry to blow the theory, but I usually sleep a good 8 hours and I'm still depressed.
Posted by partlycloudy on August 27, 2004, at 13:42:31
In reply to Re: How to cure 50% of your depression by next week., posted by Ilene on August 27, 2004, at 13:36:07
Me, too. In our family, when someone gets depressed (there are at least 4 immediate members), we sleep much more than normal - and definitely more than 8 hours per night.
Posted by BrittPark on August 27, 2004, at 14:06:09
In reply to Re: How to cure 50% of your depression by next week. » Ilene, posted by partlycloudy on August 27, 2004, at 13:42:31
For certain kinds of depression getting adequate sleep is plainly very important. However sleep deprivation has been used to break certain severely depressed patients out of at least some of their depression. So plainly mileage varies.
Be well,
Britt
Posted by waki on August 27, 2004, at 14:20:02
In reply to Re: How to cure 50% of your depression by next week., posted by Ilene on August 27, 2004, at 13:36:07
it's not really a blown theory until we test it.
try living a week on 4 hours of sleep and tell me how you feel. If your worse, the theory is correct, if you feel better then your theory is correct.
Okay I am being facious.
My point is, it is not a theory. Sleep is a fact.
I do not believe people know how much a lack of sleep can effect depression.
Its easy to sit back and say, nothing works, I do all I can. However solutions come from stepping outside the box and trying a combination of many things.
Your looking at the glass as it is half empty, I am looking at the glass that it's half full.
I am at the point that if someone can prove to me waving a bag over their head and screaming like a chicken helps, I'm going to try it!
Posted by Mariposa on August 28, 2004, at 8:55:39
In reply to Re: Ilene, posted by waki on August 27, 2004, at 14:20:02
I think I have to agree.....for many years I suffered insomnia and I was a miserable wreck! I tried sleep aids and prescription sleep pills and got a temporary at best relief, certainly not a success. I finally got so bad it was affecting me at work so I was put on Lexapro. Since then it's been wonderful, fall asleep easily, stay asleep all nite, and depression is in check. Have always known lack of sleep was my problem, and now w/Lex I feel *cured*!!!
Posted by Mistermindmasta on August 28, 2004, at 10:17:59
In reply to Re: depression and sleep, posted by Mariposa on August 28, 2004, at 8:55:39
I think there are many subsets of depression. I think that one subset of "depression" is not actually a true depressive disorder, but rather it is only a sleeping disorder. I am lucky enough to have decent sleeping habits. As long as I don't have alcohol or caffeine at night, I WILL be able to sleep 8 or 9 hours straight. I NEED 8 or 9 hours sleep. If I happen to get 6 hours sleep, I feel significantly more stressed and unable to deal with life. If I eat crappy, use a lot of caffeine and alcohol, I would fall into what would most likely be with the depressive spectrum. Sleep, though, is very important, and I would just like to point out that the more sleep i get, the more my depressive symptoms are reduced. So then maybe I'm not even depressed (?), I don't know. I;ve never been diagnosed, I just know a whole based on what i read. It might be more that I have underactive ADD symptoms and when I get more sleep and treat myself right, I get more metabolic activity in that area of the brain that is associated especially with ADD - the prefrontal cortex. It's really tricky for most people to say that they distinctly have only 1 disorder.
Might I also point out that some people with depression sleep perfectly fine - actually sleep too much. The classical melancholic depression is indeed associated with early morning awakenings, but atypical depression (which is more common, as i remember) is associated with excessive sleeping. So, in my opinion, sleep is VERY important, but I wouldn't say 50% of all depressions are because of sleep problems. I might lower that number a good deal.
Posted by waki on August 29, 2004, at 1:55:08
In reply to Re: depression and sleep, posted by Mistermindmasta on August 28, 2004, at 10:17:59
at one point in the game, i was one of those who slept all the time. however, even though i napped all day and slept at night it was not a solid sleep.
i would wake up every few hours.
they say one has to sleep at least 4 hours to hit the deep cycle of sleep. when i napped all day i dont think i slept a deep cycle at night or day.
point beinf, i think there is a major difference from total of hours slept verse solid hours slept.
an excellent comparrison would be, compare sleeping 12 hours total over a period of 24 hours span in which one woke up every hour. compare it to sleeping 8 solid hours. i believe the 8 solid hours is a pure and more solid & rested sleep, but far less quantity (50%)
Posted by Mariposa on August 29, 2004, at 7:21:57
In reply to Re: mistermindmasta, posted by waki on August 29, 2004, at 1:55:08
REM sleep.....that is what I feel I missed out on all those years. Never could stay asleep long enough to get there. Now that I can sleep the whole nite I am sure I am getting REM sleep.
Sweet Dreams!~~~8|8
This is the end of the thread.
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