Tip : Challenge Negative Thinking
Do you feel like youre powerless or weak? That bad things happen and theres not much you can do about it? That your situation is hopeless? Depression puts a negative spin on everything, including the way you see yourself and your expectations for the future.
When these types of thoughts overwhelm you, its important to remember that this is a symptom of your depression and these irrational, pessimistic attitudesknown as cognitive distortionsarent realistic. When you really examine them they dont hold up. But even so, they can be tough to give up. You cant break out of this pessimistic mind frame by telling yourself to just think positive. Often, its part of a lifelong pattern of thinking thats become so automatic youre not even completely aware of it. Rather, the trick is to identify the type of negative thoughts that are fueling your depression, and replace them with a more balanced way of thinking.
Consult A Sleep Specialist
If nothing works out in the end, it is necessary to reach out to a specialist to get the symptoms checked out for any kind of underlying health ailments that might be making you tired and inducing oversleeping. This is quite a very common reason behind the same which is why it is necessary to ensure that you seek the necessary help and not just take the symptoms for granted.
There are several sleep specialists around and if you seem to not have access to them right away in your area, you can even consult a general physician and then get the necessary referrals from them.
When it comes to how to stop sleeping too much, there are predominantly a number of ways to do so but given the fact that the causes might vary from person to person, it is important to first source what the problem is and then opt for the salient way to get rid of the signs and symptoms accordingly.
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Why Do I Keep Sleeping Too Much
There are a variety of reasons why you may be sleeping more than you typically do or should. Its usually preferable to visit a medical practitioner if youre worried about this if it occurs for a lengthy period of time. Depression, thyroid issues, or a sleep condition might all be underlying factors.
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Is 10 Hours Of Sleep Too Much
How long you should sleep is dependent upon your age and individual health circumstances. 10 hours a night can be a healthy duration for children and teens, but for adults, experts with Johns Hopkins Medicine suggest a minimum of 7 hours a night and that regularly sleeping more than 9 hours is considered too much sleep.
You Have A Sleep Disorder
Oversleeping and ever-present exhaustion are key signs of the sleep condition hypersomnia.
With hypersomnia, you might wake up feeling disoriented and somehow still drained of energy. Instead of feeling refreshed, you might be unable to find the motivation to get out of bed and go about your day.
Other symptoms include:
- trouble with concentration and memory
- slowed-down thoughts or speech
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Lifes Not Less Than A Nightmare
When lifes a nightmare, trust me dreams are just entertainment. Your life is tangled up in so many emotions and feelings. Waking up in the morning feels like a task.
Your bed becomes your comfort zone and the thought of leaving it is terrifying. When you begin to dread your life, sleep is one thing you may try to hold on to.
Is Sleeping Too Much A Sign Of Depression
Depressive people usually complain of insomnia. But in some depressive people sleeping too much is the problem. According to a Study, Only 15% of people dealing with depression have a tendency of sleeping too much. This is the reason many times depression is such people can go unidentified.
Sometimes we meet people or know someone who claims that they love your sleep. There can be a high chance that their love for sleep may have an underlying cause. Oversleeping once in a while or on holidays is perfectly fine. But sleeping more than the required amount of time every day calls for attention.
Did you know some people sleep for 20 hours a day? Can you believe it! If you can then Im sure you know someone who is struggling to barely stay awake. The worst of it all is that its often confused with laziness.
Imagine someone who is already dealing with depression, for the little time they are awake they get to hear about how lazy they are. Hurtful right? Are you wondering what kind of depression it is? Let me tell you
Atypical Depression
Depression is not just about melancholy feelings. There is so much more to it and can be divided into many types. One of which is Atypical Depression. Atypical depression, as the name suggests is depression with atypical features.
Does this sound familiar now? Although it sounds alien but is very commonly diagnosed.
Lets look at some symptoms of atypical depression
- Temporary mood lifts
- Sensitivity to rejection or criticism
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Depression And Sleep: Understanding The Connection
Depression and sleep problems are closely linked. People withinsomnia, for example, may have a tenfold higher risk of developing depression thanpeople who get a good nights sleep. And among people with depression, 75percent have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
Which comes first? Either one can be the starting point, says Johns Hopkins sleep researcher Patrick H. Finan, Ph.D. Poor sleep may create difficulties regulating emotions that, in turn, may leave you more vulnerable to depression in the futuremonths or even years from now. And depression itself is associated with sleep difficulties such as shortening the amount of restorative slow-wave sleep a person gets each night.
If you have depression , daily stressessuch as financial worries, an argument with your spouse, or a jam-packed evening commutecould also lead to more nighttime wake-ups and more trouble getting back to sleep than someone without depression would experience.
Understanding the relationship between insomnia and depression can help you spot risks early, get the right help, and recover more fully if you are experiencing both. Youll feel healthy, well-rested, and able to enjoy life again. Heres what you need to know about depression and sleep:
How To Reach Out For Depression Support
Look for support from people who make you feel safe and cared for. The person you talk to doesnt have to be able to fix you they just need to be a good listenersomeone wholl listen attentively and compassionately without being distracted or judging you.
Make face-time a priority. Phone calls, social media, and texting are great ways to stay in touch, but they dont replace good old-fashioned in-person quality time. The simple act of talking to someone face to face about how you feel can play a big role in relieving depression and keeping it away.
Try to keep up with social activities even if you dont feel like it. Often when youre depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell, but being around other people will make you feel less depressed.
Find ways to support others. Its nice to receive support, but research shows you get an even bigger mood boost from providing support yourself. So find waysboth big and smallto help others: volunteer, be a listening ear for a friend, do something nice for somebody.
Care for a pet. While nothing can replace the human connection, pets can bring joy and companionship into your life and help you feel less isolated. Caring for a pet can also get you outside of yourself and give you a sense of being neededboth powerful antidotes to depression.
10 tips for staying connected
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How To Feel Better After Oversleeping
You wake up much later than planned, completely out of sorts. You stare at the clock in disbelief and dismay. What next?
If you already feel miserable, it might seem tempting to write the day off and stay in bed.
Yet, even though getting up might feel like an impossible feat, these strategies can help ease that groggy, late-morning funk.
Dealing with sleep disturbances when youre feeling depressed can seem like a vicious circle. The more depressed you feel, the harder it is to sleep. And the more exhausted you feel, the harder it is to fight depression.
It can feel like theres no way to break the cycle. And its frustrating to feel tired yet be unable to fall or stay asleep. Hereâs what you should know about the relationship between sleep disturbances and depression.
Elevation Behavioral Health Residential Depression Treatment
Elevation Behavioral Health is a Los Angeles-based residential program that offers intensive mental health treatment for depression. When outpatient interventions have been ineffective in improving quality of life, you may benefit from a more targeted treatment protocol. With deluxe accommodations and a highly attentive clinical staff, Elevation Behavioral Health strives to make the clientâs stay a comfortable and healing experience. Elevation Behavioral Health offers a full daily schedule of therapies and adjunctive activities to help individuals struggling with depression reclaim their joy and return to healthy functioning. For more information about our program please contact us today at 561-0868.
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Keep The Distractions Away
And by that I mean, No phones or other forms of distractions to the bed. This might often seem like a drawback but trust me it works wonders on impacting your sleeping cycle and your overall quality of sleep. If you are here wondering what is it that is affecting the sleep, it is these electronic gadgets that end up affecting your quality of sleep.
Exposure to blue light ends up disturbing the balance in the secretion of melatonin in the body which prevents you from falling asleep which, in turn, ends up making you oversleep through the day more than you should.
Try and ban any form of distractions if you have been thinking why I am sleeping too much. Keep the bed restricted for sleeping and sexual activities, thats what majority of the doctors suggest.
Research Shows Napping Once Or Twice A Week May Cut Risk Of Heart Attack Stroke
Personally and professionally, I dont like the phrase depression naps and would deter patients from using that phrase and taking that sort of nap, Farrell said. While naps are meant to be restorative and energizing, these types of naps actually can be an unhealthy way of dealing with your feelings, becoming a kind of defense mechanism, she said.
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Diagnosis Or Identifying Depression Naps
It can be hard to pinpoint whether a napping habit is truly a symptom of depression, or if youre just exhausted, Dr. Dimitriu says. The first step is to confirm whether basic human needs are being met, such as getting enough sleep for at least a week, eating healthy, some socialization, and exercise
Working too much and playing too little can also cause burnout or depression, terms that are often used interchangeably, which can add further confusion. If someone experiences low mood on more days than not, with a loss of interest in pleasure or lack of joy, it may be time to speak to a professional, Dr. Dimitriu says. However, thoughts of death or suicide are an immediate red flag that professional help is needed.
How Are Sleep And Depression Linked
An inability to sleep, or insomnia, can be one of the signs of depression . Lack of sleep alone cannot cause depression, but it does play a role. Lack of sleep caused by another medical illness or by personal problems can make depression worse. An inability to sleep that lasts over a long period of time is also an important clue that someone may be depressed.
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What Causes Problems With Sleep
The things that affect our sleep differ for everyone. They can include:
- stresses or worries for example, issues with money, housing or work
- problems with where you sleep for example, if you sleep somewhere uncomfortable or youâre easily disturbed
- health conditions relating to sleep, also known as sleep disorders
- being a parent or carer
For more information about sleep disorders, see the Mental Health Foundation and Royal College of Psychiatrists websites, and our list of useful contacts.
âItâs not possible to relax if you donât have anywhere comfortable and safe at night. This leads to not sleeping and worrying most of the night.â
If problems with sleep are worrying you or affecting your day to day life, itâs a good idea to see a doctor who can give you a health check and help you access treatment and support. If you fill in a sleep diary, you could take this to your appointment to show your doctor.
âMy sleep problems are more a case of bedtime procrastination than insomnia as such and, as a consequence, being too tired the next morning. I still havenât found out what works for me as I can get to sleep once I do get to bed.â
What To Do If You Have Long Covid
Since the symptoms and impact of long COVID can vary so much from patient to patient, its important to tailor your coping strategies to your specific symptoms. Physical problems such as shortness of breath, fever, and pain may leave you feeling drained of energy, mentally exhausted, and lead to a depressed mood, all of which require different coping skills.
While it can feel overwhelming, there are steps you can take to care for your overall health and ease your distress at this difficult time.
Seek medical help immediately if you experience chest pain, trouble breathing, a profound change in weight, or are unable to stay awake, eat, or drink. Your doctor may also be able to help relieve physical symptoms and rule out any serious complications or underlying causes.
Get vaccinated. While research is ongoing, some long-haulers have reported that having a COVID-19 vaccine has helped relieve their symptoms.
Continue to practice caution to avoid reinfection. Wear a mask if youre out in public, avoid non-essential travel, wash your hands frequently with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Limit your alcohol and caffeine intake. Both can disrupt your sleep and adversely affect your immune system. Caffeine may give you a short-term boost but it can lead to a painful crash in energy later.
Affordable Online Therapy for Help and Support
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How I Quit Sleeping Through Depression
My depression was treated with both medication and CBT . Medication can be put within arms reach on a bedside table, under the pillow. And, some therapists offer CBT over the phone. No need to get out of bed at all. But for me, given my penchant for sleeping, getting out of bed was as essential first step along the road to recovery.
At the beginning, it was absolutely the hardest thing I had to do. I would wake up, dress, drive to the therapist, sob through therapy, drive home, undress, go to bed and fall back asleep. My therapist suggested that I should try to extend the amount of time between when I got home from an appointment and when I went back to bed. Five minutes the first day, ten minutes the next, and so on. Slower if need be. While longer awake times meant longer bouts of pain, it also forced me to deal with that pain using other CBT techniques.
I love sleeping. It is my single most favorite thing. Which is why it is also the most dangerous symptom of my depression. Too much sleep, repeated oversleeping, also has the potential to bring me down . . . way down. I must be very, very diligent, aware of my symptoms and committed to my recovery.
Prevent Napping In Late Day
Napping during the day often ends up causing problems in letting you sleep at night which is the last thing you want if you want to get rid of oversleeping. It is mandatory to ensure that you avoid longer naps during the late day because this disrupts your sleep wakefulness cycle in the morning and prevents you from sleeping in the night when you are actually supposed to.
When you end up sleeping late at night, it tends to affect your entire sleep cycle, making you oversleep the day after. Prevent napping for longer periods of time and instead switch for easier power naps for better overall well being.
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The Link Between Sleep And Mood
You probably know firsthand that sleep affects mood. After a sleepless night, you may be more irritable, short-tempered, and vulnerable to stress. Once you sleep well, your mood often returns to normal.Studies have shown that even partial sleep deprivation has a significant effect on mood. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that subjects who were limited to only 4.5 hours of sleep a night for one week reported feeling more stressed, angry, sad, and mentally exhausted. When the subjects resumed normal sleep, they reported a dramatic improvement in mood.1Not only does sleep affect mood, but mood and mental states can also affect sleep. Anxiety increases agitation and arousal, which make it hard to sleep. Stress also affects sleep by making the body aroused, awake, and alert. People who are under constant stress or who have abnormally exaggerated responses to stress tend to have sleep problems.
Sleep and Mood