It can be so hard juggling all the commitments we have - life, work, family, friends, hobbies etc. Sometimes the exhaustion is overwhelming. One of the questions we often get asked is ‘Am I just sleep deprived or is it something else’. How can you tell if you are sleep deprived or experiencing depression – Let’s take a look at this in more detail.
How do I know if I am sleep deprived?
The term sleep deprivation refers to getting less than the recommended amount of sleep for adults, which is between 7-9 hours per night. Children and young people need even more than this. Surprisingly, 1 in 3 of us are not getting enough sleep and those who get less than 7 hours of sleep at night are more likely to report common chronic health conditions, including depression. The tricky thing is that people who suffer from depression are also likely to have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep. So, no wonder it can be difficult to know if we are sleep deprived or depressed. Let’s look at the symptoms of sleep deprivation and of depression as this may help.
The main symptom of sleep deprivation is daytime sleepiness, but other common symptoms include:
The NHS define symptoms of depression:
So…. Am I sleep deprived or depressed?
Symptoms of depression also often include insomnia which can have an impact of mood. It is therefore understandable why it is difficult to differentiate between the two. The difference with depression is that there is a minimum of two weeks where you feel a lack of interest or pleasure in all activities and persistently low mood.
Although, it is not that simple as the line between sleep deprivation and depression can be blurry and this largely depends on your experiences and situation. It might be helpful to ask yourself If you have a desire to do things but don’t have the energy or if you simply don’t care to do things, including things that would be pleasurable. If you are experiencing sleep deprivation it is likely that you still have a desire and interest in doing things.
I think I am sleep deprived, what are the treatments?
There are many ways to improve sleep quality including talking therapy, medication and environmental and lifestyle adjustments. Adjusting your sleep routine should be your first step:
Other options include:
I think I am depressed, what are the treatments?
The NHS advise that the treatment for depression usually involves a combination of self help, talking therapies and medication.
If you feel like you may be suffering from depression it can impact on your motivation and daily functioning (If you would like to explore medication your GP would be able to advise on this). If you have been feeling this way for more than two weeks, and it is impacting on your quality of life, we may be able to help.
Take a look at our therapies page to see what we can offer you or get in contact via the contact page to book a telephone consultation.
