If you find yourself staring at the clock all night, panicking that you will be a wreck tomorrow, you may feel powerless to help yourself. "We want to have control over everything, but you can't control your sleep; sleep is involuntary," Riemann says. "Chronic insomnia means feeling helpless. And feeling helpless is a typical feature of depression."
ONE CLASSIC SYMPTOM of depression is altered sleep habits. Many people with depression experience insomnia as a matter of course.
"Often, depression is diagnosed through a checklist, and that includes sleeplessness as well as irritability, feelings of sadness and so on," says Dr. Chisholm. “There's a clear relationship, in that sense, between depression and one of its underlying symptoms.”
Sometimes, traumatic life circumstances elicit such strong responses that people may experience both depression and insomnia.
COPING WITH INSOMNIA or depression by itself may seem draining; having both problems simultaneously may feel like a great challenge. But there are many resources to help you find relief. Whenever possible, seek treatment for both conditions.
"If you have severe depression coupled with insomnia, you should not neglect the insomnia," Riemann advises. "Many doctors will say. 'Okay, I'll give you a sleeping pill for a week or so.' But there's no special attention paid to it. It's good to have an eye on both."
Treatments for one condition may help to alleviate both, but this isn't always the case. This is why doctors recommend treating both insomnia and depression, if you realize that you have both conditions. If you don't realize that you have both, treating one disorder may still help.
Modest changes may reduce depression risk and protect against insomnia. "You don't need to rush off to see a specialist; some people might end up there, but there are other things we can do to take care of ourselves," says Dr. Chisholm. "Physical exercise is very important for good sleep and protective against depression, as are healthy eating habits and staying off alcohol. Be active and go back to the things that interest you and give you pleasure."
Opening to a trusted friend about your struggles with insomnia or a depressed mood may help. "This can often be very therapeutic in its own way," Dr. Chisholm says.
To cope with insomnia and depression one must -
A. talk to trusted friends about one's problems
B. adopt an inactive lifestyle
C. eat healthy and balanced meals
D. take sleeping pills regularly
E. stay off alcohol and pursue hobbies
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → A, C, E
A. talk to trusted friends about one's problems — Correct. "Opening to a trusted friend" about insomnia or a depressed mood may help and can be therapeutic, says Dr. Chisholm.
B. adopt an inactive lifestyle — Incorrect. Contradicted: the advice is the reverse: "Be active", and physical exercise is very important for good sleep.
C. eat healthy and balanced meals — Correct. Healthy eating habits are named among the things that protect against depression.
D. take sleeping pills regularly — Incorrect. Contradicted: Riemann mentions doctors who hand out a sleeping pill for a week as an example of neglect: no special attention is paid to the insomnia. Pills are not recommended as a regular habit.
E. stay off alcohol and pursue hobbies — Correct. The passage advises "staying off alcohol" and going back to "the things that interest you and give you pleasure".