Depression: Sleep deprivation and serotonin levels; your own rythm

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Getting enough sleep is a serious factor with depression. Sleep deprivation is one cause of lower levels of serotonin in the brain. Hence, it may contribute to depression. ~~

Most of the repair that takes place in our bodies happens while we sleep. Some researchers tell us that even when we sleep is important. They say that the body’s best time of repair is before midnight . Therefore, if you are like I used to be, staying up late, going to bed at midnight or one in the morning--no wonder we get sick.

Once I understood how this works, I made another discovery. Every evening, after sundown, I went through a period of feeling relaxed and sleepy. Since I did not want to go to bed that early, I would keep busy and fight it off until I got what I now call my “second wind.” After that I could stay up until all hours without feeling tired.

Then, when I did go to bed, my mind would be racing, I would lie awake for hours and end up with four hours of sleep. I was still tired but I had to get up and start another day.

Once I started listening to my own rhythm, going to bed when I started to feel relaxed, getting up early and getting a head start on the day, I not only slept well all night, but I discovered that I liked it! I was able to accomplish more, and I felt wonderful.

In this matter of sleep we find another “vicious cycle” in that staying up late and not getting enough sleep at the right time of night decreases serotonin levels. We feel stress that may well be caused by sleep deprivation alone. That stress makes sleep difficult or impossible. Sometimes when we have gotten into this habit it can be a difficult circle to break. But we can do it, once we make the decision.

Insufficient sleep alone can be a depressor. When you lose sleep, you reduce your serotonin levels and increase stress and depression. It is worth the sacrifice to go to bed and get our sleep! That TV program or cleaning the utility room is not nearly as important as good mental and physical health!

Arlean Kelley © June 21 2009 All rights reserved. Used by permission.

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