Clinical depression entails both psychological as well as physical manifestations. Most of us are aware of the psychological signs of depression including feelings of sadness, hopelessness and emptiness. However, many are unaware that there are physical symptoms of depression. Remaining cognizant of these physical symptoms of depression allows one to know what to look for — and when to get help.
One of the most salient physical symptoms of depression relates to your sleep habits. Chronic insomnia could be caused by clinical depression. Conversely, some who suffer from depression sleep excessively and have a hard time dragging themselves out of bed. An abrupt change in sleep patterns can often prove to be the first of the physical symptoms of depression to arise. Constant fatigue and exhaustion also are indicative to poor sleeping, and they are also independent physical symptoms of depression in their own rights.
Many who are clinically depressed experience other ailments including frequent headaches, back pain as well as other aches and pains throughout the body. Obviously, not all minor aches and pains are due to depression, but when taken in context with other psychological symptoms of depression they can yield helpful clues when it comes to a depression diagnosis. Some patients with depression actually experience chest pains as one of their physical symptoms of depression, and in the most severe instances it can be mistaken for a real heart attack.
A sudden change in weight is also a salient physical manifestation of clinical depression. This can be in either direction — rapid weight gain or alternatively unexplained weight loss. Clinical depression can also entail digestive problems including nausea and/or constipation. As with other physical symptoms of depression, many of these can be attributed to other ailments or just the daily rigors of life — however, when they occur consequent to sleep pattern changes you should take notice.
Clinical depression entails different signs for each individual. What might be physical symptoms of depression in one person might be harmless minor maladies in another. In the end, only a qualified mental health professional can make an accurate depression diagnosis. If you think you are experiencing some of these physical symptoms of depression, then the time to act is now.
Manic depression is touching my soul
I know what I want but I just don’t know
How to, go about gettin’ it
Feeling sweet feeling,
Drops from my fingers, fingers
Manic depression is catchin’ my soul
-Jimi Hendrix, “Manic Depression”
Everyone has occasion to feel sad, lonely or “depressed”. This is normal, and it has always been a component of human life. However, some of us experience these feelings with great intensity, or for extended periods of time, such that it becomes what is classified as “clinical depression”. When left untreated, clinical depression can be debilitating and, in the worst circumstances, can lead to suicide. In fact, over 10% of those with untreated clinical depression commit suicide. Consequently, recognizing clinical depression symptoms becomes imperative in order to effectuate treatment before the more serious outcomes can manifest themselves. Clinical depression symptoms are wide ranging, and they are often hard to discern unless you are vigilantly looking out for them.
Our sleep patterns are a major telltale when it comes to diagnosing clinical depression. Changes in sleep are among the most salient clinical depression symptoms, and this can be on either end of the spectrum — sudden insomnia or constant fatigue and oversleeping. Changes in sleep habits in either direction can indicate clinical depression, and this is especially true when they occur parallel to other clinical depression symptoms. Daytime fatigue and inability to concentrate are related clinical depression symptoms. Signs like this are often subtle, and they can be written off as just being overworked or otherwise stressed. Irritability and restlessness also constitute depression signs and symptoms, and they likewise are often mistakenly attributed to things other than clinical depression.
A sudden change in outlook can also be one of the signs of clinical depression. This most often takes the form of overwhelming pessimism, feelings of hopelessness, pangs of guilt and constant restlessness and/or anxiety. Again, these reactions are entirely appropriate at certain junctures of life — but a healthy individual will quickly recover from them whereas those suffering from clinical depression will not. Duration of the apparent clinical depression symptoms is most often what differentiates normal cycles of life from a depression diagnosis. Loss of interest in work, hobbies or even sex are also clinical depression symptoms. Changes in eating patterns, which can include either sudden weight gain or alternatively weight loss, can occur within the context of clinical depression.
The most concerning clinical depression symptoms surround fixation with death or other morbid events. Constant discussion of death — especially within the context of an escape — is a very serious sign of depression which warrants immediate treatment. Overwhelming feelings of worthlessness and hopelessness. which result in desiring an escape even as drastic as death, are prototypical clinical depression symptoms — and those experiencing them should take the potentially life-saving step of seeking treatment from a mental health professional.
While everyone experiences insomnia to some degree, those who have chronic insomnia feel there is no cure for them. Before one can cure the condition it’s essential to find the underlying cause. There are many reasons people have insomnia and in varying degrees. Some people have trouble falling asleep while others have trouble staying asleep. The cause of the sleeplessness varies from person to person but before you can begin to treat the condition you must evaluate and analyze the cause. While there are many different things that may contribute to insomnia, the ten must common causes are as follows:
Inconsistent sleep patterns. For good sleep it’s important to go to sleep and wake up at approximately the same time every day. Many people have a tendency to stay up extremely late and wake up extremely late on their days off which disrupts their normal sleep patterns.
Eating heavy meals too close to bedtime. Your body needs time to complete the digestive process, and if you eat your dinner too close to bedtime you will have trouble falling asleep. While work schedules may sometimes affect this process, especially those who may work both a full-time and part-time job without a break in between, eating late will definitely have a detrimental effect on your ability to fall asleep.
Going to bed hungry. This is something many people attempt to do, especially when they are trying to lose weight, and it is one of the worst things you can do for sleep quality. Many people read the advice of stars who say they don’t eat after 6 p.m. and think it is the perfect solution. Instead of trying to go to bed hungry and not be able to sleep, try having a small high energy snack. Serotonin is believed to be a natural sleep aid and is present in many chocolate products—you don’t have to sacrifice your diet but have a small cup of sugar free chocolate pudding or sugar free hot chocolate.
Going to bed exhausted. While it seems to make sense to wait until you are tired to go to bed, you don’t wait to wait until you are completely exhausted or you will have trouble going to sleep.
Getting too many sleep aids.
Smoking
Overuse of caffeine
Temperature in room too hot or too cold
Inability to relax after going to bed
Lack of exercise. While you don’t want to do too much close to bedtime, a little bit of light exercise can actual relax you and help you fall asleep. It can be something as mild as just take a ten or fifteen minute walk outside.
While people may have other reasons they have difficulty sleeping, these are the most common reasons and the ones easiest to address. Some people have chronic insomnia that is related to health conditions or medications they must take; it’s difficult to control those causes. However, if you work on some of the other causes you can at least reduce some of the bouts of insomnia that your health conditions and medications cause.
There are many factors that go into a good night’s sleep. Your sleeping environment is the most essential to sleeping well. The room that you sleep in must be free from noise, free from bright lights, free from clutter and have a comfortable bed. A comfortable bed involves clean sheets, the right type of pillow for you and just the right mattress.
A good mattress is essential to a good night’s sleep. What qualifies as a good mattress? The optimal mattress will offer comfort in the form of proper cushion and recoil, while providing firm enough support for a person’s back, legs and neck. The best mattress will distribute a person’s weight evenly so that you won’t wake up sore. This comes from the firmness of the mattress. While a great deal of people seem to prefer a very firm mattress, scientific research has been inconclusive due to the differences in every person.
How long does a mattress last or when should I buy a new mattress? The life of the mattress is reliant on whether the mattress is used everyday or for guests only, the quality in which the mattress was created, along with the weight and sleep patterns of the user. Taking all of these things into consideration , the average mattress should be replaced every 5-7 years.
When shopping for a mattress, doctors recommend that you purchase a mattress that supports the natural ‘S’ curve of your back while allowing you to completely relax. You should spend anywhere from 15-30 minutes ‘trying out’ a mattress. That’s right. Lie down in the middle of the mattress store and turn over just like you were sleeping. Now don’t do this quickly. It takes your body 15-30 minutes to relax, so lay down and wait for relaxation to happen.
Keep in mind that there are many types of mattresses. There are traditional coil, air, latex and memory foam. A good mattress is not made up of all the bells and whistles, nor is it the most expensive. It is the one that fits your needs and your body. The one that offers support and evenly distributes your weight. A good mattress allows you a deep, restful sleep so that you can wake in the morning feeling refreshed and rejuvenated not groggy, sore, achy and tired.
Keep in mind, when you’ve eliminated the stress from your bedroom and eliminated any other issues that might be interfering with your sleep patterns, it’s time to look at getting a new mattress. If you’re mattress is over 8 years old don’t try to justify keeping it. A good mattress equals a good night’s sleep which equals better health.
With age the body experiences some changes in sleep patterns. It is necessary for aged people to alter their lifestyles in order to cope up with sleep problems. It is extremely important to figure out the cause of the problem and search for the appropriate solution.
Some Solutions For Seniors That Can’t Sleep
Senior years are basically meant for relaxation and rest. As all the responsibilities of raising a family get over by this age, we usually think that the sleep problems might recede. But reality often turns out to be very different. Actually sleep problems elevate significantly with the increase in age. More than sixty percent of the senior citizens experience sleep problems. Generally after the age of 65 a person not only sleeps less but also experiences troubled sleep.
Unfortunately seniors that can’t sleep do not seek any treatment for sleep problems. Eventually sleep problems lead to decreased sex drive, poor memory and undue fatigue. Researchers conclude that the factors, which affect sleep patterns in senior citizens, include stress, lack of exercise and pain. Even diseases and illnesses fall among underlying causes as sleep is also affected by the medicines taken by an aged person.
There are some tips, which might work for the seniors that can’t sleep. As the body gets old, the capacity of the body to tolerate chocolates, nicotine or caffeine also decreases, hence the intake of such substances should be limited and especially late in the evening. It is important for the aged to follow a proper and regular schedule, even on weekends. They should get up and go to sleep at the same time everyday. This routine helps the body to understand and regularize sleep patterns. Regular exercise at fixed hours must be included in the daily routine of elder people. Late afternoon is apt but you can also indulge in some light physical activity a few hours before bedtime. These exercise sessions help you to sleep better. Expose your body to natural sunlight during the daytime so that the internal sleep clock can remain well adjusted.
You must not take the help of alcohol to sleep. Not even small amounts should be taken as alcohol makes it difficult to maintain deep sleep during the whole of the night. You may fall asleep quickly by alcohol intake but you are sure to wake up sooner and won’t even feel rested. The general rule is to bring some potential changes to your lifestyle so that you can regulate your sleep patterns. Sleep in a well ventilated bedroom, choose comfortable bedding and avoid any kind of noise and light disturbance. Your bedroom plays a significant role in sleep, hence arrange the room with pastel colored accessories, which are believed to help maintain proper balance levels according to Feng Shui principles.
As you get older you must maintain a balanced diet so that the body can meet the nutrient requirements. Inadequate levels of magnesium and iron also contribute to disturbed sleep. It is advisable not to take heavy meals just prior to going to bed. Your meal should be taken at least a few hours before going to sleep. You can also try some herbal remedies, which are capable of triggering the hormones and neurotransmitters associated with inducing sleep. However it is a must to seek the opinion of a doctor if these remedies do not work for seniors that can’t sleep.
Sleep deprivation in babies or infants is not very different from sleep deprivation in adults. A number of adults find it difficult to sleep each night and similarly infants also have problems while trying to sleep. The only difference is that the causes of sleeping problems in babies are entirely different from the causes of sleep problems in adults.
In adults sleep problems are usually blamed on the factors like stress, jetlag, depression, work, etc. but what have these factors to do with the babies that can’t sleep ? In fact every child or baby has varying sleep patterns and different sleeping habits. Even the time, when they go to sleep also varies from one infant to other. Usually during the first few months from their birth, babies on an average, sleep for about 16-18 hours per day. The baby may wake up once or twice during this sleeping period but normally falls back asleep on his own.
Babies experiencing sleeping problems usually:
• Find it very difficult to go to sleep
• Wake up quite early in the morning
• Wake up a number of times during the night and have a difficult time in getting back to sleep
Sleeping problems in babies are often due to one or some of the following reasons:
• Babies or young children may want to grab the attention of their parents at all the times.
• The baby may be suffering from some digestive problems like colic.
• The most common reason is that the baby might be hungry and not getting proper feed.
• Sleepless nights are very common the infants start their teething process.
• The baby may be having some serious health ailment.
Some tips to handle babies that can’t sleep:
• If the baby starts crying in the middle of the night, there is absolutely no need to rush there immediately. Most of the times babies stop crying on their own and fall back asleep themselves. Your attention or intervention at each and every cry will provide the baby with a reason to remain awake.
• Make sure that the outside noises are not disturbing your baby’s sleep. If you think that such noises are preventing your baby from sound sleep then you can try to cover up these noises by playing some soft music.
• Do not encourage the baby’s habit of going to sleep in your arms. Try and cultivate the ritual of his falling asleep in the crib. Make sure to select a comfortable crib and provide the baby with soft pillows that can mould perfectly according to the shape of the baby’s head.
• Unless the doctor prescribes, you should never use any infant medication on your own, to make your child fall asleep.
• The market is replete with baby products that help in promoting sleep. These devices are called sleep machines and produce white noise. These machines allow the child to have a restful sleep.
As a responsible parent it is important for you to know when to go to a doctor regarding your baby’s sleeping problems. Despite of all your efforts, if the number of consecutive sleepless nights of your baby keeps on increasing then you must head to a physician for a thorough check-up of your baby.
Episodes of sleep paralysis are indeed terrifying and the person who suffers from this ailment is unable to move around or call for help. It is vital to seek proper medical care, once the symptoms are recognized to prevent more serious problems.
Imagine if you can’t move when sleeping! How terrifying it can be.Sleep paralysis is quite a disturbing phenomenon and a person suffering from it, is unable to move while sleeping, as he or she experiences partial paralysis even when fully conscious. There is no particular reason as to why this affects some people and not others. However, for those who have experienced it, it can be quite unpleasant. Some of them may even hesitate in seeking help as they are unsure of how to describe this peculiar condition.
People with this disorder experience sleep apnea when they are just about to fall asleep or have just woken up from a sleep. Their whole body seems to be possessed by some external force. This quite naturally arouses fear when one notices the inability to move the body for no apparent reason whatsoever. For people facing such issues when sleeping, it can appear to be even supernatural at first instance.
In sleep apnea, a whooshing reverberation in the ears, an increase in heart rate, panic and a feeling of being trapped in the room are some common symptoms experienced. Struggle for breath, sound of whispers in the ears and a feeling of floating in the air are some common things that happen when sleeping as experienced by people suffering from this sleep disorder. It is advisable to seek timely help in case any of the said symptoms are noticed. A number of effective drugs are available that help in regulating sleep patterns and promote steady sleep cycles.
Recent Comments