Some physicians disagree but a quick screening in the office is often enough to suggest whether further testing for sleep apnea and depression are warranted.
The results from research studies does beg the question which came first, the chicken or the egg? It appears that patients who do suffer from obstructive sleep apnea have a higher risk of suffering from depression as well. Are they depressed because they arent able to function as well due to lack of appropriate sleep or do they look depressed because they are functioning without rest?
In obstructive sleep apnea the patients airway is obstructed by some mechanical problem such as the tongue or soft palate. During sleep they have trouble reaching REM sleep, the time of sleep that gives the most rest to the body and brain. If they do reach REM they dont stay there long and end up awakening to feel tired and foggy. People who suffer from obstructive sleep apnea often are sleepy during the day, take naps often and eat to stay awake. As they gain weight the problems with obstruction increases which also increases the amount of obstructive sleep apnea.
Lack of restful sleep results in poor productivity and mistakes and accidents. Often families dont understand how the sufferer can sleep as much as they do and continue to be tired, foggy and sleepy. Placing the shoe on the other foot you find that depression does disrupt sleep patterns and can often result in insomnia or the inability to get sleep. The differentiation is that with sleep apnea the patient has no difficulty sleeping but the sleep isnt restful. With depressive sleep disruption the patient may or may not fall to sleep easily, the sleep may not be restful but they do reach REM sleep.
In a study released by Stanford University in November 2003 researchers found a statistically significant link between those who have sleep apnea and depression. People who are depressed are five times more likely to have a sleep disorder than those who arent depressed.
According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research 40 million Americans are chronically sick with sleep disorders. Sleep apnea is the cause of excessive daytime sleepiness experienced by almost 20 million Americans. In the U.S. they estimate that over 11 million people have obstructive sleep apnea between the ages of 30 and 60. Nearly 25% of those experience the disorder at a moderate or severe level.
Sleep apnea and depression affects more people than you might initially think. That snoring problem could be more than just snoring; it could be keeping you or a loved one from being productive and developing successful relationships.
