In a recent study published in Scientific Reports , researchers investigated the relationship between sleep-wake changes and depressive symptoms among midlife women. Their results demonstrate that women who experience long-term severe sleep-wake changes may face an increased risk of experiencing depressive symptoms, highlighting the importance of maintaining stable sleep patterns to mitigate mental health risks. Study: Sleep–wake changes and incident depressive symptoms in midlife women .
Image Credit: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock.com Changes to sleep-wake patterns have been linked to the development of metabolic, cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric disorders. Maintaining stable sleep-wake rhythms is crucial for mental well-being, as irregularities are associated with an increased risk of depression.
Previous studies have shown that disturbances to circadian rhythms, such as irregular night shifts or later sleep midpoints, correlate with an increased risk of depression. However, these studies often rely on single assessments of sleep schedules. For this reason, little is known about the possible long-term impacts.
During menopause, women experience more sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms, potentially due to fluctuating ovarian hormones. Despite this, research rarely considers hormone levels and menopausal status in examining sleep-wake rhythms and depression. This study explored the relationship between long-term changes in sleep-wake rhythms and depressio.