TheraVoca blog

Treating Insomnia Can Protect Your Mood: The Sleep-Depression Link

Poor sleep and depression feed each other. A JAMA Psychiatry trial found treating insomnia with CBT-I roughly halved later depression risk in older adults. Here is why CBT-I, not sleeping pills, comes first.

Article summary

Poor sleep and depression feed each other. A JAMA Psychiatry trial found treating insomnia with CBT-I roughly halved later depression risk in older adults. Here is why CBT-I, not sleeping pills, comes first.

Article excerpt

Reviewed by TheraVoca's clinical team Poor sleep and depression feed each other, and treating insomnia can actually protect your mood. In a landmark JAMA Psychiatry trial, older adults who treated their insomnia with a structured program called CBT I were about half as likely to go on to develop depression. The first line treatment for ongoing insomnia is not sleeping pills; it is CBT I, which is itself a short, skills based therapy. Here is what the research shows and how to use it. See how sleep and mood are linked Sleep problems and mental health travel together. Insomnia is one of the most common symptoms of depression and anxiety, and it is also a risk factor that can come first and.