the research, published in jama psychiatry , found compelling evidence that chronotype — a person’s tendency to go to sleep at a certain time — plays a powerful role in the risk of depression. the findings present an opportunity to shore up mental health in the post-pandemic era as vast amounts of people leave the relative safety of their homes and return to the real world.
“we have known for some time that there is a relationship between sleep timing and mood, but a question we often hear from clinicians is: how much earlier do we need to shift people to see a benefit?” said celine vetter , senior author of the study and an assistant professor of integrative physiology at university of colorado boulder. “we found that even one-hour earlier sleep timing is associated with significantly lower risk of depression.”
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to paint a clearer picture of the protective effect of shifting sleeping patterns, researchers pored over data from 23 and me , a dna testing company, and the uk biobank , a large-scale health database containing the in-depth genetic and medical information of half a million people. they used “mendelian randomization” a process that helps determine cause and effect by leveraging genetic associations.
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approximately 11 per cent of men and 16 per cent of women in canada will experience major depression at some point in their lives. typically lasting two months or longer, major depression can result in feelings of hopelessness, detachment, lethargy, indecision and thoughts of suicide. the good news is depression can be treated and the first step is realizing that the troubling symptoms one experiences are not a personal failing but an illness for which help is available.
dave yasvinski is a writer with healthing.ca
if you or someone you love is suffering from depression or another mood disorder, it’s important to remember you are not alone and there is nothing wrong with reaching out for help. there are a wealth of resources available online to help you better understand the symptoms of depression and how you can start on the road to recovery.