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Circadian depression is an emerging subtype of the mental health disorder.Up to 25% of people with depression may have circadian depression, according to a new study.More research on this type is warranted, since treatment may be slightly different from that of traditional depression.<\/p>\n
In fact, so-called \u201ccircadian depression\u201d may actually account for nearly one in four cases of depression, according to the findings, which were published in the British Journal of Psychiatry<\/a>.<\/p>\n For the study, researchers analyzed clinical and genetic data from more than 10,000 Australians with depression who participated in the Australian Genetics of Depression Study, a large-scale scientific research project that looks at the factors that impact depression. These included self-reported data on the following:<\/p>\n social jetlag, or a mismatch between someone\u2019s internal clock and their social scheduleseasonality, or how much someone\u2019s mood varies among seasonsdelayed sleep midpoint, or when the halfway point of sleep is later than expectedwhether people were night owlshow tired they felt in the morningwhether they experienced excessive daytime sleepiness <\/p>\n After analyzing the data, the researchers found that 23% of the participants had a circadian subtype of depression. The findings support the \u201cvalidity and potential clinical utility of a circadian subtype of depression as a clinical profile,\u201d the researchers wrote in the study. The possible benefit? Defining this \u201cmay support more personalized care options,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n Circadian depression is an emerging subtype of depression, so it\u2019s not yet in the DSM-5, the handbook used by mental health professionals to diagnose psychiatric conditions. Much of our understanding is still preliminary until more research can be done. But here\u2019s what we know about circadian depression so far, plus the factors that influence it\u2014and how to get relief.<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Thea Gallagher, Psy.D., clinical associate professor at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View<\/a> podcast; W. Christopher Winter, M.D.<\/a>, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine.<\/p>\n What is circadian depression?<\/p>\n Circadian depression is an emerging subtype of depression that researchers believe is distinct from the traditional kind. It\u2019s marked by circadian disruption, which is when your body\u2019s internal 24-hour clock is out of sync with your external environment.<\/p>\n People with circadian depression have disrupted sleep-wake cycles, reduced daytime activity, low energy, and weight gain during episodes, according to the researchers. They also tend to become depressed at an earlier age and are more likely to experience \u201cbipolar-like features,\u201d including mania.<\/p>\n Why might circadian disruptions raise the risk of depression?<\/p>\n Your internal clock helps to coordinate sleep, alertness, hormone release, and your metabolism, says Thea Gallagher, Psy.D., clinical associate professor at NYU Langone Health and cohost of the Mind in View<\/a> podcast. \u201cWhen that timing falls out of sync with our daily lives, it can disrupt sleep and the biological processes that support mood,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n That can become a \u201creinforcing cycle\u201d: Disrupted sleep makes it harder to regulate your emotions and stay engaged in daily life, while depression can make sleep and routines more irregular, Gallagher says.<\/p>\n This is commonly seen in sleep medicine, and has gotten a lot of attention recently with the daylight saving time debate, according to W. Christopher Winter, M.D.<\/a>, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine. \u201cWhile some may prefer more evening light, research overwhelmingly supports the adoption of permanent standard time because of its improvement of daylight in the morning,\u201d he says. \u201cThis has a massive impact on psychological health and depression.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, circadian disruption doesn\u2019t just seem to be a risk factor for depression\u2014it also may affect attention disorders and other medical issues, Dr. Winter says.<\/p>\n Add Prevention as a preferred source in your Google search results.<\/p>\n Use your Google account to add this to your settings.<\/p>\n Add to Google settings<\/p>\n Dr. Winter stresses that circadian disruption is not the same thing as simply not getting enough sleep\u2014the repercussions of it are likely more pronounced. \u201cI think it is safe to say that consistent sleep timing that is a bit inadequate in amount is less harmful than the situation of getting a perfect seven to eight hours, but the timing is all over the place,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n Symptoms of circadian depression<\/p>\n Because it\u2019s not yet a formal diagnosis, there aren\u2019t yet any established symptoms of circadian depression. Still, the study uncovered a few things that may signal someone is dealing with circadian depression over another form of the condition.<\/p>\n Patients with circadian depression were more likely to be night owls and deal with insomnia. They were mostly female (80%) and were more likely to have more severe symptoms of depression like mania, suicidal thoughts, psychological distress, and physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue. They were also more likely to have weight gain during depressive episodes and didn\u2019t respond as well to antidepressant medications.<\/p>\n People who fell into the category of circadian depression were also more likely than those with different forms of depression to have these conditions, too:<\/p>\n ADHDAnxietyBipolar disorderObesity or overweightInsulin resistanceHow is circadian depression diagnosed and treated?<\/p>\n If you think you may have depression, Gallagher says it\u2019s important to see a mental healthcare provider for an evaluation instead of trying to diagnose yourself based on your sleep patterns. \u201cBeing a night owl <\/a>or waking up tired<\/a> does not, by itself, mean you have depression,\u201d she says. \u201cA brief diary of sleep timing, mood, energy, and seasonal changes can help a clinician see patterns and assess other explanations, including a sleep disorder.\u201d<\/p>\n There is no set treatment for circadian depression, given that it\u2019s technically not yet a diagnosis. \u201c\u2018Circadian depression\u2019 is still a proposed profile,\u201d Gallagher says. \u201cThis study doesn\u2019t establish that people fitting that profile should receive a different medication or stop their current treatment. It suggests we should pay closer attention to sleep and circadian timing alongside established depression treatments.\u201d<\/p>\n However, the study\u2019s researchers noted in their university\u2019s press release<\/a> that standard antidepressants like SSRIs or SNRIs tend to be less effective in people who have circadian depression and come with more side effects.<\/p>\n As a result, it\u2019s possible that treatments that affect the body\u2019s internal clock, like light therapy and melatonin, may be more helpful, though more research is needed. In fact, the researchers wrote in the study that folks with circadian depression may benefit from \u201cchronotherapies,\u201d or approaches that seek to reset or align the body\u2019s internal clock.<\/p>\n
There are a lot of different factors that can fuel depression<\/a>, from genetics to trauma. But new research suggests that there\u2019s a lesser-known element that may play a role, too: changes in your circadian rhythm, or your body\u2019s 24-hour internal clock.<\/p>\n![\"Google\"](\"https:\/\/www.prevention.com\/_assets\/design-tokens\/fre\/static\/icons\/social\/google.1467f37.svg\")
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