Effective & Trusted Medications Guide » Mental Health
Scientists have long observed a link between depression and heart disease. Now there’s research to help pinpoint the symptoms of depression that may signal cardiovascular trouble.
A study suggests that people who suffer from depression, especially certain physical symptoms such as loss of appetite, sleep problems or fatigue, may be at risk of developing heart disease.
“Our findings raise the possibility that the physical symptoms of depression are particularly toxic to the cardiovascular system,” said the study’s lead author, Jesse C. Stewart, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis. “Identifying the most harmful aspect of depression is important, because we will then know which specific components to target with our treatments.”
According to Mental Health America (formerly Mental health Association of America), 21 million adults and children experience depression each year. The WHO (World Health Organization) says it is the leading cause of disability in 15-44 year old people. Another source predicts that by 2030, depression will be the second largest illness in America. Depression often co-occurs with a chronic medical condition.
The American diet in general is associated with obesity and depression. Fast food has certain types of sugars and carbohydrates that can contribute to depression. Diet is just one factor that can contribute to depression. There are other factors include a genetic predisposition and environmental influence.
After years of thinking that insomnia was a side effect of depression, experts have finally found a clearer link between bleary-eyed nights and extreme sadness.
“Insomnia is more than a symptom; it’s a risk factor for major depression,” says Dr. Michael Perlis, director of the University of Rochester Sleep and Neurophysiology Research Lab, and author of two studies linking insomnia and depression. The important suggestion, he adds, is that fixing sleep problems may help prevent an emotional slide and often a much easier task than treating depression itself.
Insomnia and Depression
One study, presented at a 2005 meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, looked at data from over 1,800 men and women aged 65 or older and found that depressed patients with insomnia were 17 times more likely to remain depressed a year later as compared to those who were sleeping well.