Are You Suffering from Depression? It Could be Just Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Having suicidal thoughts need not necessarily suggest that you are suffering from depression. Researchers have found that such depressive symptoms are extremely common in people who have obstructive sleep apnea, (OSA), which is a common sleep disorder.

The researchers also found that these symptoms improve significantly when sleep apnea is treated with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Helps to Reduce Risk of Depression
A moderate adherence to a healthy dietary patterns was associated with an important reduction in the risk of developing depression.

"Effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnea resulted in substantial improvement in depressive symptoms, including suicidal ideation," said senior author David Hillman, clinical professor at the University of Western Australia.

"The findings highlight the potential for sleep apnea, a notoriously under-diagnosed condition, to be misdiagnosed as depression," Hillman noted.

Common sleep apnea symptoms include habitual snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, disrupted sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Healthful Fruits, Veggies Protect Your Mind And Help to Reduce Depression
Healthy diets are all associated with physical health and mental health benefits, adding that the protective role is ascribed to their nutritional properties.

The study involved 426 patients referred to a hospital sleep center for evaluation of suspected sleep apnea. Participants had a mean age of 52 years.

Of all the patients, 293 were diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed CPAP therapy.

Excessive Social Media Use in Children can Lead to Depression and Anxiety
You may want to rethink how your kids use social media as a new study has revealed that the pressure to be constantly available and respond 24/7 on online accounts can cause depression,

Results showed that nearly 73 percent of sleep apnea patients (213 of 293 patients) had clinically significant depressive symptoms at baseline, with a similar symptom prevalence between men and women.

These symptoms increased progressively and independently with sleep apnea severity.

Eating More Fish Linked To Reduce Risk Of Depression By 17 Percent
Eating a diet rich in fish is an easy way to prevent depression. Omega 3 fatty acids in fish alters the production of brain chemicals that play a role in depression.

However, clinically significant depressive symptoms remained in only four percent of the sleep apnea patients who adhered to the therapy for three months.

Of the 41 treatment adherent patients who initially reported feelings of self-harm or that they would be "better dead", none reported persisting suicidal thoughts at the three-month follow-up.

According to the authors, the results emphasize the importance of screening people with depressive symptoms for obstructive sleep apnea.

The findings appeared in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

Source-IANS