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Depression and Anxiety can Cause Sleep Disorders in Transgender Youth

Depression and Anxiety can Cause Sleep Disorders in Transgender Youth

by Dr. Krishanga on Nov 23 2022 4:23 PM
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Highlights:
  • Transgender youth are 5.4 times more likely to develop sleep disorders
  • Anxiety and depression are the most probable causes of sleep disorders in transgender youth //
  • Gender-affirming therapy can help transgender youth combat anxiety and depression
As per research that was conducted a year ago, transgender college students have an alarmingly high rate of mood disorders, sleep disturbances, sleep diagnoses, and suicidality (1 Trusted Source
Associations Between Transgender Identity, Sleep, Mental Health and Suicidality Among a North American Cohort of College Students

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). Now with this recent research, it is clear that teens, and young adults who are transgender are four times more likely to have a sleep disorder compared to cisgender youth.
More than 1.2 million young people aged 12 to 25 were interviewed for the study, with 2,603 identifying as transgender or gender nonconforming. The results of this study revealed that transgender youth are 5.4 times more likely to have insomnia and three times more likely to have sleep apnea or other sleep disorders when compared to their peers.

“Sleep health has rarely been examined in transgender and gender-nonconforming youth, but these results show a concerning number of individuals with disorders that harm sleep quality,” says first author Ronald Gavidia, M.D., M.S., a sleep medicine physician in the University of Michigan Health Department of Neurology’s Division of Sleep Medicine and an assistant professor of neurology at University of Michigan Medical School.

“Given this higher prevalence of sleep disorders in relation to cis-gender youth, clinicians should consider screening and testing this population for such disorders,” Gavidia said.

Sleep Disorders in Transgender Youth are Most Likely Caused by Depression and Anxiety

Transgender and non-binary (TNB) youths are disproportionately burdened by poor mental health outcomes owing to decreased social support and increased stigma and discrimination. There is a high prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms, which are known to affect sleep quality and health (2 Trusted Source
Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care

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).

“Transgender and gender nonconforming identities may precede mental health disorders and both influence insomnia diagnosis,” said senior author Galit Levi Dunietz, Ph.D., M.P.H., an epidemiologist in the Department of Neurology’s Division of Sleep Medicine and assistant professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School.

As per a study, it was found that gender-affirming medical interventions were associated with lower odds of depression and suicidality over 12 months. These data add to existing evidence suggesting that gender-affirming care may be associated with improved well-being among TNB youths over a short period, which is important given the mental health disparities experienced by this population. However, the data in this study also indicate that of the transgender youth in the study, more than half had pursued gender-affirming therapy. That group was half as likely to have any sleep disorder as transgender individuals who did not pursue the therapy.

Gender-affirming therapy, the authors conclude, could be protective against worsening sleep health brought about by psychological stressors from prejudice and discrimination against the transgender community.

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“As mood disorders and insomnia have a bidirectional relationship, gender transition through affirming therapies could improve mental health, which, in turn, may decrease the proportion of insomnia by improving gender dysphoria, poor mood, and minority stress,” Gavidia said.

Thus, additional research in this domain can be conducted to determine the definitive cause of sleep disorder among transgender youth, appropriate measures can be taken in accordance with it, and gender affirming therapy can also be provided to protect the community.

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References:
  1. Associations Between Transgender Identity, Sleep, Mental Health and Suicidality Among a North American Cohort of College Students - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33762860/)
  2. Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care - (https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2789423)


Source-Medindia


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