The word “apnea” means the absence of breathing. Sleep apnea refers to a potentially serious medical condition that causes patients to temporarily stop breathing while they are sleeping. The repetitive occurrence of oxygen deprivation creates different kinds of alarms throughout your body, interrupting normal processes for your brain, heart, lungs, hormones, and other key systems. Over time, constantly stressed body systems (and the lack of sleep accompanying sleep apnea) can contribute to depression. Sleep apnea and depression both put your health at risk. When taken together, effects can be grave. It’s very important to talk with your doctor about a sleep apnea diagnosis, and be sure to alert him if you have concerns about depression.

Sleep Apnea and Your Body

Sleep specialists have defined a sleep apnea episode as an event occurring during sleep that involves an absence of breathing or significantly reduced breathing for at least 10 seconds. When your body is deprived of necessary oxygen, this triggers your cardiovascular system, nervous system, and other body systems into high alert. The result: you can wake up gasping for breath, with fight-or-flight hormones wreaking havoc on your physical and emotional state. Constant, high-stress awakenings throughout the night interrupt your sleep, making it difficult to get the rest you need. Temporary or chronic insomnia can result. In the morning, you might feel tired, sleepy, and unprepared for the challenges of the day. Research has proven that prevalence for depression is higher among people with sleep apnea.

Sleep and Emotional States

By studying how people with sleep apnea, insomnia and other sleep disorders behave, sleep scientists have learned that there are important connections between sleep, emotional health, and mental health. Consistent lack of sleep makes people feel frustrated, irritable, tired, and less able to fully participate in home, school, and work environments. Personal and professional relationships tend to suffer. Over time, depression can develop. This can create an unhealthy cycle, since people with depression can have trouble staying asleep throughout the night or getting out of bed in the morning.

What to Do

The words “depression” or “depressed” are sometimes used very lightly. Someone might joke that she feels depressed because her favorite football team lost the big game, or because the coffee shop ran out of her favorite bagel that morning. But depression is a serious medical condition.

If you have concerns that you might have depression, don’t keep it to yourself. Talk with a friend or family member, and definitely let your doctor know. Left untreated, depression gets worse. Your doctor will be able to recommend a treatment plan that works for you and your lifestyle. It may be appropriate to evaluate you for sleep apnea as part of that treatment plan. In some cases, prescription medicine can help. Other times, it helps to talk with a therapist about strategies for coping with how you’re feeling.