| Dr. Michael Perlis Ph.D., a sleep expert at the | | | | states that insomnia is the body's reaction to other |
| University of Rochester, believes that the link | | | | symptoms of depression. It is the body's corrective |
| between depression and insomnia does not stop with | | | | mechanism because it has been found out that |
| insomnia being an early warning sign of depression. He | | | | insomnia actually has antidepressant effects. Being |
| believes that natural sleep aids to cure insomnia has | | | | awake more than you should be improves the |
| to be prescribed on depressed people to prevent its | | | | function of serotonin neurotransmitter system-a |
| recurrence. | | | | chemical system that is muddled up when someone is |
| Based on Dr. Perlis' studies, depressed people who | | | | depressed. Extended wakefulness also releases |
| are suffering from bouts of insomnia have the | | | | dopamine, which is another chemical that is being |
| tendency to fall immediately into the REM (rapid eye | | | | linked to depression. |
| movement) stage of sleep-a disruption in the normal | | | | In a way, insomnia is the body's means to |
| sleeping cycle of the body. The REM stage happens | | | | compensate with depression. To put it bluntly, |
| when we dream. It functions as a consolidator of our | | | | insomnia may actually develop into depression. Curing |
| emotive memory. Insomniacs who have irregularities | | | | insomnia with the help of natural sleep aids should |
| in their sleeping pattern usually trigger negative | | | | prevent it from happening. Dr. Perlis suggest that |
| memory, thus, leading to episodes of depression. | | | | therapies for depression should employ behavioral |
| Depression and insomnia is related in such a way that | | | | treatments that are targeted at insomnia for the |
| the latter unleashes the former. Another theory | | | | patient's immediate recovery. |