Treatment strategies for sleep disturbance in patients with depression

Insomnia, excessive sleepiness, and fatigue are common symptoms in depressed patients. Excessive sleepiness is associated with impairments in cognitive and motor tasks and has a negative impact on social and occupational functioning. Further, sleepiness and fatigue strongly predict accidents. Conversely, problems with sleeplessness (e.g., difficulty falling asleep, frequent awakenings during the night, and early morning wakefulness) are also common symptoms in patients with depression. Recognition and treatment of sleep disturbance are important aspects of managing depression. Pharmacologic intervention and behavior modification are viable treatment strategies.