Chronic Insomnia Linked to Depression and Anxiety

According to a new study, chronic insomnia could be a sign of a larger problem, like depression or anxiety.

In surveys of more than 25,000 adults, Dr. Dag Neckelmann of Haukeland University Hospital in Bergen, Norway and his team found that those with chronic insomnia were more likely to suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder. They also found that those who reported insomnia during the first wave of the study were more likely to report an anxiety disorder during the second wave of the study ten years later.

The researchers say these results suggest that insomnia may raise the risk of future of anxiety disorders or may be a sign that a person is especially vulnerable to anxiety problems. Insomnia did not seem to predict future depression, however. Instead it appeared to be a co-existing condition.

While the exact nature of the relationship between insomnia and depression or anxiety is not known, the researchers recommend that those with chronic insomnia should seek help and be evaluated for anxiety and depressive disorders.

The article appeared in the July 1 issue of the journal Sleep.

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