Depression May Be Treated with Sleep Deprivation

One of the most prevalent diseases in the world, depression is thought to afflict 280 million people worldwide. While some people can be treated with medicine, many people may find that the condition is highly resistant to treatment. This causes ongoing issues that, in some situations, might never be resolved.

There are drug options, some of which are more unexpected than others. The most odd of these is likely sleep deprivation. About half of people in studies have nearly instantly fewer symptoms after taking it. This represents a significant improvement over conventional drugs, which can occasionally take weeks to produce benefits.

Many people will experience a relapse when they can finally sleep following the deprivation, however it may only be partial and the benefits may linger for weeks. When used in conjunction with drug therapy, benefits can be stabilized and overall effects might be improved. There is also evidence that suggest that sleep deprivation, even partial sleep deprivation, which involves remaining awake for more than 36 hours, can be just as effective. It's still a little unclear as to why it has any effect at all.