Sleep disorders and mood disorders are linked by a double thread and articulately affect each other.
Decades of studies and clinical-practical experience, both in the field of Sleep Medicine and in the field of psychiatry, have shown that depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder result in variations in sleep need, sleep duration, and sleep structure among their most characteristic symptoms, and conversely, those who suffer from insomnia on a non-occasional basis are at significantly increased risk of developing mood disorders and other psychiatric disorders.
In addition, it has been observed that the persistence of a sleep disorder after recovery of a properly treated mood disorder increases the risk of relapse (Source Pacini Medicine Editor) of the initial psychiatric illness.
Sleep disturbances related to mood disorders can affect anyone at any age, but they tend to be rare during childhood, while becoming frequent during adolescence and among the elderly, in both sexes, peaking among women after age 40-45 and, in particular, during menopause.
