Day Light Savings Time and Its Effects on Depression and Anxiety: Simple Strategies to Reduce Its Effects!

Daylight Saving Time (DST) is when we change our clocks by one hour twice a year. It happens in the spring when we move our clocks forward one hour and in the fall when we move them back one hour. It is intended to help save energy and make better use of daylight hours. However, DST can have an impact on our mood and health. When we change our clocks, our internal clock or circadian rhythm can get disrupted. Our circadian rhythm is what helps regulate our sleep, mood, and energy levels. When our internal clock is disrupted, it can lead to feelings of tiredness and irritation. Some studies have also found that DST can lead to an increase in depression and anxiety. In addition, there can be an increase in workplace accidents due to a decline in cognitive function and alertness. In fact, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine has come out with a statement to End Daylight Savings Time. However rest assured there are changes you can make in order to reduce the associated concerns. In this blog we will explore ways to reduce the effects of Day Light Savings Time.

Practical Tips to Mitigate the Effects of Daylight Savings Time

There are several things we can do to help mitigate the negative effects of Daylight Savings Time:

1. Gradual Adjustment

It is recommended that we gradually adjust our sleep and wake times leading up to the time change. This can be done by moving our sleep and wake times forward or backward by 15-30 minutes each day, depending on whether the time is moving forward or backward.

2. Light Exposure

Light exposure can help regulate our circadian rhythm. During the spring, Daylight Savings Time transition, exposure to bright light in the morning can help reset our internal clock and promote alertness. In the fall DST transition, exposure to light in the evening can help promote relaxation and encourage the body to wind down for sleep.

3. Exercise

Regular exercise can help improve mood, reduce stress, and promote healthy sleep. Exercise can help regulate our internal clock and promote healthy sleep patterns. However, it is important to avoid intense exercise close to bedtime as it can interfere with sleep.

4. Healthy Sleep Habits

Establishing healthy sleep habits is important for mitigating the effects of Daylight Savings Time. This includes establishing a regular sleep schedule, avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime, and creating a relaxing sleep environment.

5. Avoid Technology before Bed

Electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers emit blue light which can interfere with our production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. To promote healthy sleep, it is recommended to avoid technology for at least an hour before bedtime.

Daylight Savings Time can have an impact on our mood and health, but there are practical things we can do to help mitigate the negative effects. Gradual adjustment, light exposure, exercise, healthy sleep habits, and avoiding technology before bed can all help promote healthy sleep, improve mood, and reduce the negative effects of Daylight Savings Time. By taking these steps, we can make the transition to Daylight Savings Time easier and maintain our health and well-being.

Greg Roussett is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner offering treatment for anxiety and insomnia. He is a cognitive behavioral therapist, psychopharmacologist (prescribing practices similar to a psychiatrist ), and offers a combination of psychotherapy and medication management to individuals experiencing depression. His office is located in Rockridge in Oakland, CA and provides services across the bay area to those residing in cities inclusive of Piedmont, Lafayette, Walnut Creek, Berkeley, and San Francisco. One of his primary specialties is working with those looking for help with depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Book a complimentary consultation today here.

What is the Link Between Insomnia and Depression?

Insomnia and depression are two common mental health issues that often co-occur. In fact, insomnia is a common symptom of depression, and individuals with insomnia are more likely to develop depression. The link between insomnia and depression is complex and bidirectional, with each condition contributing to and exacerbating the other.

Insomnia is defined as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or waking up too early and being unable to fall back asleep. Insomnia can be caused by a variety of factors, including stress, anxiety, medications, and medical conditions. Insomnia can also be a symptom of depression, and individuals with depression are more likely to experience insomnia than those without depression.

Depression is a psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, as well as changes in appetite, sleep, and energy levels. Depression can be caused by a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and psychological factors. Insomnia is a common symptom of depression, with up to 90% of individuals with depression experiencing sleep disturbances.

The relationship between insomnia and depression is bidirectional, with each condition contributing to and exacerbating the other. For example, insomnia can increase the risk of developing depression by disrupting the body's natural circadian rhythm and reducing the amount of restorative sleep. Chronic insomnia can also increase the risk of developing other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, which can contribute to depression.

Similarly, depression can worsen insomnia by causing changes in the body's levels of hormones and neurotransmitters that regulate sleep. Individuals with depression may also experience racing thoughts, anxiety, and other symptoms that make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep. Chronic insomnia can also increase the risk of developing other health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, which can contribute to depression.

Treatment for both insomnia and depression often involves a combination of therapy, medication, and lifestyle changes. Therapy options for depression may include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to depression, and interpersonal therapy (IPT), which focuses on improving interpersonal relationships. Therapy options for insomnia may include sleep hygiene education, which focuses on promoting healthy sleep habits, and cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), which focuses on changing negative thoughts and behaviors that contribute to insomnia.

Medication can also be effective in treating both insomnia and depression. Antidepressant medications can help regulate the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain that regulate mood, which can improve symptoms of depression and insomnia. Sleep aids, such as benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, can also be effective in treating insomnia, but they should be used with caution due to the risk of dependence and other side effects.

Lifestyle changes, such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and stress reduction techniques, can also be effective in treating both insomnia and depression. Regular exercise can improve sleep quality and mood, while a healthy diet can provide the nutrients the body needs to regulate mood and energy levels. Stress reduction techniques, such as meditation and relaxation exercises, can also help improve sleep and mood.

For more information on how to treat insomnia and depression, you may find this workbook helpful: Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep: Solutions to Insomnia for Those with Depression, Anxiety, or Chronic Pain

If either insomnia or depression are concerns you have struggled with, speak to your therapist or reach out to a psychiatry provider to explore treatment options.

Be Well and Sleep Well,

Greg Roussett NP

Greg Roussett is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner offering treatment for depression. He is a cognitive behavioral therapist, psychopharmacologist, and offers a combination of psychotherapy and medication management to individuals experiencing depression. His office is located in Rockridge in Oakland, CA. One of his primary specialities is working with those looking for help with depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Book a complimentary consultation today here.

3 Steps to Stop Insomnia

Have you experienced insomnia before? Ever wondered how to have a restful night of sleep? In this post I’m going to go over insomnia treatment to help you overcome insomnia, even if you’re not able to sleep right now.

If you are experiencing insomnia right now, scroll down towards the bottom of this post under the header “How to Stop Insomnia While it’s Happening” to jump straight to the tools you need.

Insomnia Definition

What is insomnia? More often than not, insomnia is often misunderstood as solely a symptom of anxiety, depression, or another major mood disorder. And while it is true that sleep problems can be a symptom of other mood disorders, did you know that insomnia can manifest without being diagnosed with anxiety or depression?

According to the DSM-5, insomnia must include at least 1 or more of the following symptoms:

• Difficulty initiating sleep

• Difficulty staying asleep: by experiencing frequent night time awakenings or problems falling back to sleep after waking up

• Final early morning awakenings before your intended wake time with difficulty falling back to sleep (i.e.: Waking up well before your alarm goes off and you’re unable to fall back) 

Although the occasional sleep disturbance is not considered a clinical diagnosis of insomnia in and of itself, for those who may be experiencing sleep disruption for a period of at least 3 nights per week for at least 3 months, may potentially meet criteria for insomnia. 

If you’re concerned that you may be experiencing clinical insomnia or meet criteria for a diagnosis of insomnia, I encourage you to seek the help of a medical professional who can help clarify what you’re experiencing through a formal evaluation. Prior to scheduling clients, I provide a 20 minute free consultation to make sure we are the best fit.

Insomnia Treatment

Before carrying on, I need to get a key point across. If you take away just one thing from this post, let it be this: Sleep is a natural process that can be restored. Symptoms of insomnia are frustrating and it may feel like despite countless techniques attempted, there is nothing you can do to get a better night’s rest but I’m here to offer you assurance that you can gain control over your sleep patterns.

Sleep is a natural process that can be restored.

The first line of treatment I use for insomnia is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (also known as CBT-I), which centers around this motto.

With that said, CBT-I focuses on building sustaining and long-lasting skills to help your body get back on a normal schedule. In insomnia treatment, we teach you how to align your  sleep cycle (also called the circadian rhythm) so that your body is sleepy at the right time, just before bedtime.  

This is the underlying basis for insomnia treatment.

How To Stop Insomnia While it’s Happening

Keep these 3 tips in mind if you are working on strategies to improve your sleep quality. Even if you can work on 1 of these tips consistently, in addition to improved sleep, there can be benefits to both your physical and emotional well-being. 

1. Set an alarm that is consistent even after a poor night of sleep: By setting a consistent wake time you are training your mind and body that even if you had a poor night’s rest, this is the time to be productive. 

2. Be sure to get a healthy dose of physical activity in your daily routine, but not too close to bedtime. You may be a hiker, swimmer, weightlifter, or engage in some other kind of physical activity. That is great! Physical activity can restore balance to the circadian rhythm. The best time of day to exercise is either in the morning or mid-day. By capitalizing on physical activity in the morning or midday, you can improve productivity, but if you time it too close to bedtime, you may be perpetuating problems with falling or staying asleep.

3. If you are unable to fall asleep after what feels like 10-15 minutes, get out of bed: I can’t stress this enough. You may be thinking, “but what if I become more alert, and then I’ll have lost my chance to fall asleep?” In actuality, the exact opposite is true. By staying in bed when you find you cannot sleep, you are actually conditioning your mind and body to associate wakefulness with laying down in bed.

Insomnia may be something you are experiencing every night, but these tools may improve your sleep quality and overall daily functioning.

You may also find it helpful to go through this workbook: Quieting Your Mind

I’ve gone through this workbook together with many clients, but you may find it useful to give it a go on your own.

As always, I’d like to be clear that this blog post isn’t intended as professional counseling or clinical advice. If you’re in need of support, please consider reaching out to me or another professional for a formal evaluation.

Be well and sleep well,

Greg Roussett NP

Greg Roussett is a board certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner offering treatment for depression. He is a cognitive behavioral therapist, psychopharmacologist, and offers a combination of psychotherapy and medication management to individuals experiencing depression. His office is located in Rockridge in Oakland, CA. One of his primary specialities is working with those looking for help with depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. Book a complimentary consultation today here.

Men's Health Awareness Month

June is Men’s Health Awareness Month. If you are reading this you may have come across many articles related to how to improve your physical health. And although it is important to ensure that you are doing everything you can for physical fitness and function, when your mental health is neglected, this too can lead to poor health outcomes, difficulty performing at your best at work, or even your exercise routine, the very activity you are engaging in to optimize your health. In this blog, I thought I would spend time talking about signs of depression that may be specific to men and what you can do about it.

In the National Health Survey in 2015, they found that roughly 9% of men in the US or approximately 1.2 million men are experiencing depression. Yet often depression in men goes undiagnosed or undertreated. A reason for that is some men may misunderstand depression to only be feeling blue or having a depressed mood. Did you know that to meet criteria for depression, you actually do not have to experience a sad or depressed mood. Although a sad or depressed mood can be a symptom of depression, there are many other symptoms of depression and some are unique to men.

Common Signs and Symptoms Of Depression Unique To Men

What are the signs and symptoms of depression that may be unique in men? The following are a list of symptoms that sometimes manifest in men who meet criteria for clinical depression. Different men have different symptoms, but some common depression symptoms include:

• Anger or irritability

• Feeling restless or on edge while others may notice this

• Feeling lethargic and slow while others may notice this

• Loss of interest in work, relationships, or previously pleasurable activities

• Decreased sex drive/libido and possibly difficulties with performance

• Overeating or not wanting to eat at all

Although the occasional sleep disturbance is not considered a clinical diagnosis of insomnia in and of itself, for those who may be experiencing sleep disruption for a period of at least 3 nights per week for at least 3 months, may potentially meet criteria for insomnia. 

If you’re concerned that you may be experiencing clinical insomnia or meet criteria for a diagnosis of insomnia, I encourage you to seek the help of a medical professional who can help clarify what you’re experiencing through a formal evaluation. Prior to scheduling clients, I provide a 20 minute free consultation to make sure we are the best fit.

3 Tips If You Are Noticing Signs Of Depression

If you are noticing signs of depression, these 3 tips can give you some guidance on what to do.

1. Recognize that depression is a common condition and is not a sign of weakness.

Unfortunately, in thinking this, some men will tough it out and silently try to deal with the struggles that they are having. Some may even think these symptoms could be a normal part of stress in relation to getting older. Some might feel embarrassed to seek out support or think you may not have time to reach out for help. But in actuality, untreated depression exacerbates levels of functioning and can have serious and ill effects on your physical health.

2. Recognize that depression is very treatable and evidence based clinical recommendations have come a long way.

No worries if you are not quite ready to see a mental health professional. Depression can initially be treated by your primary care provider (PCP). The management of depression for men can happen during a wellness or scheduled visit and this is within the scope of practice of your PCP. Treatment by your PCP often begins with an initiation of medication. Given PCPs have limited time with their clients it is important to track how you are responding to the medication. Self-monitor by noticing your  focus, energy, and performance at work and at the gym. If you do not feel you are responding or feel that a brief check with your PCP on how the medication is working is not enough it is reasonable to seek the support of a psychiatric nurse practitioner, psychiatrist, psychologist or another mental health professional. Just like seeking out a sports medicine specialist for a joint that hasn’t quite healed despite efforts from your PCP, the same referral for a mental health professional can be just as valuable. 

3. Recognize that by engaging in any kind of physical activity or “behavioral activation,” still counts towards having benefits to your mental and physical health.

By engaging in some form of activity, you can still reap the physical and mental health benefits even if your performance is lacking or there is lack of desire. Instead of being hard on yourself for not getting your workout in at what you have previously been capable of, know that you are still stimulating a release of neurochemicals or neurotransmitters in the brain that can still be helpful for physical and mental health.

As always, I’d like to be clear that this blog post isn’t intended as professional counseling or clinical advice. If you’re in need of support, please consider reaching out to me or another professional for a formal evaluation.

Be well and sleep well,

Greg Roussett NP

* Greg Roussett is a Bay Area based psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. He offers cognitive behavioral therapy and medication management to adults experiencing anxiety, depression and insomnia. His primary speciality is working with those that struggle with insomnia or sleep disturbances. Book a complimentary consultation today here.