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Should we assume that the light itself is causing the depression? Or should we assume that the light leads to poor sleep, and then the poor sleep is what trigge
by lkrubner 9y ago
Should we assume that the light itself is causing the depression? Or should we assume that the light leads to poor sleep, and then the poor sleep is what triggers the depression?
- Scipio_Afri 9y agoThe second one I think is the most likely assumption, but the most reasonable/obvious can be wrong which is why studies are important.
- WalterSear 9y agoAnd how does poor sleep causing depression square with sleep deprivation alleviating it?
- cellularmitosis 9y agoI could imagine that being chronically deprived of quality sleep is different than skipping an entire circadian cycle once per week. Edit: I recently made the mistake (for a few months) of taking my medication before bed, rather than in the morning. This included vitamin D. Guess what happens when the body gets a dose of vitamin D at night? No quality sleep for you! So I certainly sympathize with the quest for quality sleep.
- psyc 9y agoA controlled sleep fast may help temporarily. Chronic deprivation beyond your control is a disaster.
- Nomentatus 9y agoGood question, however a rush of steroids for one day incidentally boosting mood isn't inconsistent - it's just the body treating that day as something of an emergency situation. A swallow doesn't make a summer.
- Izkata 9y agoCurrently on the front page: "The antidepressant effect of sleep deprivation" - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16557500 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16557500 A quick skim makes it sound a bit more complicated, only working on people who already have depression. May answer the question though.
- Nomentatus 9y agoThere is a mouse model as well, showing light as the cause.