Bipolar Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Bipolar, including details on bipolar disorder, symptoms, treatment, depression, medication.

The prospective impact of sleep duration on depression and mania.

Perlman CA, Johnson SL, Mellman TA

Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA. cperlman@partners.org

OBJECTIVE: Many patients report sleeping less than 6 h per night during episodes of depression and mania. This type of sleep deficit may also be a risk factor for subsequent mood episodes; however, the long-term impact of sleep deficit remains unclear. The current study is among few longitudinal studies to assess the prospective effect of sleep deficit on depression and mania. METHODS: A subsample of 54 individuals from a longitudinal study of bipolar I disorder was selected. Participants entered the study during a mood episode. Baseline symptom data were collected at month 4 to allow for recovery from the initial episode, sleep was assessed at month 6, and follow-up symptom data were obtained during months 7-12. RESULTS: Sleep deficit predicted depressive symptoms across the 6-month follow-up but not mania. CONCLUSIONS: It is likely that the impact of sleep deficit on mania was probably missed because assessments covered a full month. Monitoring sleep duration may help predict depression in bipolar disorder and provide an opportunity for targeting intervention.

Published 15 May 2006 in Bipolar Disord, 8(3): 271-4.
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