Poor Sleep, Moodiness and Anxiety…are they connected?

According to the report, “Depression and Other Common Mental Disorders: Global Health Estimates,” the global population living with depression is estimated at 322 million people – that’s almost 4.5% of the world’s inhabitants!  Anxiety disorders are also included in the report and said to affect more than 260 million people – more than 3.5% of the global community. It appears that many people experience both depression and anxiety disorders together and the numbers are rising.

How are depression and sleep related?

Depression and sleep are very closely connected. Many people that struggle with depression also have sleep issues. The bidirectional nature of the relationship between the two means that poor sleep can contribute to the development of depression and having depression can make someone more likely to have sleep issues.  So, the complexity of the situation makes it super challenging to know which came first the depression or the sleep issues? Having sleep issues may contribute to the development of depression because of the changes in serotonin function. Increased vulnerability for depression, negative effects on the body’s stress system and disruption of circadian rhythms can all be a result of poor sleep.

Does lack of sleep have anything to do with my weight?

Poor sleep affects weight as well. Just the act of shortchanging your sleep can set the poor choices in motion. If you’re tired, it may be easy to do the unhealthy grab and go sugary breakfast or skip breakfast altogether and load up on the venti-sized double caramel macchiato.  Quite possibly you pass on exercise because you’re too tired and then start snacking at 4 p.m. to get yourself through the takeout window. Unfortunately, those food choices may create another late night for you because of the belly discomfort. If this series of unfortunate events happens once in a blue moon, you’ll most likely be ok.  If this is the norm, you may want to look at breaking the cycle soon.

When your brain activity is dulled by lack of sleep it is easier to lose focus and make poor decisions.  It’s almost like being drunk because the mental clarity to make good decisions isn’t there. Physical and mental exhaustion cause the brain’s reward center to get fired up and search out things that feel good. Enter the “comfort food” craving!  When well rested you may be able to keep things in check; when sleep deprived you may crush the pint of ice cream without a second thought.

Lack of energy is one of the most common reasons people state for visiting their doctor. Low energy is a symptom of adrenal fatigue. Other signs of adrenal fatigue are:

  • An uncontrollable need to eat
  • Unusual mood swings
  • Lack of restorative sleep

Being tired and waking up less than refreshed results in pushing forward to continue functioning, oftentimes with the help of stimulants like coffee, cola, and sugar.

Another less discussed consequence of poor sleep is gut health. Our bodies were designed to defend during the day while we’re awake and repair (restore) us at night while we’re sleeping. If our bodies aren’t getting the appropriate amount of sleep, we’re skimping on the repair process which can result in illness, aches and pains, even food/chemical sensitivities.

Thankfully PERQUE® has a sleep and stress bundle to help! 

PERQUE Adreno Distress Guard™ is a natural, non-stimulating product that effectively rehabilitates the body’s energy system at the cellular level so the glands can again function in youthful, resilient, and effective ways while not over-taxing an exhausted gland. PERQUE Adreno Distress Guard uniquely combines special forms of Rhodiola, Magnolia, and Phellodendron micellized in perilla oil and MCT derived from raw palm fruit.

PERQUE Mood Guard™ is formulated with neurotransmitters that help sleep regulation, support mental and emotional stability, and calm & detoxify the nervous system. PERQUE Mood Guard is a natural alternative to prescription drugs. L-methionine is key to maintaining clear detoxification pathways in the liver and the brain. PERQUE Mood Guardsupplies l-methionine in its activated free form and acts to chelate heavy metals which are well documented contributors to mental and emotional disorders.

PERQUE Sleep Guard™ is formulated with pure L-tryptophan and vitamins B2 and B6 for enhanced uptake and function; improves levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin naturally; and helps achieve restorative sleep for better brain activity, mood and energy.  When the body is deficient in tryptophan, it also lacks serotonin. This can inhibit sleep and trigger numerous physical and/or mental disorders. Tryptophan deficiencies are associated with depression, insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorders and autism-spectrum disorders.

Last but never least – when starting any health restoration plan you may consider the LRA by ELISA/ACT test in addition to the predictive biomarkers available to you at ELISA/ACT Biotechnologies. Identifying hidden immune triggers, specifically food and chemical sensitivities will help you to be more specific for each individual when making food and supplement recommendations.

Please contact our client services team (800-525-7372) or your Clinical Account Specialist for samples and more information.

Resources:

Hartmann E. 1982-1983. “Effects of L-tryptophan on Sleepiness and On Sleep.” Journal of Psychiatry Research. 17(2):107-113.

Riemann D, Feige B, Hornyak M, Koch S, Hohagen F, Voderholzer U. March 15, 2002. “The Tryptophan Depletion Test: Impact on Sleep
in Primary Insomnia—a Pilot Study.” Journal of

Psychiatry Research.109(2):129-135.

Gendall KA, Joyce PR. September
2000. “Meal-induced Changes in Tryptophan:LNAA Ratio: Effects on Craving and Binge Eating.” Eating Behaviors. 1(1):53-62.

Kagan BL, Sultzer DL, Rosenlicht N, Gerner RH: Oral S-adenosylmethionine in depression: a randomized, double- blind, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry 1990 May; 147(5): 591-595.

Bell KM, Potkin SG, Carreon D, Plon L: S-adenosyl-Lmethionine blood levels in major depression: changes with drug treatment. Acta Neurol Scand Suppl 1994; 154: 15-18.

Posaci C, Erten O, Uren A, Acar B: Plasma copper, zinc, and magnesium levels in patients with premenstrual tension syndrome. Acta Obstet Gynecol 1994; 73(6): 452-455.

Facchinetti F, Borella P, Sances G, Fioroni L, Nappi RE, Genazzani AR: Oral magnesium successfully relieves premenstrual mood changes. Obstet Gynecol 1991; 78(2): 177-181.

Frezza M, et al.: Oral S-adenosylmethionine in the symptomatic treatment of intrahepatic cholestasis: a doubleblind, placebo-controlled study. Gastroenterology 1990; 99: 211-215.

Kakimoto H, et al.: Changes in lipid composition of erythrocyte membranes with administration of S-adenosyl- L methionine in chronic liver disease. Gastroenterolia Japonica 1992; 27: 508-513.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28418490/

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2618635