Insomnia May Spur Anxiety Disorders

If you have trouble sleeping most nights, it might mean that you have an anxiety disorder or depression, according to a Norwegian study, as documented in a news article by Miranda Hitti of WebMD Health News. The study was conducted among more than 25,000 Norwegian adults.

It was concluded that people with chronic insomnia should be screened to see if they have an anxiety disorder or depression, as those with chronic insomnia were more likely to have current anxiety or depression than people without insomnia.

The team notes that easing chronic insomnia might help prevent the development of anxiety disorders, although this theory was not tested directly, nor does it prove that insomnia causes anxiety disorders, or that ending insomnia heads off anxiety.

Source: Neckelmann, D.Sleep, July 1, 2007;Vol 30. News Release, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.