Postpartum depression may aggravate sleep

STAVANGER, Norway, July 2 (UPI) -- Mothers with postpartum depression may aggravate already impaired sleep quality, Norwegian researchers say.

Dr. Karen Dorheim, a psychiatrist at Stavanger University Hospital in Norway who was the lead author for the study, said depression after delivery is often not identified by new mothers, whereas tiredness and lack of sleep are common complaints. These symptoms may be attributed to poor sleep, but the tiredness could also be caused by depression.

"It is important to ask a new mother suffering from tiredness about how poor sleep affects her daytime functioning and whether there are other factors in her life that may contribute to her lack of energy," Dorheim said in a statement. "There are also helpful depression screening questionnaires that can be completed during a consultation. Doctors and other health workers should provide an opportunity for postpartum women to discuss difficult feelings."

The study, published in the journal Sleep, indicate that two months after delivery, poor sleep was associated with depression when adjusted for other significant risk factors, such as poor partner relationship, previous depression, depression during pregnancy and stressful life events.

Sleep disturbances and subjective sleep quality were the aspects of sleep most strongly associated with depression. Overall, nearly 60 percent of the postpartum women experienced poor sleep quality and 16.5 percent had depressive symptoms, the study said.