Sleep Deprived? Depressed? There's a Connection

On Saturday, a 27-year-old young woman, who was seeking treatment for depression, took her own life by jumping from an apartment building on the Upper West Side of New York City. While we can't know why she leaped to her death, we can spotlight one reason why people get depressed that's often overlooked. Lack of sleep can cause depression and possibly suicidal tendencies. With us today is Dr. Robert Oexman, director of the Sleep to Live Institute, who will talk about the connection between lack of sleep and depression. You'll learn how sleep impacts mental health, how your brain is affected by lack of sleep, the direct correlation between lack of sleep and mental health disorders such as depression, and how symptoms normally associated with depression may be misdiagnosed and could be due to lack of sleep. And you'll get helpful tips if you're is battling depression and suffering from sleep deprivation. Dr. Robert Oexman is Director of the Sleep to Live Institute in Joplin, Mo. In his current role, he oversees the Institute’s research studies, particularly the impact of the sleep environment on quality of sleep. Unlike traditional sleep labs, the Sleep to Live Institute is dedicated to a holistic approach to sleep research, with a team of engineers who develop unique testing equipment based on the needs of the research and variables being tested. The research team holds a variety of patents related to the monitoring and treatment of sleep complaints. Dr. Oexman is also the Vice President of Strategic Development and Research for Kingsdown Inc., a North Carolina based company that manufactures and distributes sleep related products in domestic and international markets. He also serves as chair of the Institute’s Sleep and Wellness Board. He is is a member of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Missouri State Chiropractic Association. He received his postgraduate training in sleep at the Sleep Medicine Center in Stanford, California.