Research
Hormonal
Insomnia is associated with a substantial and statistically significant increased risk for the subsequent development of major depressive disorder, with insomnia often predating the onset of depression.
If you suffer from chronic insomnia, recognize that it is a significant risk factor for developing depression, not just a nuisance. The risk is substantial (approx 5x higher relative risk). Prioritizing sleep treatment is a critical preventive health measure for your mental health, as insomnia often precedes depressive episodes.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
In all of these studies, insomnia was found to represent a substantial and statistically significant risk for the development of depressive disorders. Typically the relative risk (RR) was approximately 5 but it ranged from 2 to 40... In a multinational population-based study... it was found that insomnia predates the onset of the first episode of depression 41% of the time and follows the onset of depression only 28.9% of the time.
Why this rating
Based on multiple longitudinal population-based studies with follow-up periods of 1-40 years.
Source
Insomnia causes, consequences, and therapeutics: An overview
Christopher L. Drake et al. · Depression and Anxiety · 2003
DOI 10.1002/da.10151
narrative_reviewCited 307×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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