Sleep disorders and non-sleep circadian disorders predict depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of longitudinal studies

• Published in: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews Vol. 134; p. 104532
• Main Authors: Zhang, Mi-Mi, Ma, Yan, Du, Lan-Ting, Wang, Ke, Li, Zhe, Zhu, Weili, Sun, Yu-Hui, Lu, Lin, Bao, Yan-Ping, Li, Su-Xia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Chronotype; Circadian rhythm; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Cortisol; Depression; Difficulty initiating sleep; Difficulty maintaining sleep; Humans; Hypersomnia; Insomnia; Longitudinal Studies; Obstructive sleep apnea; Rest-activity rhythm; Restless legs syndrome; Sleep - physiology; Sleep disorders; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders - complications; Sleep Wake Disorders - complications; Sleep disorders; Restless legs syndrome; Hypersomnia; Insomnia; Depression; Chronotype; Rest-activity rhythm; Cortisol; Circadian rhythm; Difficulty maintaining sleep; Obstructive sleep apnea; Difficulty initiating sleep
• ISSN: 0149-7634; 1873-7528; 1873-7528
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104532

•We comprehensively evaluate both sleep disorders and non-sleep circadian disorders are as predictors of the onset of depression.•Subjective sleep disorders predict future depression, while objective short sleep duration is contradictory to that of subjective short sleep duration.•Non-sleep circadian disorders are as a predictor of depression, although there are not enough studies to include in a meta-analysis. Patients with depression often suffer from sleep disorders and non-sleep circadian disorders. However, whether they precede and predict subsequent depression is unclear. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies on sleep disorders and non-sleep circadian disorders. We found insomnia, hypersomnia, short and long sleep duration, obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome and eveningness orientation at baseline all led to subsequent depression. Those with propensity to late meal patterns, heightened levels of cortisol in awakening response and low robustness of rest-activity rhythm at baseline had higher risks for later depression. Among insomnia subtypes, difficulty initiating sleep and difficulty maintaining sleep predicted future depression. Notably, persistent insomnia at baseline contributed to more than two-fold risk of incident depression compared to insomnia. Moreover, insomnia symptom numbers showed dose-dependent relationship with the incident depression. In conclusion, different types of sleep disorders and non-sleep circadian disorders were proven to be risk factors of subsequent depression, and mechanisms underlying the relationship between sleep disorders, non-sleep circadian disorders and subsequent depression should be further elucidated in the future.