Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that causes a severe impact to your quality of life and overall well-being. Sleep difficulties are characteristic symptoms of bipolar disorder. In fact, bipolar disorder is one of the most common causes of insomnia, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Researchers have become increasingly interested in the role of the sleep hormone melatonin on improving symptoms of insomnia and other sleep issues in bipolar patients. Do not use melatonin without consulting your doctor.
Bipolar Disorder and Sleep Disturbances
Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic depression or manic-depressive disorder, is a type of brain disorder that results in alternations between manic and depressive episodes. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, common symptoms of a manic episode include feelings of extreme "highs" or feeling overly happy, extreme irritability, feeling restless or jumpy and having a decreased desire for sleep. During depressive episodes, you may feel tired, sad or tearful, feel a sense of decreased self-worth, have difficulty concentrating and experience appetite or sleep disturbances. Interestingly, sleep loss can exacerbate or contribute to bipolar symptoms, says Dr. David N. Neubauer in an article for Medscape.org.
About Melatonin
Your body produces the hormone melatonin to help manage other hormones as well as to regulate your circadian rhythms. Your circadian clock regulates your sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin production is affected by light; you produce more melatonin when it's dark and less when it's light. Certain factors, such as jet lag or working at night, can disrupt your body's production of melatonin. Melatonin disruption may be a cause of insomnia and other sleep disturbances. Insomnia and other sleep disturbances may trigger manic or depressive episodes in bipolar disorder; however, insomnia and sleep disturbances also may be the result of these episodes. Melatonin supplementation may be helpful for treating symptoms of insomnia and circadian rhythm disturbances, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Melatonin and Bipolar Disorder -- Clinical Evidence
A study published in the June 2000 issue of the "Archives of General Psychiatry" confirmed the hypothesis that patients with bipolar disorder secrete abnormal amounts of melatonin. These results suggest that disruptions to circadian rhythms may be a vulnerability marker for bipolar disorder, although further studies are warranted. While a number of studies have shown benefits of melatonin supplementation for insomnia, virtually no studies have been performed to show the effects of melatonin on bipolar-specific insomnia. Existing research has shown mixed results. One study, published in the September 1997 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry," showed that melatonin supplementation had no significant effect on mood or sleep in bipolar study participants, although the researchers speculate that melatonin may have had a mild mood-elevating effect. A case study on a 10-year old boy with bipolar disorder, published in the June 1997 issue of the "Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry," showed that melatonin had a beneficial effect on insomnia and prevented a manic episode. However, further studies are clearly needed to evaluate the benefits of melatonin for bipolar disorder.
Considerations
Melatonin may be a useful sleep remedy; however, due to the lack of clinical evidence demonstrating its effectiveness for bipolar disorder, patients should consult their physician before using a melatonin supplement. Do not attempt to self-diagnose or treat your condition. If you think you may be bipolar, it is crucial to consult a psychiatrist to discuss possible treatment options. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, melatonin can cause daytime drowsiness and may actually exacerbate symptoms of depression. For this reason, bipolar patients should not use melatonin supplements unless under the supervision of a physician or qualified mental health profession.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Insomnia -- Causes
- National Institute of Mental Health: Bipolar Disorder
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Melatonin
- "Medscape Education"; Insomnia and Psychiatric Disorders; David N. Neubauer; June 2004
- "Archives of General Psychiatry"; Melatonin Suppression by Light in Euthymic Bipolar and Unipolar Patients; J. Nurnberger, et al; June 2000
- "Journal of Clinical Psychiatry"; Effects of Exogenous Melatonin Administration... ; E. Leibenluft, et al; September 1997
