Understanding Sleep Patterns and Antidepressants

Patients with major depressive disorder show reduced slow wave activity and delta sleep ratio, which are linked to relapse markers. Major depressive disorder is associated with REM sleep disinhibition due to monoaminergic-cholinergic imbalance. Antidepressants can alter sleep architecture by affecting sleep onset latency, wake after sleep onset time, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency based on their activating or sedating actions. The action on 5ST2A and 2C receptors is postulated to play a role in modulating sleep depth.