Sleep deprivation can effectively treat depression, says study

Sleep deprivation — administered in controlled settings — may rapidly reduce symptoms of depression, a study claims.

Researchers found that partial sleep deprivation — sleeping for three to four hours followed by wakefulness for 20-21 hours — was as effective as total sleep deprivation for 36 hours.

Although total sleep deprivation or partial sleep deprivation can produce clinical improvement in depression symptoms within 24 hours, antidepressants are the most common treatment for depression, which typically take weeks or longer to show results.

The first review on the subject in nearly 30 years, by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania in the US, hopes