Medical expert of the article
New publications
Sleep deprivation therapy
Last reviewed: 18.10.2021
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
In recent years, the possibility of using deprivation (sleep deprivation) to treat depressive conditions is increasingly being discussed. Most researchers recommend using this method both at the initial stages of an endogenous depressive attack, and in cases of therapeutically-resistant depression.
Before starting treatment, patients and their relatives need to explain in detail the purpose and tasks of the method, the rules of conduct during the previous day, a sleepless night, "critical periods" (1-3 hours a day) and the following day. In the treatment of total deprivation, patients do not sleep a day, a night and the next day, i.e. The total time of wakefulness is 36-40 hours. In the first 2-3 weeks of treatment, 2 sessions per week are carried out at intervals of 2-3 days; in the future, 1 session per week. On average, the course of treatment consists of 6-8 sessions of sleep deprivation.
During treatment, patients go to bed at 21-22 h, then they are awakened at 1 h 30 min. After awakening, they are awake the rest of the night and the next day. At 21-22 h again go to bed, and then they wake up again at 1 h 30 min. Thus, the total waking time for one session of partial deprivation of sleep is 18-20 hours. The entire course of treatment consists of 5 sessions, conducted daily. A good therapeutic effect of sleep deprivation is more often noted with lethargy, apathy, and a blockage in the structure of depression.