Relationship of awakening and delta sleep in depression

It has been demonstrated that deficiencies in slow-wave sleep occur in the sleep profiles of depressed patients. Recent theories of sleep regulation link a deficiency in the so-called "Process S" to these slow-wave sleep alterations. However, the degree of wakening during sleep has been suggested as the explanation for reduced slow-wave sleep. In the present study, the extent of this relationship was examined in both depressed patients and normal subjects. Only a relatively low level of correlation between the degree of wakening and reduction in slow-wave sleep was noted in depressed patients. This finding on 38 unipolar depressed patients is similar to the findings on a smaller sample of depressed individuals.