The number of people with depression is increasing rapidly worldwide. According to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO), around 322 million people were affected in 2015, 4.4 percent of the world’s population. That was a good 18 percent more than ten years earlier. About 100 million patients diagnosed with depression are additionally burdened by resistance to therapy.
According to a World Health Organization (WHO) forecast, in 2030 depression will be the most common disease in industrialized nations. In addition to the discomfort to those affected in both the health and economic systems, this causes enormous economical damage.
Causes and symptoms are very complex
These alarming figures show how widespread depression is. The diagnosis is still challenging, as it is primarily based on symptoms and history. The diagnosis of depression becomes especially difficult, because about two-thirds of the patients do not go to the doctor for mental symptoms, but because of physical complaints. The most common physical symptoms include headaches, neck and back pains, dizziness, stomach problems, and sleep disorders.
The causes of depression can be manifold – physical, genetic and psycho-social aspects play a role. And at the same time the current life situation plays an important role. More and more studies indicate that, the pollution, so-called “environmental hormones” and electromagnetic fields (EMF) are involved in the development of depression. This leads to a change in brain chemistry and neuro-stress, which in turn adversely affects the brain’s metabolism.
In addition to common treatments such as antidepressants and psychotherapies with or without medication, doctors and other medical professionals use depth psychology or behavioral therapy to treat depression.
Sleep is the most important pillar for mental health
Twenty years ago, one of the leading scientists, Prof. Dr. med. William C. Dement of Stanford University, summarized: “After 40 years of sleep research, I have found no factor that has a greater impact on our well-being and our health than sleep. Over 90 percent of our health depend on sleep “. This especially applies to mental health. Today we know that 70 percent of our physical regeneration and 100 percent (!) of our mental regeneration depend on high-quality sleep. In industrialized nations, more than 80 percent of employees already complain about poor, disturbed and restless sleep. In addition, more and more people are suffering from a chronic sleep deficit.
Scientific proof
Studies worldwide have repeatedly shown that almost all patients with depression, burnout, mental disorders, etc. also suffer from sleep disorders and thus lack of sleep. For a long time, research has assumed that sleep disorders are an accompanying symptom of the disease, especially in the case of depression or burnout. Today, it is scientifically proven that limited sleep quality is one of the major causes of mental illness, especially depression and burnout syndrome. Sleepwalking people and especially people with a chronic sleep deficit have up to 10 times the risk of developing depression!
Studies by the US National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) have led to a surprising result: more than 80 percent of patients with depression suffered a significant improvement in their symptoms as soon as their sleep problems were resolved. As soon as sleep regulation was added as a treatment option (in addition to a medical-therapeutic depression treatment), the treatment success doubled. This realization motivated the clinic operator Dr. Ing. med. Marc Risch and Mag. Michaela Risch to use sleep diagnostically and therapeutically for a faster recovery of their patients.
For over 20 years, studies have shown that depression, anxiety and mental health problems can be caused and amplified by electromagnetic fields in the environment (EMF).
Private clinic “Clinicum Alpinum” in Gaflei (Liechtenstein)
For the above-mentioned reasons, the private clinic “Clinicum Alpinum” is completely electrobiologically shielded. This greatly reduces electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure.
Sleep as a remedy in treatment
The private clinic will open on April 1, 2019 and specializes in the inpatient treatment of depression, fatigue and sleep disorders.
The clinic uses other important findings from depression research. A polysomnography can give hints about a possible depression in advance. This is related to the fact that the sleep pattern of people who are suffering from depression, has very specific characteristics and can be used as a bio-marker. This finding can also be used in the review of treatment success in depression.
The private clinic has a very unique approach in its treatment of patients. It storngly builds on an integral way of healing and entirely relies on SAMINA sleep to appropriately treat its patients. “Clinicum Alpinum” will be the first clinic in the world to offer sleep-biologically designed patient rooms in addition to a medical and therapeutic depression treatment.
In our next article, which will be publishes on the 2nd of May, you will be given insights into the exact remedies which the private clinic applies, going new ways in treatment with the knowledge of SAMINA founder Prof. Dr. med. h.c. Günther W. Amann-Jennson
Leave a Reply