Could I be depressed?

Health

I keep waking up at 5am and can’t get back to sleep. I’ve read that this is a symptom of depression. Am I depressed or am I worrying unnecessarily?
Aidy Hughes, by email

Early morning waking is a symptom of depression – but there are plenty of other, simpler possible reasons for being up early. Have you been on holiday or spent any time living in another time zone? Is 5am the time your neighbour goes out to work or arrives home from a night shift? Have you simply been going to bed earlier?

If there’s no obvious explanation then depression is possible, particularly if your early waking has been going on for a couple of weeks. Do you have other symptoms, such as difficulty going to sleep, poor appetite, irritability or tearfulness? If so, see your GP. The sooner it’s treated the better.
In the meantime, make sure your bedroom is dark enough and quiet enough. Try doing more exercise during the day to make you more tired.

If you would like more information about Dr Rob Hicks please visit www.drrobhicks.co.uk.