Caregivers, sleep and stress

In the U.K. nearly seven million people provide help for a sick, disabled or elderly person and in the U.S. more than 44 million people have been identified as caregivers. Researchers from the University of Birmingham looked into the links between the burden of caring for someone and depression and anxiety in a sample of 393 caregivers. They found that the strain and burden of caregiving were linked to depression and anxiety both at the time and five years later. The quality of sleep was found to be an important factor in the link between caregiver stress and depression and anxiety.

Phillips, Anna C. ... [et al] - Symptoms of depression in non-routine caregivers: the role of caregiver strain and burden British Journal of Clinical Psychology November 2009, 48(4), 335-346