Wearable data on sleep rhythms may warn of impending depression relapse

In this multicenter cohort study, 93 adults with stable major depressive disorder contributed nearly 32,000 actigraphy days. Multiple baseline sleep and circadian parameters—including lower sleep regularity, lower relative amplitude, poorer sleep efficiency, and higher nighttime activity—were independently associated with an approximately 2-fold higher risk of depression relapse. Time‑varying analyses showed that greater phase variability and declining rest‑activity amplitude also predicted relapse, even after adjusting for MDD and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores. Actigraphy further distinguished patients who relapsed from those with stable or transient symptoms.

Clinical takeaway: Consider incorporating sleep regularity and rest‑activity monitoring into relapse prevention strategies—actigraphy or wearable‑derived patterns may identify rising relapse risk weeks before symptoms emerge.

Source:

Tonon AC, et al. (2026, February 11). JAMA Psychiatry. One-Year Actigraphy Study of Sleep and Rest-Activity Rhythms as Markers of Relapse in Depression. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41670991/