We report a 63-year-old male with post-cerebral hemorrhage depressive disorder. Previous adequate-dose, full-course antidepressant treatment yielded no significant improvement in depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbance. Detailed history taking and polysomnography (PSG) confirmed comorbid severe obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD). Without adjusting antidepressants, the patient first received continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for OSAHS, followed by individualized pharmacotherapy for RBD. With the improvement of sleep architecture and respiratory events, obvious remission of depressive and anxiety symptoms and substantial recovery of daytime function were observed. This case emphasizes the bidirectional relationship between sleep and mood disorders. For post-stroke depression (PSD) poorly responsive to antidepressants, active sleep evaluation, multidisciplinary collaboration, and targeted management of comorbid sleep disorders may be crucial to enhance therapeutic efficacy.

