Insomnia is defined as the inability to fall
asleep or stay asleep a long as desired. This is a sleep disorder that millions
of people all over the world struggle constantly with it people with insomnia
have difficulty either falling asleep or stay asleep for long enough to
completely relax the body thus they wake up still feeling fatigued. It is often
thought of as a symptom that can accompany several medical and psychiatric
disorders. The common causes of Insomnia include;
SLEEP
HYGIENE
Poor sleep hygiene such as
Eating just before sleeping
Exercise prior to sleep
Going to be hungry
Doing work in bed-can trigger insomnia in persons
MEDICAL
CONDITIONS
Certain medical conditions can induce insomnia
Asthma,
Congestive heart failure,
Obesity,
Chronic pain,
Acid reflux
Parkinson’s disease e.t.c
If insomnia is caused by any of these medical
conditions, it’s best to seek professional help fast.
PSYCHIATRIC
CONDITIONS
It is often said that there is no sleep for the
eyes whilst the mind is still awake. An
unsettled mind would find it pretty difficult to fall asleep. Hence conditions
such as depression, anxiety, stress, post traumatic stress disorder can cause
insomnia.
Other
likely causes of insomnia include
Menopause,
menstrual cycle, pregnancy, fever, pain, illicit drug use, excess caffeine in
the system, smoking alcohol intoxication, grief, physical discomfort, jet lag,
un-familiar environment.
Insomnia
is very common and affects people of all ages however it is most rampant in
elderly. Insomnia is commonly separated into three types:
TRANSIENT INSOMNIA: It is very short phase of sleeplessness, lasting less than a
week in most cases
ACUTE INSOMNIA: Acute
insomnia also called short-term insomnia or stress related insomnia, it is the inability
to consistently initiate or maintain sleep for a short period of time (less
than a month, usually for about three weeks).
CHRONIC INSOMNIA: As the name goes, it is the highest form of insomnia usually
lasting over a month. The majority of chronic insomnia are secondary thus they
are symptoms of other health conditions or diseases. People with high levels of
stress hormones or shifts in the levels of cytokines are more vulnerable to
chronic insomnia
UGLY
SIDE EFFECTS OF INSOMNIA
Insomnia is a very difficult condition on its own,
yet it causes several other Psychological and Physical harm to people suffering
from it. Some of the very ugly side effects on insomnia
include
1.
OBESITY
Recent
research focused on the link between sleep and the peptides [Ghrelin and
Leptin] that regulates appetite (Ghrelin stimulates hunger and Leptin signals
satiety to the brain and suppress appetite) show that reduced sleep time is
associated with decrease in Leptin and increase in Ghrelin levels thus
stimulating appetite and not just appetite, it increases the cravings for
high-fat and high-carbohydrate foods. People who sleep less than six hours a day
are almost 30% more likely to become obsess than those who slept seven to nine
hours (2004 study).
2.
DEPRESSION
In a 2007
study of 10,000 people, those with insomnia were five times more likely to get
depressed compared to others without insomnia. Insomnia and depression are
twin-evil and most often accompany each other, Sleep loss often aggravates the
symptoms of depression, and depression can make sleeping more difficult.
3.
KILLS
SEX DRIVE
Research
conducted by sleep specialist, have shown that sleep-deprived individuals have
lower libidos and less sex interest.
4.
IMPAIRS
JUDGMENT
Lack
of sleep affects ones interpretation of things and events thus affecting
ability to make good judgment of things.
5.
FORGETFULNESS
It is
important to get quality sleep if you want to keep your memory sharp. An American and French research conducted in
2009 to determine that brain events called “sharp wave ripples” are responsible
for consolidating memory, the ripples also transfer learned information from
the hippo campus to the neo-cortex of the brain, where long term memories are
stored; Sharp wave ripples occur mostly during the deepest levels of sleep.
6.
AGING FAST
Persistent
sleep loss can lead to lackluster skin, fine lines and dark circles may start
to appear under the skin. When you don’t sleep right, your body reacts by
releasing more stress hormone (cortisol). The cortisol released can break down
the skin collagen (which is the protein that keeps the skin smooth and
elastic). Sleep loss can also impair growth.
7.
SERIOUS
HEALTH COMPLICATIONS
Although
insomnia can be a symptom of some health conditions, chronic insomnia can put
one at risk of several deadly health problems such as:
Heart
disease
Heart
attack/ failure
High
blood pressure
Stroke
Diabetes
8.
DEATH
Well we had it coming,
with all the complications that accompany chronic insomnia it is no surprise to
see that at the end of it. A research on 100,00 British civil servants in 2007,
showed that those who reduced their sleep time from 7 to 5 hours or less at
night, had a doubled risk of death compared to others who had a lengthy sleep.
The
good news however is that insomnia itself is very treatable, do consult your
doctor or psychiatrist for professional help. Many people with insomnia feel
more refreshed when they get proper treatment and finally begin to sleep
properly….Good Luck!!!