Sleep Disorder

Sleep is one of the essential daily activities and one of the most vital elements in maintaining good health. Sleep improves life satisfaction, bodily processes, and equilibrium. The cellular, organic, and systemic processes of an organism depend on sleep, and its absence may be damaging to health as well as alter eating habits, blood sugar control, blood pressure, cognitive functions, and several hormonal axes. For optimal physical, cognitive, and psychological health, one must get enough quality sleep. The most crucial tasks of sleep include brain development, memory processing, cellular repair, and learning. Sleep plays crucial roles in regulating the operations of numerous other bodily systems in addition to helping to maintain appropriate brain function. Lack of sleep is linked to increased daily drowsiness, decreased neurocognitive performance and fatigue.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547676/

Medical professionals frequently overlook sleep loss from a variety of causes as a curable health issue. Serious medical disorders like diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, depression, and anxiety have a substantial correlation with it. These medical and mental health conditions increase the risk of heart attack and stroke in a person. Other negative effects of chronic sleep deprivation on public health include increased mortality and morbidity, poor performance during awake activities leading to an increase in accidents and injuries, lower self-reported quality of life, decreased family well-being, and reduced use of medical services. It is obvious that lack of sleep has a significant impact on one’s health and happiness. The quantity and quality of sleep are crucial for both physical and mental health and should be taken into account in any treatment plan.

A person with insufficient sleep is said to be ten times more likely to suffer depressive symptoms and seventeen times more likely to experience anxious symptoms. Poor sleep increases the risk of suicide conduct, regardless of any other mental health issues, according to a growing body of studies.By messing with our circadian rhythms and interfering with our regular sleep stages, lack of sleep impacts the mental health of both our bodies and our brains. Lack of sleep impairs the brain’s capacity to make emotional decisions and to synthesize a variety of bits of information.

An impairment in cognitive and psychological performance as well as deteriorated physical health are linked to sleep disorders. A range of psychiatric and physical illnesses, as well as maladaptive functioning, can be brought on by its situational or pathological changes. If detected, disturbed sleep can be a sign of physical, mental, or emotional problems as well as a cause of illness.Another trait connected to suicide acts is impulsivity, which is raised and problem-solving abilities that are lowered when one is sleep deprived. We also react more emotionally, have a tendency to think poorly of ourselves, and are more sensitive to stress when we are sleepy. We are less robust physically and emotionally, less able to employ sound judgment and coping mechanisms, and we are irritated, restless, and worn out. The CDC says that more than half of those who die by suicide do not have a known mental health diagnosis, making awareness of these vulnerabilities vital for all of us. These consequences of sleep deprivation occur regardless of any other underlying mental health conditions.

How do we sleep well is a question that should be answered. Experts’ recommendations for sleep therapies frequently center on healthy behavioral practices, also referred to as sleep hygiene.According to Dr. Prichard and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine,

“The first step to getting a good night of sleep is to wake up around the same time every day, even on the weekends. If you wake up at 7 AM on weekdays but sleep in until 10 AM on Saturday and Sunday, you’re essentially experiencing three hours of jet lag every weekend. Your circadian rhythm can’t keep up with that kind of change and keep your body functioning in a normal and healthy way.“

Another helpful suggestion is to stay away from caffeine and other stimulants for at least three hours prior to bedtime. In addition to delaying your natural sleep cycle by preventing you from feeling sleepy, caffeine can stay in your system for up to eight hours (much longer if you are pregnant, just delivered, or have liver issues). That matters because it is more likely that you will fall asleep fast if you just go to bed when you are tired, according to experts. The interaction between caffeine abuse and sleep disruption can be difficult to solve.Avoiding caffeine and other stimulants for at least three hours before night is another good advice. Caffeine can linger in your system for up to eight hours and delay your normal sleep cycle in addition to keeping you from feeling drowsy (much longer if you are pregnant, just delivered, or have liver issues). This is significant because, according to experts, if you simply go to bed when you are exhausted, you are more likely to fall asleep quickly. It can be challenging to resolve the relationship between caffeine usage and sleep disruption.

Dr. Prichard recommends creating a relaxing atmosphere, which includes keeping your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. She suggests,

“Sticking to a consistent bedtime routine that incorporates calming activities like light reading or meditation and staying away from screens. Most screens emit blue light, which mimics sunlight, confusing our brightness detectors, and interfering with melatonin production. Reconsider an alarm clock with a lighted time display, as seeing this can create unneeded anxiety about the sleep you may be missing out on.”

Knowing that a restful night’s sleep is possible is beneficial. And whether you are a college student, parent, professional, or patient, it’s crucial to think about how getting enough sleep can improve both your own and the health of people under your care.

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK547676/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3634295