Insomnia is a sleep disorder in which you have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. The condition can be short-term (acute) or can last a long time (chronic). It may also come and go....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Acute insomnia lasts from 1 night to a few weeks. Insomnia is chronic when it happens at least 3 nights, a week, 3 months or more.
Types of Insomnia
There are two types of insomnia:
(a) Primary and
(b) Secondary.
Primary insomnia:- This means your sleep problems aren’t linked to any other health condition or problem.
Secondary insomnia:- This means you have trouble sleeping because of a health condition (like asthma, depression, arthritis, cancer, or heartburn); pain; medication; or substance use (like alcohol).
Causes of insomnia include:
Stress related to big life events, like a job loss or change, the death of a loved one, divorce, or moving.
Things around you like noise, light, or temperature.
Changes to your sleep schedule like jet lag, a new shift at work, or bad habits you picked up when you had other sleep problems.
Mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Medications for colds, allergies, depression, high blood pressure, and asthma.
Pain or discomfort at night.
Caffeine, tobacco, or alcohol use
Hyperthyroidism and other endocrine problems.
Other sleep disorders, like sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome.
A good night’s rest is essential for overall health. Interestingly, long-term lack of sleep can cause oxidative stress and even hormone imbalances.
Furthermore, research has shown that chronic lack of sleep(Insomnia) may decrease glutathione levels.
Another major factor that Causes Insomnia is decreased Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) in the cells of the body.
Adenosine is an important chemical that exists naturally in all cells of the body. It is used to transfer energy within the cells by forming molecules like adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and it is also one of the chemical messengers, or neurotransmitters, within the brain.
In addition to various other functions, adenosine has been found to be an effective natural painkiller, widens blood vessels, and helps regulate heart rhythm.
Risks Associated With Lack of Deep Sleep
It is clear that lack of sleep is bad for your health. When you don’t get enough deep sleep, you get poorer quality sleep overall.
Impacts on your body and brain can include:
1. Pain
A lack of deep sleep can make chronic pain worse. This may show up in different ways. It may even lead to a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, which is characterized by pain, depression, and fatigue. When you get a deep sleep, you may feel less pain.
2. Impaired Growth
Children with untreated sleep disorders like sleep apnea will get less deep sleep. Reduced deep sleep interferes with the release of growth hormone. This may lead to slower-than-normal growth. Fortunately, children may catch up on growth once they receive treatment for their sleep disorder.
3. Dementia
Beta-amyloid plaques build up in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s patients. A lack of deep sleep may interfere with the process of clearing these proteins. This could make the disease progress more quickly.
4.Immune Dis-function and Chronic Diseases
A lack of deep sleep may also harm your immune system. You may get more common illnesses like colds or influenza (flu). Lack of deep sleep may also increase your risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease or cancer.
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