Insomnia is characterized by various personality changes and symptoms resulting from disrupted ability to sleep or not being able to complete a nap. It is a chronic disorder and is responsible for daytime fatigue, sleepiness, lacking motivation, and inability to concentrate.
We all are aware of the fact of how quality and right quantity sleep affects our whole routine and our mental health. Thus, the inability to sleep appropriately affects our entire body and all organs in several ways leading to a depressed and low lifestyle.
Today, clinicians who treat people with insomnia focus on evaluating them through various physiological, psychological, neuroanatomical, and behavioral aspects. Instead of treating them with sedatives and anxiolytics only. Because it’s a fact that to function properly we need a good sleep and for a good nap our organs and systems should already be functioning correctly!
Let’s see how insomnia or inability to sleep affects our whole body.
In this condition, the brain suffers from a hyperarousal state, a hyperactive state of anxiety. It keeps a person alert and active in the hours one should become drowsy and fall asleep. The cortical area of the brain, which response to speech and decision making, becomes hyperactive too; these changes ultimately lead to a lack of sleep during bedtime.
Insomnia is also linked with various mood-related disorders and increased chances of bipolar disorders, having hallucinations, or mania. People suffer from anxiety and paranoia; inability to sleep affects emotional states severely!
On neuro molecular levels, it is associated with the disrupted release of sleep-promoting hormones. It suppresses serotonin and GABA neurotransmitters, which are responsible for maintaining sleep-cycles. It also increases the release of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and histamine, which promote wakefulness and sleeplessness.
The disrupted release of sleep regulatory molecules also responds to its increased hyperactive physiologic changes on all other organs of the body too.
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Insomniac patients are more vulnerable to release stress hormones. It is one of the reasons why people going through insomnia suffer from irritability, risk of high blood pressure, stressful and agitated behavior. The inflammatory chemicals are released in excess, too, which, along with stress hormones, contribute to the risk of developing other heart diseases.
Lacking proper and sound sleep for a maximum of 8 hours a day at night could damage the body and its systems to perform its functions.
There is an increased ratio of physical complaints and pain throughout the body. Severe headaches and migraines are the most common — this response to hyperactive and hyperarousal stage.
Accidental cases are more seen in insomniac people as they lack motor coordination and balance. The motor and reflex areas do not respond appropriately.
Sleep deprivation is associated with increased food intake, thus weight gain. The body needs the energy to stay active and concentrated throughout the day. Therefore, there are chances to overeat when you have already eaten enough.
Insomnia is linked with increased chances of infections and more prone to sickness. The body’s defense system becomes weak, and altered immunity unable the body from fighting with foreign pathogens.
However, if you do not have an adequate sleep but you can able to work on various factors that change your emotional, physiological, psychological, or dietary behaviors, you are on the way to combat this sleepless condition.
Until Next Time,
Team Doctor ASKY!