The most unpleasant consequences of insomnia are its negative effect on the body. Insomnia affects work productivity and mood. Also, the consequences of sleep problems can be:
1. Stress.
Sleep deprivation increases levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Because of this, a person becomes irritable and nervous.
2. Appearance.
Insomnia negatively affects the condition and color of the skin. Red, swollen eyes are not attractive.
3. Excess weight.
Overeating is a constant companion of insomnia. After a sleepless night, the body tries to somehow regain its strength, so it needs more caloric food. Also, some hormones are simply not produced if you are not sleeping and this affects your metabolism.
4. Impaired brain function.
Lack of sleep interferes with concentrating attention, solving even the simplest tasks.
5. Aging.
Sleep is necessary for cell regeneration and recovery processes. If you don’t get enough sleep, your body’s systems age much faster.
6. Deterioration of the state of blood vessels.
Insomnia significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, disrupts the process of bone formation and fat metabolism. Against such an unfavorable background, a variety of diseases can develop.
The danger of insomnia should not be underestimated. But trying to deal with it on your own is not the best option. Of course, you should create all the conditions for normal sleep: give up an evening cup of coffee, go to bed every day at the same time, preferably no later than 11 p.m. But still the most important thing is to find the causes of sleep problems.
Of course, it is best to see a “sleep doctor’ – somnologist. This specialist diagnoses and treats various sleep disorders. A somnologist can:
• prescribe you the necessary examination;
• if necessary, recommend for additional consultations;
• create the most effective treatment regimen and test its effectiveness.
Polysomnography shows the most complete and accurate determination of the nature and severity of sleep. It is a special complex multifactorial study carried out during a night’s sleep. During the study, the following indicators check:
• blood oxygen saturation level;
• assessment of brain activity (EEG);
• heart function (ECG);
• eyeball movements (EOG) and muscle activity (EMG);
• respiratory characteristics;
• presence or absence of snoring.
You should see a doctor if you have any of the following symptoms:
• regular trouble falling asleep, frequent or too early awakening. If this situation occurs 3 times a week or more, it is time to see a specialist;
• constant drowsiness, irritability, fatigue during the day;
• feeling like you are not getting enough sleep;
• absent-mindedness for no clear external reason;
• nightmares – perhaps the body is trying in this way to signal problems with internal organs. You can read about different types of dreams here;
• headaches in the morning, constant nervousness, sudden and unreasonable mood changes.
All this can be a consequence of insomnia.
