What does drowsiness mean. Drowsiness: causes, symptoms of which diseases, how to get rid of such a condition. Causes of sleepiness in women

The constant feeling of fatigue, fatigue, drowsiness in ladies can be considered a kind of sleep disorder. These sensations accompany the whole day, do not allow to work fully, think, interfere with making decisions. Maybe this is how a person pays for the modern way of life, forcing us to constantly keep our finger on the pulse. However, persistent fatigue and sleepiness in women is not only the result of overwork at work or at home, it can also be the result of health problems.

The causes of increased sleepiness from a medical point of view are varied.

In youth, we are cheerful and full of energy, we manage to do everything, we easily solve any problems and do not leave ourselves enough time to sleep. With age, a lot changes: work, family, children, everyday difficulties, lack of rest appear. More problems and tasks fall on the shoulders of a modern woman, with which she must successfully cope. Fatigue accumulates, and with it comes daily constant sleepiness and fatigue in women, but what are its causes?

Causes of sleepiness in women

There are a lot of reasons that cause a feeling of fatigue, hypersomnia. Perhaps that every somatic or mental pathology of a woman is the cause of severe weakness and drowsiness. Let's take a closer look at the most common of them.

Taking medications

Very often, women's experiences, doubts, fears and anxiety do not give any opportunity to relax and fall asleep, so many of the ladies are forced to take sedatives or hypnotics at night. Light sedatives (Persen, lemon balm) do not leave a trace in the morning and do not affect awakening, working capacity, muscle tone. The situation is different with tranquilizers, strong sleeping pills (Phenazepam, Donormil). Many of them have side effects in the form of severe weakness, drowsiness, apathy, fatigue, headache, loss of strength that haunt a woman all day and cause hypersomnia.

There are several groups of drugs, the side effect of which is increased drowsiness.

Some hormonal drugs, hypoglycemic drugs (against diabetes mellitus), muscle relaxants (Sirdalud) also cause muscle hypotension and a desire to sleep. This is one of the reasons for the constant weakness and drowsiness in women.

lack of daylight

Surely we all noticed how easy it is to get up in the morning when spring or summer is outside the window. The sun shines brightly, the birds sing, the mood is excellent, the efficiency rolls over. This is directly related to low levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. The situation is reversed, when in winter at 7 am it is still quite dark and cold. No one wants to get out from under the covers, let alone get ready for work. Melatonin is elevated, and the body is confused why it needs to wake up if there is no light on the street. In schools, offices, this problem can be solved by using fluorescent lamps.

Anemia

Iron deficiency in the body can rightly be considered the most common cause of fatigue and drowsiness in women. This important trace element is involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin, which, in turn, carries oxygen to the tissues. Lack of iron leads to a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood and as a result, a violation of oxidative processes, hypoxia occurs. The main symptoms of iron deficiency anemia are:

• drowsiness, weakness, fatigue;

Anemia may be one of the causes of fatigue in women

• dizziness, lowering blood pressure;
• heartbeat;
• hair loss, brittle nails;
• constipation, nausea.

It is quite easy to diagnose this pathology, it is enough just to pass a general blood test. A hemoglobin level below 115 g/l will indicate anemia. It will be much more difficult to establish its cause. In the fair sex, the factors leading to the occurrence of anemia are: heavy menstruation, premenopause, anorexia, vegetarianism, gastritis or stomach ulcers. Therapist or hematologist deals with the treatment of iron deficiency in the body. The doctor will prescribe the necessary additional examinations, and then a course of iron supplements.

Lowering blood pressure

What are the causes of nausea, weakness, dizziness, drowsiness in women? Hypotension is not uncommon in thin young girls. It is often caused by a genetically determined low vascular tone, due to which the pressure drops below normal (less than 110/70 millimeters of mercury). Hypotension is especially pronounced with a sharp rise. This condition is called orthostatic hypotension, when when moving from a sitting (or lying) position to a vertical position, the pressure drops sharply. An extreme manifestation of this pathology is fainting (collapse).

Hypotensive patients often complain of weakness and drowsiness.

Hypotension in women may well be a temporary phenomenon associated with pregnancy, menstruation, severe physical or mental fatigue, stress, neuroses. You can increase vascular tone by correcting your lifestyle: compliance with the regime of work and rest, contrast showers, adaptogens (eleutherococcus, ginseng, lemongrass), taking vitamins, fresh air, playing sports.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Snoring affects not only men, but also women. During the collapse of the airways in a dream, a complete cessation of breathing for a few seconds can occur - apnea. It is worth saying that there can be up to 400 such episodes! If snoring, accompanied by the appearance of apnea, worries a woman every night, then the cause of daytime lethargy and drowsiness does not need to be looked for for a long time, it is obvious.

The body suffers from chronic hypoxia, that is, it experiences a constant lack of oxygen, which is extremely harmful and dangerous for brain cells. All this leads to weakness, fatigue and a desire to rest during the day.

Thyroid disease

Decreased thyroid function (hypothyroidism) is manifested by the following symptoms:

• Drowsiness, severe muscle weakness, apathy, physical and emotional fatigue.
• Dry skin, swelling of the face, extremities.
• Violation of menstruation in women.
• Chilliness, chilliness, tendency to constipation.

Diabetes

Severe weakness in diabetes mellitus is observed with hypoglycemia

This is a common endocrine pathology in women, which manifests itself in a violation of the absorption of glucose by cells and tissues as a result of a lack of insulin (or a decrease in sensitivity to it). Controlled diabetes does not in itself cause drowsiness, but when blood sugar levels begin to drop, a life-threatening condition of hypoglycemia occurs.

Severe increasing drowsiness, nausea in a patient with diabetes mellitus can be a sign of a formidable complication - hypoglycemic coma!

Taking antidiabetic drugs, a woman needs to carefully monitor the level of blood glucose, regularly visit an endocrinologist, and undergo recommended examinations on time.

Narcolepsy

A rare condition of sudden falling asleep in an unusual place. It can occur against the background of cheerfulness, as well as complete well-being. It is characterized by the fact that a woman suddenly falls into a short sleep for a few minutes, and then wakes up just as quickly. It can happen anywhere: at the workplace in the office, in transport, on the street. Sometimes this pathology is preceded by catalepsy - paralysis of the limbs with severe weakness. The disease is very dangerous in terms of unforeseen injuries, but it can be successfully treated with psychotherapeutic drugs.

Narcolepsy is manifested by unforeseen sleep attacks.

Klein-Levin syndrome

An even rarer condition than narcolepsy. It is mainly found in adolescent boys under 19 years of age, but it is also possible in women. It is characterized by falling into a deep sleep for up to several days without any precursors. After waking up, a person feels cheerful, very hungry, excited. The cause of the disease has not yet been established, so there is no adequate treatment.

brain injury

They occur in women of any age after car accidents, falls, bumps, accidents at home. Depending on the severity of the injury, the duration of the acute period and treatment, constant daytime sleepiness, a feeling of severe fatigue after a short work, and emotional fatigue are possible.

mental illness

In psychiatric practice, there is a whole arsenal of deviations in health related to the emotional sphere of a woman. These include: depression, psychosis, neurotic disorders, manic syndrome, neurasthenia, obsessive-compulsive disorders and more. Almost all of them are accompanied by a change in behavior, sleep disturbance, weakness, lethargy. Treatment is handled by a psychotherapist, possibly with a neurologist.

Diagnosis of increased sleepiness in women

Finding the cause of such a common condition as severe weakness and drowsiness is quite difficult. They usually start with an appeal to a therapist or a neurologist. The doctor prescribes standard examinations to detect somatic pathology: a general blood and urine test, a biochemical blood test, an electrocardiogram. If you suspect the presence of endocrine or neurological pathology, a consultation with a narrow specialist is necessary.

In very rare cases, polysomnography is performed - the study of a woman's sleep indicators in a specialized center. If the structure of sleep is changed, then treatment is carried out by a somnologist.

Ways to deal with sleepiness

If no deviations in the state of health are found, the woman has neither somatic nor mental diseases, then the following measures to eliminate the causes of drowsiness and weakness can come to the rescue.

• It is necessary to adhere to the correct daily routine: go to bed and get up at the same time, do not stay up late at night at a computer or TV.
• Observe the regime of work and rest (take breaks during work to avoid severe overwork).
• Morning or evening jogging (walking) in the fresh air contributes to the addition of strength and energy.

Morning jogging provides the body with a charge of vivacity

• Some women may be fine with caffeinated drinks in the morning, but don't get too carried away with them.
• Eliminate alcohol, nicotine, carbohydrates.

You also need a course of vitamins for women, which help well with fatigue and drowsiness. Adaptogens (schisandra, ginseng) do an excellent job with low vascular tone.

There are a lot of conditions that lead to drowsiness. Listen to your body, pay more attention to how you feel, do not ignore important signals, consult a doctor in time, then weakness, drowsiness will not become your constant companions.

A similar situation occurs today. Many adults and children note that in the prone position, their level of drowsiness begins to decrease, and they cannot fall asleep for a long time. However, as soon as they sit down, read a book or watch TV, they immediately fall into a sound sleep. Is it possible to relax in this way, or is sleeping in a sitting position unhealthy?

History reference

In the 19th century, seated sleep was quite common.

Historical sources say that in some European countries, including Russia, sleeping in a half-sitting position was quite common. At the same time, people use not ordinary armchairs or sofas, but shortened bedroom cabinets. Some of them have survived to this day. So, for example, in the Netherlands there is a closet in which Peter the Great rested at night, who had a dream while sitting in Europe.

The prevalence of nighttime sitting in the past is not indicative of its health benefits.

Why did people sleep sitting up forever? There are no reliable data explaining the reasons for this phenomenon. The most plausible hypothesis is associated with frequent feasts, when people ate fatty and protein-rich foods that take a long time to digest. In this situation, people felt better sitting than lying down. The second theory says that the main benefit of such a night's rest is just the preservation of fancy hairstyles for the fair sex.

Why do people prefer to sleep in a sitting position?

When a person chooses to sleep while sitting, the causes of this condition can be very different. Most often, the desire to sit at night is associated with psychological characteristics. So, for example, such deviations are very often observed in people who have traumatic memories from the past - they either got very scared in the past of something while lying in bed, or they have unpleasant associations with a similar situation. All this leads to the fact that when a child or an adult goes to bed, then he has a strong release of adrenaline, which does not allow him to fall asleep. When such a person moves into a chair, the feeling of discomfort passes, allowing you to sleep peacefully.

There are different reasons for sitting down to sleep.

Why can't a psychologically healthy person fall asleep? This can be caused by various diseases. Very often, people suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease, in which the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus, prefer to sleep half-sitting. This posture prevents such casting and significantly reduces the level of discomfort. However, such a situation requires, first of all, the treatment of the underlying disease, and not just a change of place to sleep.

The second common medical problem that explains why people sleep and sleep while sitting is sleep apnea, which is periods of stopping breathing during sleep. A similar phenomenon is more common in the supine position, and is usually noticed by the husband or wife of the person who talks about the violations to the patient. As a result, the person becomes frightened and prefers not to fall asleep in bed anymore.

The situation in children is slightly different from adults. Why does a child prefer to sleep sitting up? Very often, babies take this position due to night terrors that disrupt the process of falling asleep in bed.

Diseases of the cardiovascular system

Sleep in a sitting position is also found in patients with cardiovascular diseases. In this case, such patients sleep, placing pillows under the lower back, unloading the heart.

If a person is in a horizontal position, then a large amount of blood flows to his heart through the venous vessels. This situation can cause discomfort, shortness of breath and respiratory problems in patients with heart failure of any severity. Therefore, such people receive certain benefits from the fact that they sleep half-sitting.

Possible harm

When a child or adult sleeps while sitting for a long period of time (more than one month), it can lead to certain consequences:

• an uncomfortable posture leads to squeezing of the spinal arteries that supply blood to the brain. This leads to his ischemia and disturbs the night's rest, causing drowsiness and a feeling of weakness after a night's rest;
• significant pressure on the vertebrae as a result of a long stay in an uncomfortable position can lead to changes in the spinal column and cause exacerbations of a number of diseases, including osteochondrosis;

Sleeping in an uncomfortable position threatens the development of diseases of the spine

• similar effects occurring in the elderly can cause ischemic stroke.

To restore the quality of a night's rest, it is necessary to contact doctors who are able to select recommendations and treatment for a person.

In this regard, many doctors talk about the dangers of sleeping in a sitting position, both for adults and for babies.

Doctors who insist that you should not sleep sitting up give the following recommendations to people with sleep disorders.

• If the problem is psychological in nature, then the person should contact a psychotherapist who can help in such a situation. Sleep training in a new position is also of some importance, for which there are a number of special techniques. You can get acquainted with them with your doctor or sleep doctor.

If the reason for sleeping in a sitting position is caused by psychological problems, then you need to seek help from a psychotherapist

• It is necessary to ventilate the room before going to bed, use a comfortable mattress, do not overeat in the evening and do not engage in activities that excite the central nervous system.
• In the presence of diseases that violate the process of falling asleep in the supine position, it is necessary to contact a medical institution for their treatment. Early detection of diseases allows you to quickly cure them, without the development of negative health consequences.

Sleep in a sitting position in a child or adult is associated with the psychological characteristics of a person or with certain diseases. Identifying the causes of this condition allows you to draw up a plan for the formation of the habit of sleeping lying down and pick up recommendations for organizing a night's rest.

And some secrets.

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Features of sleeping in a sitting position

Few people know that most people used to sleep sitting up. Today, doctors are trying to find a scientific justification for this resting position and its effect on health. Even now, some people complain that they feel drowsy while sitting, but as soon as they lie down, drowsiness disappears instantly. If you sit down again and read a book or watch a TV show, they fall asleep. Therefore, the topic - whether it is harmful to sleep while sitting or not, is very relevant.

Information from historical sources

If you look into history, you can find information that sleeping in a semi-sitting position was common in Russia and European countries. The peculiarity was that they used for this purpose a special chair for sleeping while sitting or shortened wardrobes in the bedroom.

Despite the prevalence of such a holiday, there is no information about the beneficial properties. It would be justified to raise the topic of why people in past centuries slept while sitting. There is a possibility that this is due to frequent feasts and overeating. The man fell asleep while sitting, because. in this position the condition was the best.

Another theory is related to the fair sex. It is believed that women in ancient times used this position to relax, so as not to ruin their hair.

Benefit and harm

Fall asleep half-sitting, a person can after a hard day's work, when he is overtired. This position of the body is not suitable for constant sleep and can cause stretching of the intervertebral discs and poor health after waking up. In addition, swelling is formed in the neck.

If a person rarely sleeps in this position, then the body manages to restore the reserve of forces during this time. If a sitting sleep is provoked by diseases, then this can cause the development of such pathological processes:

1. Lack of oxygen supply to the brain. This happens due to compression of the vertebral arteries. As a result, we get a feeling of weakness and weakness when a person wakes up.
2. Vertebral compression. Excessive load leads to illness due to incorrect body position. Also, a violation can cause the formation of diseases of the joints and osteochondrosis of the cervical spine.
3. Stroke (bleeding in the brain).

To minimize the risk of developing such complications, it is recommended to consult a doctor if you find yourself sleeping in a chair.

The reasons

A common cause of falling asleep while sitting is overwork. However, other problems leading to this condition have been fixed, namely:

1. Disorders of the psycho-emotional sphere. Unpleasant events in a person's life that occurred while lying down lead to their development. The result is a negative association. The cause may also be fright during a night's rest. A person, when taking a horizontal position, cannot fall asleep as a result of the production of an excess amount of adrenaline.
2. Gastroesophageal reflux. The pathological condition is characterized by the throwing of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus, which contributes to the supine position. This leads to discomfort and inability to sleep. In order for sleep to become full, it is recommended to direct forces to fight the disease.
3. Apnea or brief breath holding. It often worries people who are overweight. Seizures occur when a person sleeps in a supine position at night. All this leads to the fear of falling asleep lying down and the person chooses a comfortable position for sleeping while sitting.
4. Disorders of the functioning of the organs of the cardiovascular system. Diseases of the heart and blood vessels make people sleep half-sitting.

The human body is an intelligent and highly developed system that selects the optimal sleeping position. However, doctors advise lying down to sleep, because. This position of the body allows the body to fully relax. To achieve this goal, it is recommended to eliminate the above problems.

Proper preparation for sleep sitting

In order to make sleeping in a sitting position bring comfort, it is recommended:

1. Prepare the bed. You need to collect pillows, blankets and a mattress, this will allow you to sit comfortably and minimize the risk that your muscles will be sore during sleep.
2. Wear light and loose clothing made from natural fabrics.
3. Wear ear plugs or earmuffs to block out extraneous sounds. You can also use a sleep mask.
4. Drink a cup of warm mint tea with honey before going to bed, read a book or watch your favorite movie.
5. Conveniently located. Of course, sitting in a chair on an airplane or train will be comfortable for you, while in other cases you need to find a vertically located surface that you can lean against. If it's hard, put a pillow or blanket on it. The best option would be a situation when the surface is slightly tilted back. When traveling together, you can lean on each other.

Choosing the best sitting posture for sleeping

In order for you to be comfortable, you can rotate many times, this can reduce the pressure on the muscles and improve the strength of sleep. To support sleep, it is recommended to put a pillow or other support under your head. For the same purpose, you can wrap your head and the back of the support with a scarf. The head will be fixed, and will not fall in different directions.

Remember that sleeping in a sitting position for a long time is harmful, so try to sleep properly. This is explained by the fact that a sitting person practically cannot enter the phase of REM sleep. Therefore, as soon as there is an opportunity, you need to go to bed on a sofa or even a hammock.

Observational data show that the best sleep is on the side, but under such conditions that the head and spine are in the same line.

It is recommended to relax the muscle fibers of the pelvis and legs by placing a pillow or a folded blanket between them. This will help prevent leg numbness. In this case, the hands should be placed below the shoulder girdle and in no case under the head.

Please note that sleeping on the right side can cause excessive stress on the liver, as a result, wrinkles appear on the skin.

Sleeping on your back is best for people suffering from:

• hypertension;
• heart diseases.

Of course, it is difficult to accustom ourselves to a useful and unusual posture, because our body position depends on the character and psychological type of a person.

Sleep sitting at the table

In order for sleep at the table to bring maximum benefit, it is recommended that before falling asleep, recline the back of the chair a little back. The angle of inclination should be 40 degrees. It is better if you can put something soft under your lower back, such as a pillow, blanket or special underlay. It will serve as a support for the back. Place a small pillow under your neck, your head will be tilted back, and you will fall asleep faster.

After that, cover yourself with a blanket. It is better if you tuck it under you, so it will not fall and wake you up. During sleep, it is recommended to rotate, this will prevent the leakage of muscle fibers and improve its strength, namely its usefulness and strength.

Important! In no case should you lean on the table. At first glance, it may seem that sleeping with your hands and head on the table is much better and more comfortable. Perhaps this is true, but the general well-being and condition of a person after waking up will be very different.

People who study sleep recommend that you choose the side on the plane that you are used to sleeping on. Attention also needs to be paid to which side will have more light and sun during the trip. This is explained by the fact that on a red-hot porthole, as you need not to rest.

If the perspective is placement on one chair, then in order to reduce pressure on the vertebrae while sitting, it is recommended to place a pillow or folded blanket under the lumbar region of the spine.

It is not recommended to lean your head against the back of the chair located in front. This is explained by the fact that you will feel all the movements of your neighbor. Try not to cross your legs when flying, this is harmful, because. increased risk of venous thrombosis.

You can use pillows, blankets and blankets to increase comfort. Clothing should be loose-fitting and made from natural fabrics that allow the skin to breathe. You can change into slippers or just take it off.

You can put an inflatable pillow under your head, wear a mask over your eyes, and earplugs or headphones on your ears. You can listen to light, soothing music. As for watching movies, conflicting opinions arise, because the radiation of screens dulls the production of the sleep hormone - melatonin. The choice would be to read a book. Please note that the air is dry on the plane, so if you suffer from dry skin, it is recommended to take moisturizing cosmetics with you.

How to learn to sleep in a sitting position

To improve sleep, and especially in a sitting position, it is recommended:

1. Pay attention to the diet. Before going to bed, you need to eat bananas, nuts and cheese. A good effect is also observed if you drink a glass of milk before going to bed. It is forbidden to overeat, because it will negatively affect sleep and may cause awakening.
2. Avoid watching TV or talking on the phone before bed. The best option in this case would be reading books.
3. If you can't sleep, which you absolutely need, you can try taking sleeping pills.

Summing up, we focus on the fact that sleeping in a sitting position for a long period of time is harmful and can lead to negative consequences. Remember this and stay healthy.

The information published on the site is intended for informational purposes only and in no case calls for self-diagnosis and treatment. To make informed decisions on treatment and use of drugs, consultation with a qualified doctor is mandatory. The information posted on the site is obtained from open sources. The editors of the portal are not responsible for its authenticity.

An obese person constantly falls asleep as soon as he sits down. Why?

Situation: One friend often comes to her husband for repairs. It has a live weight, at least 150 kilograms. It barely fits in the car. While he is being repaired, he sits in the garage and sleeps in an armchair. Even fell a few times. Well, at least not in the inspection hole. Once he was asked to drive the car out of the garage, after repair. He left. But the door does not open, the motor is running. The men came up - he was sleeping! Fell asleep in a few seconds! But more to come. Over the past 2 weeks, he fell asleep 4 times at the wheel. The first time I drove my husband's partner home. He, sitting next to him, grabbed the steering wheel and kicked him in the side with his elbow. Thanks to this, they did not leave the road. However, later he himself, being alone in the car, fell asleep 3 times. He got lucky twice. Just pulled over and got stuck on the side of the road. But for the third time he did not part with the trucker. The car is in an accordion - it has not a scratch. Probably, if he had not slept, he would have been killed to hell. The Belarusian trucker was shocked by the severity of local drivers. Now it doesn't drive. Apparently God saved. He won't kill himself while driving, and he won't kill anyone. One thing is clear - he can't drive. But he intends to restore the car.

So the question is - what is it with him? What kind of disease and what is the name? How to treat this, and how to live with it?

I had such a misfortune (with a weight of 120), it is associated with sudden changes in blood sugar, most likely a person with this weight already has diabetes, it also happens on a hormonal (age and weight) failure, for example, testosterone. But you can’t joke with health, it’s difficult to establish the cause of such a problem on your own, therefore, without a decent examination of the body, a person not only takes risks, he also shortens the age allotted to him for a long time.

With the development of obesity, night sleep becomes restless, periods of respiratory arrest, snoring, muscle twitching. Daytime sleepiness is compensatory. In addition, in obese people, fatty deposits compress the vessels in the neck that feed the brain. With a lack of oxygen, the brain prefers to work at minimal cost. This condition is called Pickwick's syndrome and differs from narcolepsy in the absence of catalepsy (no falls) and hallucinations.

All signs will disappear when the weight normalizes.

My relative (a former traffic police officer) after a drunk driver dragged him along the highway for a kilometer and a half (the tablet caught on the driver's seat while filling out the protocol, the driver hit the gas and rushed forward, and the traffic cop was pulled after. Miraculously, he was not dragged under the wheels and did not threw it into the "oncoming lane"), - after this incident, he also began to fall asleep right on the go. I could fall asleep while standing in line, in the bathroom, even falling asleep while eating!

He was treated for a long time. It is good that the experience has already been worked out (25 years), and he was able to retire. In general, spontaneous sleepiness is often observed in older people.

Grandparents always fall asleep in front of the TV, for example, but their sleep is superficial. shallow.

But in this case, the person clearly has something with the vessels. It is necessary to do an ultrasound scan of the vessels of the head and neck, check the blood for cholesterol, consult a neuropathologist, cardiologist and somnologist.

With narcolepsy, people often fall into a phase of deep sleep directly from wakefulness. Often there is a genetic predisposition to such a disease, and this symptom also occurs with mental illness. a very life-threatening condition.

Excess weight makes a person slow. It is difficult for him to bend over, squat and even walk. So he is looking for a way out in an elevator or in a car. He wants to sleep from a big load. He gets tired quickly and needs sleep to recuperate. And the car needs to be taken away from him, away from sin. One time I was lucky, the second time, and the third time I wasn't. Will walk more, lose extra pounds. He will regain his joy in life. In general, only one positive.

There is also such a disease (not only in "obese" people), called "Narcolepsy", in which a person can fall asleep anywhere and anytime. A very scary thing. But it’s hard to say what’s wrong with your friend, you need the help of a qualified specialist.

Most likely he has high blood pressure, and he does not drink medication. With high blood pressure, many people experience constant drowsiness. And extra weight just contributes to high blood pressure.

Why do people fall asleep sitting

Surely anyone who has ever been on an excursion in some ancient castle or palace noticed how short the beds are there. Often this fact is explained by the small growth of our ancestors. Yes, indeed, in the Middle Ages, people were somewhat shorter than us, but they were not dwarfs at all, because the point is not at all in height, but in the fact that they used to sleep sitting up.

More precisely, half-sitting, leaning back on a stack of pillows, forming an angle of 45 degrees. There are several reasons why people sleep in this position.

Danger

In ancient turbulent and cruel times, robbers could easily break into a dwelling. It would be much more difficult for a recumbent person to give them an instant rebuff, which is why they always slept at the ready - sitting, clasping the hilt of the sword with their palms.

Health

In earlier centuries, it was believed that sleeping sitting up was good for health. In this position, as our ancestors believed, the blood did not rush to the head, which means that the risk of dying from a blow, that is, from a stroke, decreased. In addition, the sitting posture, according to many healers, contributed to the development of mental abilities.

In the Middle Ages, the majority of the population of Europe suffered from all kinds of lung diseases, such as tuberculosis - it was easier for patients to breathe in a sitting position.

superstition

Various superstitions also played an important role in those days. So, it was believed that spirits could mistake a lying person for a dead person and take his soul with them.

the beauty

High hairstyles were in fashion at that time. Their construction sometimes took several hours. Hairstyles were changed infrequently. Sometimes the ladies wore their "Babylons" for several months in a row. To keep their hair safe and sound, women of fashion slept while sitting.

Some high-ranking persons, in order to emphasize their superiority over others, even received guests in the bedroom. Of course, doing this while lying down would not be very convenient, but leaning back freely on a mountain of pillows is just right.

But many researchers are still inclined to the version that it was simply fashionable to sleep while sitting.

Very encouraging news for me, because for the fifth day I have been sleeping while sitting, my legs are not on the bed, but lowered to the floor. Before that, lying on the bed, I painfully “slept.” If I may say so, for 3 hours, and then I was forced to sit and suffer until the morning and even before lunch, I just died several times a day. I didn’t want to disturb the ambulance, and even in the hospital is not sweet. So I decided to sleep sitting, without undressing (after all, it was cold and they didn’t heat it already), lowering my legs down, wrapping myself in a blanket. Relief by 80%, I can now control my condition, preventing “dying”.

but I’ll say for myself in my childhood there were always worms for someone to speak, he was embarrassed to fall asleep only while sitting))) then he finally cured it, so looking at the topic of your conversation and taking into account that in those days hygiene was not so hot everything becomes clear.

Drowsiness

Drowsiness is a sleep disorder characterized by a constant or intermittent desire to fall asleep at a time not intended for sleep.

Drowsiness, like insomnia, is the retribution of modern man for the lifestyle he leads. A huge amount of information, an increasing daily number of cases not only increase fatigue, but also reduce sleep time.

Causes of sleepiness

The causes of drowsiness in terms of medicine are varied. This is the main symptom of diseases such as narcolepsy, sleep apnea syndrome, Kleine-Levin syndrome. These are severe neuropsychiatric diseases that greatly change the normal course of life of a person suffering from them.

Drowsiness accompanies other diseases, most often, these are pathologies of the endocrine and cardiovascular systems.

Medications that a person takes for comorbidities may have a sedative (hypnotic, sedative) side effect. If this negatively affects the patient's life, then such drugs must be canceled, and if this is not possible, then with the help of the attending physician, choose an analogue with minimal side effects.

Another reason commonly associated with drowsiness is lack of sunlight. Sleepiness is less in spring and summer than in autumn and winter. To make up for this shortfall, try to buy fluorescent lights (regular incandescent bulbs are not suitable). Pay attention to the required wavelength nanometers.

It is also impossible not to mention the most common causes of drowsiness - chronic fatigue, lack of sleep and psychological causes.

A person "runs away" to sleep from boredom, stress and trouble. Therefore, when you get into such situations, drowsiness appears. In this case, help is only in solving the problem, not avoiding it. If this is not possible on your own, you should resort to the help of a psychologist.

And if chronic sleep deprivation or stressful situations are easy to prevent on their own, then more serious diseases should be treated only under the supervision of a doctor. Let's consider the main ones.

Diseases associated with drowsiness

Iron deficiency anemia is a condition of lack of iron in the body, at a later stage manifested by iron deficiency in blood cells. Along with a pronounced anemic syndrome (anemia), a hidden iron deficiency in the body (sideropenic syndrome) is noted. Hemoglobin iron decreases last, this is a protective reaction of the body against a lack of oxygen. At an earlier stage, iron deficiency is detected by determining the total serum iron-binding function and ferritin. Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia are weakness, drowsiness, taste perversion (desire to eat spicy, spicy dishes, chalk, raw meat, etc.), hair loss and brittle nails, dizziness. It is worth noting that anemia cannot be cured by changing the diet or using other folk remedies. To do this, you must use iron supplements recommended by your doctor.

Hypotension is a decrease in blood pressure below normal, most often caused by low vascular tone. Drowsiness in this disease is due to a decrease in blood supply to the brain. Also, patients note lethargy and weakness, dizziness, motion sickness in transport, etc. Hypotension can be a sign of conditions such as increased mental and physical stress, intoxication and stress, anemia, beriberi, depressive disorders.

Hypothyroidism is a syndrome caused by an underactive thyroid gland. There are no specific symptoms of this disease, it is usually masked behind other diseases. Most often, primary hypothyroidism appears as a result of autoimmune thyroiditis or as a result of treatment for thyrotoxicosis. It is also possible to develop hypothyroidism as a side effect of amiodarone therapy in the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias and cytokines in the treatment of infectious hepatitis. Symptoms of this disease, in addition to drowsiness, include fatigue, dry skin, slow speech, swelling of the face and hands, constipation, chilliness, memory loss, depression, menstrual irregularities and infertility in women.

A separate group of diseases in which drowsiness is noted is associated with obesity and impaired breathing during sleep. These are sleep apnea and Pickwick's syndrome. Most often, these pathologies are inseparable from each other.

Sleep apnea is a potentially life-threatening disorder in which there are repeated pauses in breathing during sleep of varying duration. At the same time, sleep fragmentation occurs, the brain has to “wake up” every time to give the command to breathe again. A person at this time may not wake up completely, sleep becomes superficial. This explains the lack of satisfaction with sleep and daytime sleepiness. Also, the sleep apnea syndrome is accompanied by increased motor activity of the limbs, snoring, nightmares, headaches in the morning after waking up. During episodes of respiratory arrest, an increase in blood pressure is noted. At first, it returns to normal after the restoration of breathing, but then it begins to rise constantly. Heart rhythm disturbances are also possible. During episodes of the disease, the blood supply to the brain decreases, up to critical values, which is fraught with a violation of its function.

Pickwick's syndrome includes, in addition to daytime sleepiness, such symptoms as obesity of 3-4 degrees (the highest), slowness, swelling, cyanosis of the lips and fingers, increased blood viscosity.

Diabetes mellitus is a disease of the endocrine system with a decrease in the production of the hormone insulin by the pancreas or resistance of body tissues to insulin. Insulin is a conductor of glucose into cells. This disaccharide is their main source of energy. In diabetes, there is an imbalance between the intake of glucose and its utilization by the body. Drowsiness can be a sign of both an excess of glucose in the body, and a lack of it. And the progression of drowsiness may indicate a formidable complication of diabetes - to whom. It is worth paying attention to such symptoms as thirst, weakness, increased amount of urine, itching of the skin, lowering blood pressure, dizziness, the smell of acetone in the inhaled air. If you suspect diabetes mellitus, you should consult a general practitioner or endocrinologist. Each person should know their blood sugar level, for this you need to pass a simple test at your clinic or any diagnostic center.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder in which a person falls asleep for a few minutes without feeling tired. Awakening them is as easy as diving into the realm of Morpheus. Their sleep is no different from usual, with the only difference being that a sick person cannot predict where, when and how long he will fall asleep next time. Catalepsy is often a precursor to narcoleptic sleep. This is a state of severe weakness and inability to move the arms and legs for a short period before falling asleep, which is completely reversible. Sometimes this condition can take the form of hearing, vision or smell paralysis. It is worth noting that this is an infrequent disease and a rather effective drug has been developed for control, which is prescribed by a psychotherapist or a somnologist.

Apart from other diseases associated with drowsiness, there is Klein-Levin syndrome. This is a rather rare condition in which a person occasionally experiences irresistible (imperative) drowsiness and falls asleep at any time for a period of several hours to several days. Such intervals alternate with a feeling of complete health with a frequency of 3 to 6 months. Upon waking from sleep, patients feel alert, experience extreme hunger, and sometimes symptoms such as aggression, hypersexuality, and general arousal appear. The cause of the disease is unknown. Most often it is observed in young men from 13 to 19 years old, that is, during puberty (puberty).

Brain injury can also cause drowsiness. Headaches, dizziness, bruising under the eyes, and an episode of previous traumatic brain injury should alert the patient and prompt immediate medical attention.

Examination for sleepiness

For all sleep disorders, which include drowsiness, polysomnography will be the most accurate examination. The patient spends the night in a hospital or a specialized clinic, where during sleep the performance of his brain, respiratory and cardiovascular systems is determined and recorded. After interpretation of the data, treatment is prescribed. Since this examination does not yet belong to the public group, it is carried out only if it is impossible to find out the cause of drowsiness in another way.

If sleep apnea syndrome is suspected, it is possible to register respiratory parameters by respiratory monitoring at home using a special device. Pulse oximetry is used to determine the efficiency of breathing and blood oxygen saturation.

To exclude somatic diseases that cause drowsiness, you should be examined by a therapist, who, if necessary, will prescribe a laboratory examination or consultation with a narrow specialist.

Remedies for drowsiness

While waiting for a doctor's consultation, you can do the following yourself:

Figure out your sleep routine and stick to it. This is best done during the holidays, when you are not limited by the schedule. Determine how many hours a day you need to take to sleep in order to feel alert and rested. Try to stick to these data for the rest of the time.

Stick to a sleep and rest schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time on weekdays and weekends.

Do not neglect rest, walks in the fresh air and physical activity.

Include in your diet multivitamins, fresh vegetables and fruits, drink enough clean water.

Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol

Reduce the proportion of carbohydrates in your diet.

Don't get carried away with coffee. During drowsiness, coffee spurs the brain to work hard, but the brain's reserves are quickly depleted. After a fairly short time, the person feels even more sleepy. In addition, coffee leads to dehydration of the body and leaching of calcium ions. Replace coffee with green tea, it also carries a good portion of caffeine, but at the same time saturates the body with vitamins and antioxidants.

As you can see, shrugging off drowsiness is not so easy. Pay attention to how you feel. The danger of the symptom is obvious. In addition to a decrease in the quality of life due to a decrease in the working capacity of memory and attention, this can lead to workplace injuries, accidents and disasters.

Which doctor to contact

First of all - to a therapist who, depending on the results of the examination, will refer you to a neurologist, endocrinologist, cardiologist, psychotherapist or somnologist.

Moskvina Anna Mikhailovna, therapist

Comments

And that's all. And what, they thought they would prescribe you, a super cure for everything and everyone? Rejoice that the psychologist does not care about your problem, he will not worry about how bad you feel, there will simply be a key point or suggestion that you are even better than others. So calm down and wait, wait, wait. Sooner or later, he will come and take you out of this nightmare, into a state of eternal nirvana and happiness.

It's important to know! Scientists in Israel have already found a way to dissolve cholesterol plaques in blood vessels with a special organic substance, AL Protector BV, which is secreted from a butterfly.

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The benefits and harms of sleeping while sitting

Some people have to sleep sitting up. Some do it because there is simply nowhere to lie down. Others “switch off” where the dream overcame them. Still others, no matter how strange it may sound, cannot fall asleep in a horizontal position (and this is a problem). There are other reasons as well.

Can you sleep while sitting? Basically, you can. However, such a rest will not be deep. It’s all to blame for an uncomfortable posture and increased sensitivity (one who sleeps in a chair usually wakes up from his own careless movement or some kind of sound). And yet, even such a dream is quite enough to fill the natural physiological need. True, the next day a person may be haunted by weakness, drowsiness and, probably, a headache. Consider what else can happen if you sleep sitting up, and how to get comfortable when you are already nodding off at the table.

The reasons

The most common reasons for sleeping in a sitting position are outlined above. But there are more serious ones - you need to contact specialists with them.

• Psychological problem. For example, a person previously experienced something unpleasant, directly related to falling asleep lying down. There is a negative association. A strong fright transferred in the process of going to sleep leads to the same result. When a person with this problem tries to sleep in bed, lying down triggers the stress response. There is an adrenaline rush, and it becomes impossible to fall asleep.
• Gastroesophageal reflux. In those who suffer from this disease, the contents of the stomach are thrown into the esophagus. This happens most often in the supine position. The discomfort that arises from this makes you wake up or does not let you fall asleep at all. This phenomenon does not last long. To eliminate it and restore a normal night's rest, it is necessary to treat the underlying ailment.
• Apnea (Mainly observed in overweight people. Attacks of short-term breath holding occur when a person sleeps, turning over on his back. With increased sensitivity and under the influence of stress, fear of falling asleep in a horizontal position may occur. It is recommended to solve this problem comprehensively.
• Cardiovascular diseases. Often they sleep half-sitting, putting several pillows under the lower back, those who have problems with the heart or blood vessels. They can fall asleep only in this position.

Since the body is a harmoniously developed and extremely intelligent system, it suggests the position that will ease discomfort and allow you to fall asleep. However, a person should still strive to restore full sleep in a prone position. To do this, it is necessary to eliminate the problems listed above in a timely manner.

Health impact

As already mentioned, a person literally falling from fatigue can sleep while sitting (for example, at a table or while in public transport). Of course, this posture is far from correct. Such an unnatural position inevitably leads to stretching of the intervertebral discs. And this means that discomfort after waking up is guaranteed. In some cases, they are supplemented by swelling in the neck.

If this happens infrequently, the body has time to fully recover. But when a person, due to some disease, is forced to regularly fall asleep in a position not intended for proper rest, this is harmful to health.

Sleeping in a sitting position can lead to the development of such complications:

• Oxygen starvation of the brain (comes as a result of compression of the vertebral arteries). Performance decreases, feelings of weakness and lethargy appear.
• Compression (compression) of the vertebrae. The reason is the increased load due to incorrect posture. Consequences - diseases of the joints. An uncomfortable turn of the head threatens the development of cervical osteochondrosis.

If you do not take action and do not refuse to sleep while sitting, these complications may well provoke a stroke. The main thing is to realize in time that you began to fall asleep only in an armchair or on a chair, and contact a specialist.

Diagnosed and successfully solved, the problem will return you to full sleep and save you from more serious health consequences.

How to sleep at the table

If you try to create comfortable conditions and prevent the development of addiction to sitting sleep, it can even be useful to allocate 1-2 hours for such a rest. Remember to warn those around you so that no one bothers you. Stick to the rule “when I sleep, let the whole world wait” and a few more recommendations.

• Lean back. Before falling asleep at the table, it is advisable to tilt back the back of your office chair. The angle of inclination should be approximately 40 degrees.
• Make yourself as comfortable as possible. It will be very good to put something soft behind your back. It may be a lining prepared in advance for such a case. A pillow or blanket will work too. No matter what you choose, the purpose of this item is to become a reliable support for your back. Under the neck, you can substitute a miniature pillow. Thus, the head will lean back a little - this will allow you to fall asleep faster.
• Use a blanket. When the place to sleep is fully prepared, you can lean back in your chair and cover yourself with a blanket. It is better to tuck it in, as in childhood, so that it cannot fall and wake you up. Comfort and warmth are factors that contribute to falling asleep even in a non-standard position. If necessary, the blanket can be replaced with a sweater or shawl.
• Turn an unlimited number of times. If you repeatedly change the position of the body during the rest, this will reduce muscle leakage and, accordingly, improve the quality of sleep.
• You can't lean on the table. The temptation to put your hands on the table and put your head on them is very large. It may even seem that it is much more comfortable to sleep that way. Maybe. But all the convenience crosses out the bruising of the face after waking up.

Summing up

Sleeping in a sitting position is permissible to practice only for a short rest or as a last resort. The fact is that in this position it is very difficult to “catch” the stage of the so-called REM sleep, which is extremely necessary for the body.

Therefore, at the first opportunity, you should set aside time for a good sleep in an appropriate place for this - on the sofa, in bed or in a hammock.

If you suddenly find that you can only sleep in a sitting position, this may be a signal that you have certain ailments (for example, obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease appear).

In fairness, it should be noted that there are cases when the doctor recommends sleeping while sitting. But if you want to do this without a good reason, you will have to consult a specialist.

Exercise in bed after sleep

Positions for sleeping with your loved one

Why does my lower back hurt after sleeping on my stomach?

The rhythm of modern life is simply unbearable - many of us are trying to climb the career ladder higher and higher, and this requires certain sacrifices. Frequent overtime, regular seminars and refresher courses, extracurricular work on weekends - all this negatively affects the employee's condition. And if this is associated with a small child at home, various chronic diseases and additional worries, one can only dream of normal sleep and rest. Day after day, month after month, year after year, a person accumulates constant fatigue and a desire to sleep. But, unfortunately, it is not always possible to sleep either - overstrain and insomnia simply do not allow you to sleep normally, a person in anxiety sleeps as if superficially, which does not allow him to fully rest. In this article, we will try to understand the causes and treatment of constant fatigue.

Why does a person feel tired and overwhelmed

In any work team you can find different people - cheerful and active, as well as sleepy and apathetic. Understanding the causes of this condition, we can divide these factors into two main groups - physiological causes and diseases that can cause such a condition. Let's start simple.

1. Lack of sleep. This is the simplest and most common cause of stable sleepiness. If you have a small child at home who wakes up many times at night, if a neighbor makes repairs all night long, if you are forced to earn extra money at night, there can be no question of any cheerful state. The solution to this problem is simple - you just need to get enough sleep. And while you're at work, you can drink a cup of strong coffee.
2. Oxygen deficiency. Very often in large offices with ventilation problems such a problem arises - people begin to yawn, they feel dizzy, they literally fall asleep at their workplaces. In this case, you need to ventilate the room more often, leave the windows open if the weather permits.
3. Stress. With excessive nervous stress, a special substance is released - cortisol, the excess of which causes fatigue and exhaustion. If your work is associated with stress, you must definitely take breaks, and, of course, change your attitude towards such work, try to be less nervous.
4. Excess coffee. Some people, struggling with apathy, drink the lion's dose of coffee, and in vain. The fact is that one or two cups really invigorate, but a large amount of caffeine calms and even relaxes. After such a shock dose of the drink, you will certainly want to sleep.
5. Avitaminosis. Deficiency of important vitamins can tell about itself in this way. Most often, chronic fatigue indicates a lack of iodine or magnesium. Fatigue from beriberi most often occurs in the spring, when natural vitamins in fruits and vegetables become negligible - during this period, you need to take multivitamin complexes. And, of course, you should reconsider your diet. In any season, you need to consume more fresh vegetables and fruits, only natural dishes, no fast food.
6. Bad habits. Everyone knows that alcohol and nicotine narrow the lumen of blood vessels, less oxygen is delivered to the organs, including the brain. Regular smoking leads to a deterioration in well-being, a constant state of weakness and fatigue.
7. Magnetic storms and weather conditions. Weather-dependent people notice that the state of drowsiness often occurs against the background of magnetic storms and before rain. This is explained simply - in such weather conditions atmospheric pressure decreases, the body reacts and gradually lowers blood pressure, the heartbeat slows down, fatigue syndrome occurs. In addition, this condition most often occurs in autumn and winter, when there is little sunlight. The fact is that with ultraviolet rays, vitamin D is produced in the skin, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the human body.
8. Satiety. Fatigue rolls most often after a hearty meal, isn't it? The thing is that when overeating, all the blood rushes to the digestive organs, draining from the brain, this leads to an increased desire to sleep. Fighting this is not difficult - just do not overeat.
9. Pregnancy. Very often, women feel sleepy during pregnancy, especially in the first and last trimester. This is due to a change in the hormonal background, besides, pregnant women cannot sleep normally at night - frequent trips to the toilet, lack of oxygen that interferes with the stomach in the later stages, and excessive suspiciousness - all this leads to insomnia.

In addition, fatigue can occur when taking certain medications - these include tranquilizers, antidepressants, antihistamines, sleeping pills, vasoconstrictor drugs. Drowsiness can occur against the background of even a small cold, when you decide not to take sick leave, but to endure SARS on your feet. But what if the fatigue is caused by more serious problems?

What diseases cause apathy and fatigue

If fatigue is not associated with a lack of sleep, oxygen and vitamins, if this condition accompanies you for a long time, we can talk about possible pathologies in the body.

1. Anemia. This is the most common cause of constant fatigue and desire to sleep. To check this, you just need to donate blood for a hemoglobin analysis, if this indicator is below normal, you should take action. With minor deviations, you can correct the problem with the help of nutrition - regularly eat liver, pomegranates, meat, beef tongue, apples - these foods contain a lot of iron. In difficult cases, iron preparations are prescribed. It is not difficult to recognize anemia - low hemoglobin is characterized by pale skin and mucous membranes, shortness of breath, and an accelerated heartbeat.
2. VSD. Very often, a state of regular fatigue and drowsiness occurs against the background of vegetative-vascular dystonia. The disease is characterized by symptoms such as tachycardia, disruption of the intestines, chills, sleep disturbance, a tendency to fear and nervousness.
3. Hypothyroidism. Very often, with a constant feeling of fatigue and weakness, patients are offered to take an analysis for hormones and contact an endocrinologist. The thyroid gland is an organ that is responsible for many vital functions. The lack of produced hormones leads to fatigue, frequent mood swings, depression, shortness of breath, etc.
4. Diabetes. A similar state of weakness can occur against the background of a lack of insulin in the blood. Diabetics know that unreasonable fatigue can be a sign of an impending insulin crisis, and blood sugar levels need to be checked and action taken immediately.
5. Sleep apnea. This pathology consists in involuntary cessation of breathing during a night's sleep. A person may not even be aware of such a state if he lives alone. As a result, oxygen deficiency occurs, a person cannot sleep normally, irritability and fatigue appear.

In addition to all this, drowsiness can be a consequence of chronic fatigue syndrome. After suffering infectious diseases, the patient needs rehabilitation time, otherwise he will be in a state of apathy and loss of strength. Any chronic disease can cause drowsiness, since chronic processes are less acute, the clinic is mild.

Separately, I want to say about the fatigue and apathy of the child. This may be a symptom of a helminthic invasion. Sometimes children are silent about the fall - a concussion leads to constant drowsiness. A child's fatigue can be associated with exorbitant stress, food poisoning, and other illnesses. One thing can be said with certainty - the apathetic and lethargic state of the child is definitely a sign of a violation of his health. How to deal with the lack of vitality?

If you are regularly accompanied by a feeling of fatigue, you need to take action, you cannot put up with such a condition. For starters, try to put aside everything and get enough sleep. Entrust a small child to relatives, turn off the phone, take the day off, stay away from the computer, curtain the curtains and just sleep - as much as you want. You may need 24 hours of sleep to fully recover, but it's worth it - you need to replenish your rest supplies. If this does not help, more serious measures must be taken.

Try to observe the regime of the day - you need to go to bed early, it is sleep before midnight that carries an important part of the rest. Do not overeat, it is better to eat more often, but in small portions. Try to move more - so you saturate the body with oxygen. Engage in physical activity - this is very useful and important for good health, especially if the work involves constant sitting at the computer. If you are tired at the workplace, you need to get up, walk, do light exercises, go out into the fresh air, massage your neck - this way you will ensure a rush of blood to the brain. In general, a high-quality course massage of the collar zone can significantly improve the situation. Take a contrast shower every morning, which will help you cheer up and recharge your batteries for the whole day.

Often, fatigue and drowsiness occur at the psycho-emotional level, with prolonged seasonal depression. In this case, you need to recharge with positive emotions - meet friends, play with your pet, pay attention to the child, read your favorite book. You may need to throw out an adrenaline rush - skydiving or doing some other extreme act. Sometimes this gives a powerful impetus, allows you to turn the page of life and start everything from scratch. After all, a good mood and good spirits are the basis of future career victories!

Video: what to do with constant drowsiness

Drowsiness is a sleep disorder characterized by a constant or intermittent desire to fall asleep at a time not intended for sleep. Drowsiness, like insomnia, is the retribution of modern man for the lifestyle he leads. Increased drowsiness is perhaps the most common symptom. The number of diseases that occur with severe drowsiness is so great that it is not so easy to understand them. And this is not surprising, since drowsiness is the first manifestation of depression of the central nervous system, and the cells of the cerebral cortex are unusually sensitive to the effects of external and internal adverse factors. Nevertheless, despite the non-specificity, this symptom is of great importance in the diagnosis of many pathological conditions.

Varieties and classification of drowsiness

In medical practice, the following classification of drowsiness is used, expressed in the following forms:

• mild - a person suppresses sleep and fatigue in order to continue to perform work duties, but he begins to feel sleepy when the incentive to stay awake disappears;
• moderate - a person falls asleep even when doing work. This entails social problems. Such people are not recommended to drive a car;
• severe - a person cannot remain in an active state. It is affected by severe fatigue and dizziness. For him, motivating factors do not matter, so they often get work-related injuries and become the culprits of an accident.

For people with constant drowsiness, it does not matter when to fall asleep, sleep can come not only at night, but also during the day.

Sleepiness symptoms

Increased drowsiness in children and adults is accompanied by various symptoms. Thus, in adults and the elderly, there are:

• constant weakness and fatigue;
• bouts of severe dizziness;
• lethargy and absent-mindedness;
• decrease in working capacity;
• memory impairment;
• loss of consciousness, but in very rare cases. This condition is often preceded by dizziness, therefore, at its first manifestations, it is necessary to sit down or take a supine position.

For children and infants, drowsiness or constant sleep is the norm, but if you experience the following symptoms, you should seek medical help:

• frequent vomiting;
• increase in body temperature;
• diarrhea or lack of fecal excretion;
• general weakness and lethargy;
• the child has stopped breastfeeding or refuses to eat;
• the acquisition of a bluish tint by the skin;
• the baby does not respond to the touch or voice of the parents.

Causes of sleepiness

Chronic drowsiness is a common symptom of a certain failure in the body. First of all, this applies to severe diffuse brain damage, when sudden severe drowsiness is the first alarming sign of an impending disaster. We are talking about such pathologies as:

• traumatic brain injury (intracranial hematomas, cerebral edema);
• acute poisoning (botulism, opiate poisoning);
• severe internal intoxication (renal and hepatic coma);
• hypothermia (freezing);
• preeclampsia of pregnant women with late toxicosis.

Since increased drowsiness occurs in many diseases, this symptom has diagnostic value when considered against the background of pathology (drowsiness in late pregnancy toxicosis, drowsiness in traumatic brain injury) and/or in combination with other symptoms (posyndromic diagnosis).

So, drowsiness is one of the important signs of asthenic syndrome (nervous exhaustion). In this case, it is combined with increased fatigue, irritability, tearfulness and a decrease in intellectual abilities.

Increased drowsiness combined with headache and dizziness is a sign of cerebral hypoxia. In such cases, a lack of oxygen can be caused by both external (staying in a poorly ventilated room) and internal causes (diseases of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, blood systems, poisoning with poisons that block oxygen transport to cells, etc.).

The intoxication syndrome is characterized by a combination of drowsiness with a breakdown, headache, nausea and vomiting. The intoxication syndrome is characteristic of external and internal intoxications (poisoning with poisons or waste products of the body in case of renal and hepatic insufficiency), as well as for infectious diseases (poisoning with microorganism toxins).

Many experts separately distinguish hypersomnia - a pathological decrease in wakefulness, accompanied by severe drowsiness. In such cases, sleep time can reach 12-14 or more hours. This syndrome is most typical for some mental illnesses (schizophrenia, endogenous depression), endocrine pathologies (hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, obesity), lesions of brain stem structures.

And finally, increased drowsiness can be observed in absolutely healthy people with lack of sleep, increased physical, mental and emotional stress, as well as when moving, associated with crossing time zones.

The physiological state is also increased drowsiness in pregnant women in the first trimester, as well as drowsiness when taking medications, the side effect of which is depression of the nervous system (tranquilizers, antipsychotics, antihypertensive drugs, antiallergic drugs, etc.).

Physiological sleepiness

When a person is forced to stay awake for a long time, his central nervous system turns on the inhibition mode forcibly. Even within one day:

• with visual overload (long sitting at a computer, TV, etc.);
• auditory (noise in the workshop, in the office, etc.);
• touch or pain receptors.

A person can repeatedly fall into short-term drowsiness or a so-called "trance", when his usual daytime alpha cortical rhythm is replaced by slower beta waves typical of REM sleep (during falling asleep or dreaming). This simple trance induction technique is often used by hypnotists, psychotherapists, and scammers of all stripes.

Sleepiness after eating

Many are drawn to sleep after dinner - this is also explained quite simply. The volume of the vascular bed exceeds the volume of blood that circulates in it. Therefore, there is always a system of redistribution of blood according to the system of priorities. If the gastrointestinal tract is filled with food and works hard, then most of the blood is deposited or circulates in the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, pancreas and liver. Accordingly, during this period of active digestion, the brain receives less oxygen carrier and, switching to the economy mode, the cortex begins to work not as actively as on an empty stomach. Because, in fact, why move if the stomach is already full.

Chronic lack of sleep

In general, a person cannot do without sleep at all. And an adult should sleep for at least 7-8 hours (although historical colossi like Napoleon Bonaparte or Alexander the Great slept for 4 hours, and this did not stop you from feeling cheerful). If a person is forcibly deprived of sleep, then he will still turn off and he may even have a dream for a few seconds. In order not to want to sleep during the day - sleep at least 8 hours at night.

Stress

Pregnancy

In pregnant women in the first trimester against the background of hormonal changes, toxicosis, and in the last trimester, when there is a natural inhibition of the cortex by placental hormones, there may be episodes of lengthening night sleep or drowsiness during the day - this is the norm.

Why does the baby sleep all the time

As you know, newborns and children up to six months spend most of their lives in a dream:

• newborns - if the baby is about 1-2 months old, he is without any special neurological problems and somatic diseases, it is typical for him to sleep up to 18 hours a day;
• 3-4 months - 16-17 hours;
• up to six months - about 15-16 hours;
• up to a year - how much a baby should sleep up to a year is decided by the state of his nervous system, the nature of nutrition and digestion, the daily routine in the family, on average it is from 11 to 14 hours per day.

A child spends so much time in a dream for one simple reason: his nervous system is underdeveloped at the time of birth. After all, the complete formation of the brain, having ended in utero, simply would not allow the baby to be born naturally because of the too large head.

Therefore, being in a state of sleep, the child is maximally protected from overloading his immature nervous system, which has the opportunity to develop in a calm mode: somewhere to correct the consequences of intrauterine or birth hypoxia, somewhere to complete the formation of myelin sheaths of nerves, on which the speed of transmission of a nerve impulse depends .

Many babies even know how to eat in their sleep. Children under six months wake up more and more from internal discomfort (hunger, intestinal colic, headache, cold, wet diapers).

Drowsiness in a child may cease to be normal if he is seriously ill:

• if the baby vomits, he has frequent loose stools, prolonged absence of stools;
• he fell or hit his head, after which there was some kind of weakness and drowsiness, lethargy, pallor or cyanosis of the skin;
• the child stopped responding to voice, touch;
• not suckling a breast or a bottle for too long (and even more so not urinating);

It is important to urgently call an ambulance or take (carry) the child to the emergency room of the nearest children's hospital. As for children older than a year, their causes of drowsiness, which go beyond the usual, are practically the same as in infants, plus all the somatic diseases and conditions that will be described below.

Pathological sleepiness

Pathological drowsiness is also called pathological hypersomnia. This is an increase in the duration of sleep without an objective need for it. If a person who used to get enough sleep for eight hours begins to apply for sleep during the day, sleep longer in the morning or nod off at work without objective reasons - this should lead to thoughts about problems in his body.

Acute or chronic infectious diseases

Asthenia or depletion of the physical and mental forces of the body is characteristic of acute or severe chronic, especially infectious diseases. During the period of recovery from the disease, a person with asthenia may feel the need for longer rest, including daytime sleep. The most likely cause of this condition is the need to restore the immune system, which is facilitated by sleep (during it, T-lymphocytes are restored). There is also a visceral theory, according to which in a dream the body tests the work of internal organs, which is important after an illness.

Anemia

Close to asthenia is the condition experienced by patients with anemia (anemia, in which the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin decreases, that is, the transport of oxygen by blood to organs and tissues worsens). At the same time, drowsiness is included in the program of hemic hypoxia of the brain (along with lethargy, decreased ability to work, memory impairment, dizziness, and even fainting). Iron deficiency anemia is most often manifested (with vegetarianism, bleeding, against the background of latent iron deficiency during pregnancy or malabsorption, with chronic foci of inflammation). B12-deficiency anemia accompanies diseases of the stomach, its resections, starvation, infection with a wide tapeworm.

Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels

Another cause of oxygen starvation of the brain is atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels. When the vessels supplying the brain with plaques become overgrown by more than 50%, ischemia appears (oxygen starvation of the cortex). If these are chronic disorders of cerebral circulation, then in addition to drowsiness, patients may suffer from:

• from headaches;
• hearing loss and memory loss;
• unsteadiness when walking.

In acute violation of blood flow, a stroke occurs (hemorrhagic when a vessel ruptures or ischemic when it is thrombosed). Harbingers of this formidable complication can be impaired thinking, noise in the head, drowsiness.

In older people, cerebral atherosclerosis can develop relatively slowly, gradually worsening the nutrition of the cerebral cortex. That is why, in a large number of elderly people, drowsiness during the daytime becomes an obligatory companion and even somewhat softens their death, gradually worsening cerebral blood flow so much that the respiratory and vasomotor automatic centers of the medulla oblongata are inhibited.

Idiopathic hypersomnia

Idiopathic hypersomnia is an independent disease that often develops in young people. It has no other causes, and the diagnosis is made by exclusion. A tendency to daytime sleepiness develops. There are moments of falling asleep during relaxed wakefulness. They are not so sharp and sudden. Like narcolepsy. Sleep time has been shortened. Awakening is more difficult than normal, and there may be aggressiveness. In patients with this pathology, social and family ties gradually weaken, they lose their professional skills and ability to work.

Narcolepsy

This pathology differs in that, unlike physiological sleep, the phase of REM sleep occurs immediately and often suddenly without prior slow falling asleep. This is a variant of a lifelong disease.

• this is a variant of hypersomnia with an increase in daytime sleep;
• more restless night sleep;
• episodes of irresistible falling asleep at any time of the day;
• with loss of consciousness, muscle weakness, episodes of apnea (stop breathing);
• patients are haunted by a feeling of lack of sleep;
• hallucinations may also occur when falling asleep and waking up.

Increased drowsiness due to intoxication

Acute or chronic poisoning of the body, to which the cortex and subcortex are most sensitive, as well as stimulation of the reticular formation, which provides inhibitory processes with various medicinal or toxic substances, leads to pronounced and prolonged drowsiness not only at night, but also during the daytime.

Concussion, brain contusion, hemorrhage under the meninges or in the substance of the brain can be accompanied by a variety of disorders of consciousness, including stupor (stupor), which resembles a prolonged sleep and can go into a coma.

Sopor

One of the most interesting and mysterious disorders, which is expressed in the patient falling into a prolonged sleepy state, in which all signs of vital activity are suppressed (breathing slows down and becomes almost undetectable, the heartbeat slows down, there are no reflexes of the pupils and skin).

Lethargy in Greek means oblivion. A variety of peoples have a lot of legends about those buried alive. Usually, lethargy (which is not pure sleep, but only a significant inhibition of the work of the cortex and autonomic functions of the body) develops:

• with mental illness;
• fasting;
• nervous exhaustion;
• against the background of infectious processes with dehydration or intoxication.

Thus, if you are worried about unreasonable fatigue, drowsiness, the causes of which are very diverse, you need the most thorough diagnosis and an appointment with a doctor to clarify all the circumstances that led to such disorders.

If sleep apnea syndrome is suspected, it is possible to register respiratory parameters by respiratory monitoring at home using a special device. Pulse oximetry is used to determine the efficiency of breathing and blood oxygen saturation. To exclude somatic diseases that cause drowsiness, you should be examined by a therapist, who, if necessary, will prescribe a laboratory examination or consultation with a narrow specialist.

Treatment

There are several ways to get rid of drowsiness, differing depending on what the causes were. Therapy for each patient is prescribed individually.

If this process caused a disease or an inflammatory process, it must be eliminated. For example, with low blood pressure, herbal medicines - eleutherococcus or ginseng will help. Preparations or tablets with a high content of these elements can prevent the occurrence of drowsiness during the day.

If the cause is a low hemoglobin content, a complex of vitamins and minerals (with a high concentration of iron) will help the patient. With insufficient oxygen supply to the brain, the best remedy would be to quit nicotine and treat vascular pathologies that may be the cause of this process. In cases where disorders of the nervous system, traumatic brain injury, problems with the heart and other internal organs have become an expression factor, the therapy is carried out by a doctor of a narrow specialty.

It is worth paying more attention to the selection of medications if drowsiness occurs during pregnancy or in infants, because not all medications can be taken by such groups of patients.

Remedies for drowsiness

While waiting for a doctor's consultation, you can do the following yourself:

• Figure out your sleep routine and stick to it. Determine how many hours a day you need to take to sleep in order to feel alert and rested. Try to stick to these data for the rest of the time.
• Stick to a sleep and rest schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time on weekdays and weekends.
• Do not neglect rest, walks in the fresh air and physical activity.
• Include in your diet multivitamins, fresh vegetables and fruits, drink enough clean water.
• Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
• Reduce the proportion of carbohydrates in your diet.
• Don't get carried away with coffee. During drowsiness, coffee spurs the brain to work hard, but the brain's reserves are quickly depleted. After a fairly short time, the person feels even more sleepy. In addition, coffee leads to dehydration of the body and leaching of calcium ions. Replace coffee with green tea, it also carries a good portion of caffeine, but at the same time saturates the body with vitamins and antioxidants.

As you can see, shrugging off drowsiness is not so easy. Pay attention to how you feel. The danger of the symptom is obvious. In addition to a decrease in the quality of life due to a decrease in the working capacity of memory and attention, this can lead to workplace injuries, accidents and disasters.