What causes chronic lack of sleep. Chronic lack of sleep: symptoms and consequences. How to compensate for sleep deprivation

Healthy sleep is very important for our body. During it, we are completely relaxed, and the forces begin to recover. There are people who have some difficulty sleeping. It is they who are prone to all sorts of sudden illnesses, because immunity suffers from lack of sleep.

During the day, the muscles get very tired, and during sleep they are restored. When we sleep, the pressure on the intervertebral discs, joints and so on becomes much less. The whole body is at rest. Another process of sleep slows down the process of metabolism, reduces body temperature, pressure and pulse.

You can understand that you are not getting enough sleep by regular fatigue, lethargy and poor immunity. If you regularly do not get enough sleep, it will greatly affect your appearance. Bags will appear under the eyes, the face will turn pale, and the skin will become drier. The internal state will be irritable, and the brain will think for a long time and not very well.

Sleep deprivation - consequences for women

When you have trouble sleeping for a significant amount of time, your body starts to overproduce stress hormones.

This wears out the heart muscle, as a result of which you can get a stroke, a heart attack.

Also, from lack of sleep, blood pressure rises, which is very harmful to the whole organism as a whole.

There have already been many studies on women and men, most of which proved the fact that not getting enough sleep every day for a week is very bad for even those who have never had health problems. Carbohydrates begin to be absorbed much worse, this leads to irritability and disruption of the entire metabolism. A person who has not had enough sleep will not be able to get out of a stressful state in any way until he has a good sleep.

Chronic lack of sleep in women can cause hormonal failure in your body, which greatly weakens the immune system, worsens the physical and psychological state.

The reasons for lack of sleep can be very different, but some of them you may not notice or do not attach much importance to them. If you don't get enough sleep on a regular basis, then you need to identify what's stopping you and find a solution to the problem through reasonable compromises.

Sleep is the time for restoring the body's resources. Enough sleep for a person is no less important than enough air, water and food.

It has been established that 5 hours of sleep per day is a minimum, and 7-10 hours are required for a good rest. Each person is different in this regard, but it is known that on average children and women need more time to sleep, and older people need less. Very often, lack of sleep is provoked by bad habits and violation of the regime. There are a number of studies conducted by professional scientists on a healthy lifestyle, the results of which have been established to help a modern person fully relax.

If sleep deprivation is rare, it is compensated on other days. If the causes that provoke sleep deprivation act for a long time, chronic sleep deprivation syndrome occurs.

Symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation

• constant fatigue
• weakness
• irritability
• headaches
• burning sensation in the eyes
• reduced performance
• difficulty concentrating
• daytime sleepiness
• gaining excess weight
• decreased libido

"The consequences of lack of sleep are many, ranging from an elementary violation of the daily routine, and ending with dangerous diseases"

Natalya Nefedova,
nutritionist
BODYCAMP

Causes of sleep deprivation

1. Computer, TV and book

The importance of proper and productive sleep was known to the ancient sages. They knew that both health and longevity depended on it. In ancient China, and even later, in the Soviet Stalinist dungeons, they used torture by lack of sleep, and a person went crazy or died very soon.

Underestimating the importance of this process is both unreasonable and really harmful. However, modern people, who spend a lot of time on the Internet, at work, consider lack of sleep to be the norm, not knowing and not wanting to think about the consequences that may await them.

Looking for reasons

• The most common reason for sleep deprivation is lack of time. The workload at school and at work, the abundance of cases that need to be settled urgently - all this reduces the duration of a night's rest. Many people like to work at night, as it can be done without interference, without being distracted by family worries and phone calls.
• Modern man spends a huge amount of time in the global network. There he works, communicates, has fun and is educated. Uncontrolled "swimming" in social networks is especially addictive. This reason is closely related to another one - the inability to organize your time, resulting in chronic lack of sleep.
• Often, rest at night is hindered by what is popularly called "nerves", and in psychology - stress. Constant scrolling in the head of work situations, family conflicts, plans for solving problems makes the body awake even when a person has already gone to bed and turned off the light. The result is lack of sleep.
• Some causes are associated with problems and conditions that are objectively independent of a person. For example, frequent change of time zones, night work (in shifts - at a factory, in a hospital, military service), as well as caring for a baby who has his own routine - all this makes it difficult to rest properly.
• The age after 40 years is the time when many people begin to show lack of sleep. The reason for it may lie in the accumulated physiological and psychological problems, as well as in fatigue, which may not allow you to relax.
• Smoking and alcoholism make sleep superficial, uneven and of poor quality. And this, just, affects the appearance of chronic fatigue, impaired attention, memory, and the general condition of the body.
• There are also purely medical causes of sleep deprivation, usually medicines prescribed by a doctor help to get rid of them. The main ones may include
• endocrine diseases;
• nervous diseases;
• spasms and convulsions.

Understanding the Consequences

Lack of sleep is a problem that needs to be got rid of, because ignoring it will entail a load of ailments and serious illnesses, insufficient performance, weakening of the body and, as a result, a number of diseases and a reduction in life expectancy.

What can be the results of chronic lack of sleep?

• The most common and noticeable is a decrease in attention and absent-mindedness. Some people no longer understand the situation correctly, it is difficult for them to work, do something for the family, drive a car, study, participate in activities that require a competent distribution of their intellect. Others, as they say, "fall asleep on the go." There are a great many examples when chronic sleep deprivation led to serious consequences both for the person himself and for those around him. So, a driver who did not get enough sleep is a threat to his own life, the lives of all passengers and those who drive a car next to him.
• A person who was awake more than expected can be noticed immediately - he has blue, and sometimes blackness under his eyes, swollen and inflamed eyelids, noticeable pallor and general untidiness. But if one or two nights without sleep is not critical for appearance, which is easily restored during normal rest, then chronic sleep deprivation has symptoms that are very unpleasant for beauty. Dull grayish skin, brittle and lifeless hair, weak and exfoliating nails - this is how the body can respond to a critical lack of time for rest.
• Lack of sleep at night leads to constant stress. This, in turn, affects the production of a hormone called cortisol, which destroys the protein responsible for skin elasticity. As a result, we age faster than nature intended.
• One of the most common side effects of sleep deprivation is depression. If you have not rested properly, you are unlikely to be able to enjoy a good mood and love the whole world. Signs of a chronic lack of sleep are a constant depressed state and even an unwillingness to live. Often depression also affects the ability to fall asleep, so it is important to fight it in order to restore the normal functioning of the body.
• The productivity of work or learning in a person who sleeps little is significantly reduced. This symptom can lead to failure to assimilate the material, failure to fulfill the plan, and other consequences. Another symptom of sleep deprivation is memory impairment. If the human brain received information during the day, then at night it is deposited in long-term memory. Reading at night will be quickly forgotten and will not bring any benefit.
• Fighting sleep deprivation means fighting excess weight. One symptom of a lack of nightly rest is uncontrolled appetite. The reason is a large amount of the hormone ghrelin, which is not produced during sleep. No wonder nutritionists call a healthy and sufficient night's rest a condition for a successful fight against extra pounds.
• Chronic lack of sleep is the cause of premature death. It sounds scary, but it's true. Scientists have long figured out what diseases appear during the night vigil. This is heart failure, and problems with blood vessels, and even tumors. Symptoms such as constant dizziness, weakness, nausea, discomfort in the esophagus are suggestive that the body needs rest. Quality sleep will help get rid of many diseases.

Rethinking our schedule

If a person chronically does not get enough sleep, he urgently needs to change his lifestyle. Usually doctors insist on an eight-hour night's rest, but for some people six hours is enough. Find a comfortable amount of sleep for yourself and listen to your body.

You should get rid of the habit of wandering aimlessly on social networks. It takes a huge amount of time, including sleep. Make it a habit to turn off your computer or tablet before you go to bed.

Before going to bed - only quiet music, quiet reading and no TV. Turn off the bright lights, calm all your worries and follow the wise rule of Russian fairy tales: "Morning is wiser than evening."

The hormone melatonin, which is responsible for many processes, nullifies the symptoms of various diseases and allows the body to get rid of them, is produced only until two in the morning. Therefore, the earlier you lie down, the better you will feel and live longer.

Most people who suffer from lack of sleep prioritize work, household chores, or entertainment over their health. However, the quality of rest affects how the necessary duties are performed. Breaking this vicious circle and putting your health and rest first is the recipe for a long and fulfilling life.

Good sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Many people forget about this, and mistakenly assume that having slept off on the weekend, they will return the lost hours to the body during the working week. Chronic sleep deprivation contributes to the development of many diseases, including cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Even if a person will take vitamins, exercise and eat well, this will not help his body restore the need for healthy sleep.

Good sleep is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Many people forget about this, and mistakenly assume that having slept off on the weekend, they will return the lost hours to the body during the working week. Chronic sleep deprivation contributes to the development of many diseases, including cancer, hypertension and diabetes. Even if a person will take vitamins, exercise and eat well, this will not help his body restore the need for healthy sleep.

Top 10 Consequences of Chronic Sleep Deprivation

Systematic lack of sleep is much more dangerous than staying awake for several days. A person who has not had enough sleep for two weeks begins to get used to it, and a five-hour sleep becomes the norm for him. The body simply adapts to such a rhythm of life and works with all its might. If a person does not restore a full eight-hour sleep, the body will not be able to hold out for a long time in such a rhythm.

1. Decreased memory

During sleep, new information that has come to us during the whole day is transferred to short-term memory. During each phase of sleep, there are different processes for processing new information, which turns into memories. In the event that a person does not get enough sleep, important cycles of the memory chain are destroyed and the memorization process is interrupted.

Each of us could at least once feel for ourselves that a sleepy person does not remember information well, since he simply does not have the strength to concentrate and concentrate.

2. Slow down thought processes

As a result of research, it was found that lack of sleep causes a decrease in concentration. As a result of lack of sleep, it is easier to make mistakes and harder to concentrate - even the simplest logical problems are beyond the power of a sleepy person to solve.

3. Sleep deprivation impairs vision

Constant neglect of sleep is detrimental to vision. Scientists have come to the conclusion that chronic sleep deprivation can provoke glaucoma, which can subsequently cause blindness. In the case of periodic sleep deprivation, a person may experience ischemic optic neuropathy, a vascular disease that occurs after waking up. The optic nerve is affected due to insufficient blood supply, resulting in sudden loss of vision in one eye.

4. Emotional instability in adolescents

Regular sleep deprivation causes depression in teenagers. With a lack of sleep, the psyche of a teenager is extremely vulnerable - an imbalance in the activity of brain regions occurs. So, in areas of the prefrontal zone, which regulates negative associations, activity decreases and adolescents are prone to pessimism and a depressed emotional state.

5. Pressure increase

Chronic sleep deprivation after the age of 25 causes high blood pressure. American scientists have found that late awakening (sleep rhythm disturbance) also causes an increase in pressure and can cause overweight.

6. Reduced immunity

A person who does not systematically get enough sleep is more susceptible to viral diseases. This is due to the depletion of the body, the protective functions of which are reduced, giving pathogens a “green color”.

7. Premature aging

Failure to comply with sleep-wake rhythms can lead to early aging of the body. Melatonin is a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in prolonging youth. In order for the body to produce a sufficient amount of melatonin, a person must sleep at least 7 hours at night (dark) time of the day, since as a result of full sleep we get 70% of the daily dose of melatonin.

8. Life expectancy is decreasing

In case of lack or excess of sleep, the likelihood of premature death increases. This is evidenced by the results of research by American scientists. The life expectancy of people experiencing chronic sleep deprivation is reduced by 10%.

9. Obesity

Due to lack of sleep, a person is rapidly gaining weight. This is due to an imbalance in the secretion of hormones that are responsible for feelings of satiety and hunger. With a hormonal failure, a person experiences a constant feeling of hunger, which is quite difficult to satisfy. Also, the cause of metabolic disorders due to lack of sleep can be excessive production of the hormone cortisol, which also stimulates hunger. The daily rhythm of the secretion of thyroid hormones and the pituitary gland also changes, which causes functional and organic disorders of many organs and systems of the human body.

10 Cancer

Lack of sleep can lead to cancer. Scientists explain the risk of oncology by a violation of the production of melatonin. This hormone, in addition to antioxidant properties, is able to suppress the growth of tumor cells.

Sleep deprivation: health problems

The reason for lack of sleep can be not only a busy work schedule. Most often, we cannot fall asleep due to objective factors that affect healthy sleep. By regularly making the same mistakes, we deprive ourselves of comfortable conditions for sleep, without even knowing it.

Chronic sleep deprivation leads to the following problems:

• Nightmares, headaches, as a result of which we cannot sleep, may be the result of too slow blood circulation. The reason often lies in our habits - a tight elastic band on the hair, unkempt hair or too aggressive night masks.
• Pain in the spine, back, muscle cramps, a feeling of cold may result from an improperly equipped bedroom. Please note that you need to sleep on a flat bed, a hard mattress, a pillow that supports your head, and does not bend your spine.
• With dry skin, drying of the nasal mucosa, it is necessary to normalize the humidity in the room. The room should be regularly ventilated, especially before going to bed. The most comfortable sleep is possible at temperatures up to 20 degrees.

In contact with

Classmates

Recent research data. Sleep is not only one of the most enjoyable and relaxing aspects of life, but also one of the most important. Closing our eyes in the evenings, we give the body the opportunity to recharge after all the stresses of the past day.

During sleep, there are millions of processes that contribute to memorization, and cells restore and recreate tissues damaged by us in reality. But when we are awake, none of this happens. Not only do we feel tired and unable to concentrate after a sleepless night; long periods without sleep can lead to very serious health consequences. Scientists have studied quite well what happens to different parts of the body if you deprive it of eight hours of sleep a day. Studies show that lack of sleep can cause a host of serious and deadly diseases - from cancer to diabetes.

Here are some diseases that can develop due to lack of sleep.

1. Alzheimer's disease.

A study conducted by Johns Hopkins University in 2013 found that lack of sleep can both cause Alzheimer's disease and accelerate its course. This study was inspired by the results of a previous study, which showed that sleep is necessary for the brain to get rid of "brain waste"- debris deposits that can accumulate and lead to dementia.

In a study of 70 adult participants aged 53 to 91, the researchers found that those who complained of poor sleep had higher amounts of beta-amyloid deposits in their brain scans.

These so-called « sticky plaques» - a characteristic sign of Alzheimer's disease, so the researchers concluded that lack of sleep prevents the removal of such "brain waste" from the brain.

Source: Spira AP, Gamaldo AA, An Y, et al. Self-reported Sleep and β-Amyloid Deposition in Community-Dwelling Older Adults. JAMA Neurology . 2013 .

2. Obesity and diabetes.

The link between diabetes and poor sleep has long been known, but a recent University of Chicago study found that lack of sleep can cause obesity, which in turn leads to diabetes.

Given that the level of fatty acids in the blood can affect the metabolic rate and the ability of insulin to regulate blood sugar, scientists studied the effect of lack of sleep on the accumulation of fatty acids.

After analyzing the sleep patterns of 19 men, the researchers found that those who slept just four hours over three nights had elevated levels of fatty acids in their blood between 4:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. This is 15-30% more than those who slept 8.5 hours every night.

In addition, it was found that elevated levels of fatty acids were accompanied by an increase in the level of insulin resistance, which is also a typical sign of prediabetes. Those who slept normally showed no signs of obesity or prediabetes.

3. Cardiovascular diseases.

Heart disease has long been linked to sleep deprivation, but a new study presented at EuroHeartCare(annual meeting of the European Society of Cardiology), found evidence of a clear correlation. After following 657 Russian men aged 25-64 for 14 years, researchers found that nearly two-thirds of heart attack survivors also suffered from sleep disturbances.

What's more, men who complained of poor sleep were 2.6 times more likely to have a myocardial infarction (a heart attack in which the heart muscle dies) and 1.5 times more likely to have a stroke.

4. Suicide.

It may come as a shock, but a 2014 study found an association between increased suicide rates among adults and lack of sleep, regardless of a history of depression.

The 10-year Stanford Medical University study examined 420 middle-aged and older participants. Unfortunately, 20 of them, who suffered from sleep disorders, committed suicide. Based on this, the researchers concluded that people who regularly experience difficulty sleeping are 1.4 times more likely to commit suicide.

Scientists call white men over 85 years of age a particularly vulnerable group in this regard. In their conclusions, the increase in suicide rates is explained by sleep deprivation due to age-related health complications and stress.

5. Ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis - an inflammatory bowel disease that manifests as ulcers in the lining of the esophagus - as well as Crohn's disease can be caused by both sleep deprivation and excess sleep, according to a 2014 study.

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital have found that adequate sleep is essential to combat the inflammatory responses in the digestive system that are often the cause of the two diseases mentioned above.

In a study of women who participated in the 1st (since 1976) and 2nd (since 1989) Nurses' Health Studies, researchers documented an increase in the risk of ulcerative colitis as sleep duration decreased to six hours or less.

On the other hand, an increase in risk was also observed with an increase in sleep duration over 9 hours, which suggests that the window for preventing inflammation is quite narrow, requiring a certain amount of sleep.

This reaction was found only in adult women, but the increased risk of ulcerative colitis due to lack of sleep did not depend on other factors: age, weight, smoking and alcohol consumption.

6. Prostate cancer.

2013 study published in the journal « Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention » found an increased prevalence and severity of prostate cancer in patients with sleep disorders.

After following 2,425 Icelanders aged 67 to 96 for 3 to 7 years, the researchers found a 60 percent increased risk of prostate cancer in those who had difficulty sleeping. Those who had difficulty staying awake had twice the risk. Moreover, people with sleep disorders were more likely to have advanced prostate cancer.

Scientists suggest that this is due to melatonin (sleep regulation hormone). According to them, high melatonin levels prevent tumor formation, while low melatonin levels, caused by an excess of artificial light (a known cause of sleep deprivation), often go hand in hand with aggressive tumor growth. That's why it's so important to get enough sleep! Send this to anyone who hasn't figured it out yet!