Insomnia negatively affects all aspects of a person’s life, Ekaterina Demyanovskaya, a doctor and expert at the Hemotest laboratory, warned in a conversation with RT.
“The causes of insomnia can be divided into three groups: physiological, psychological and external. Physiological factors include chronic diseases, hormonal changes, deficiency of vitamins and microelements. The quality of sleep can be influenced by a variety of, sometimes unobvious, factors. For example, reduced levels of magnesium and potassium (it leads to excessive muscle tension and heart rhythm disturbances), hormonal fluctuations (during pregnancy, menopause, before menstruation), deviated nasal septum,” the doctor explained.
She also noted that psychological factors have no less influence – stress, anxiety, experiencing strong emotions, and it doesn’t matter whether they are positive or negative.
“The brain, which is constantly digesting the events of the day, finds it difficult to switch to rest, and the stress hormone cortisol interferes with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. External factors, such as dry air in the bedroom, noise, light and the habit of using gadgets before bed, can also significantly disrupt sleep,” the expert said.
According to the neurologist, insomnia quite quickly affects a person’s condition and appearance: the skin loses its freshness and acquires a grayish tint, dark circles appear under the eyes, and the risk of inflammation and redness increases.
“This is explained by the fact that during sleep, skin regeneration processes are activated, including collagen synthesis. If you don’t get enough rest, the synthesis of cortisol increases – it provokes inflammation and skin aging. The production of the hunger hormone ghrelin increases, the level of the saturation hormone leptin decreases. A person begins to eat more and gain excess weight,” the specialist explained.
It is noted that chronic insomnia increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, heart attack, stroke) and diabetes.
“Immunity deteriorates: a person suffers from infectious diseases more often. Memory, ability to concentrate on complex tasks, and productivity in general decrease. A depressive or anxiety disorder may develop. Combating insomnia with a haphazard approach can take a long time, so it is important to address the issue systematically. First, you should pay attention to sleep hygiene and undergo an examination to identify or exclude pathological causes: hormonal and metabolic disorders, nutrient deficiency, depression, pathology of the cardiovascular system, ENT diseases,” recommended Demyanovskaya.
She noted that falling asleep will be easier if you go to bed and get up at the same time, even on weekends and vacations.
“Before going to bed, you should ventilate the room: the air in the bedroom should be cool (ideally about +20 °C), clean, and humidified. In order not to interfere with the body’s production of the sleep hormone, it is important to ensure complete darkness in the room – for this you can hang thick curtains or wear a special mask over your eyes. You should have dinner 2-3 hours before bedtime. You don’t need to overeat, but you shouldn’t feel hungry either, otherwise it will be difficult to fall asleep. It is recommended to put away gadgets 1-2 hours in advance to allow the nervous system to relax. The bed should be comfortable and used only for sleeping, and not for reading news or watching videos,” the doctor advises.
In her opinion, if lifestyle correction does not help, no serious health problems have emerged, but insomnia continues to bother you, you should consult a doctor: a therapist, a neurologist, a somnologist.
Earlier, Vitaly Akimov, candidate of medical sciences, head of the department of neurology and neurologist at the European Medical Center (EMC), warned in a conversation with RT that a headache that is accompanied by convulsions, behavioral disturbances, confusion or fainting is a reason to make an appointment with a doctor.
Source: russian.rt.com
