Doctors pointed out the danger of chronic sleep deprivation for the brain
Chronic lack of sleep and uncontrolled intake of sleep products can negatively affect brain function and hide serious health problems. Experts talked about the causes of insomnia, the risks of lack of sleep and ways to restore the regime. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
Causes of insomnia and why people delay sleep
Maxim Novikov, somnologist at JSC "Medicine" (Academician Roitberg Clinic), notes that one of the main causes of insomnia today is chronic stress and constant overload of the nervous system. Many people experience so—called sleep procrastination - they consciously postpone going to bed in order to get extra time for personal affairs after a busy day.
According to the expert, over time, such a regime can lead to the development of psychophysiological insomnia. In this case, the bed ceases to be associated exclusively with rest and begins to cause anxiety: a person goes to bed, begins to wait for problems falling asleep and control their own condition.
Increasingly, people are trying to solve sleep problems with pills, but this approach does not always help eliminate the cause of the disorder. According to Novikov, lifestyle changes require effort, whereas the drug creates a feeling of a quick solution to the problem.
"Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the gold standard of treatment worldwide. She teaches you to limit time in bed and to work with erroneous attitudes about sleep. This is work. The pill gives the illusion of effortless control," the doctor noted.
The specialist emphasized that the quality of sleep is directly related to a person's lifestyle. Constant stress, high cortisol levels and excessive caffeine consumption can interfere with the recovery of the body, even with enough time in bed.
Melatonin is not a substitute for full-fledged treatment
According to Novikov, many mistakenly perceive melatonin as a universal remedy for insomnia. In fact, this hormone is not a sleeping pill, but a regulator of circadian rhythms, the body's internal biological clock.
Melatonin can be useful in sleep disorders, such as delayed sleep phase syndrome, when a person falls asleep late and has difficulty waking up in the morning, as well as after jet lag.
"It is justified in cases of delayed sleep phase syndrome (when the biological "owl" wants to become a "lark") or jet lag after a flight. But it's absolutely useless if you can't sleep because of anxiety, pain, or depression," said Maxim Novikov.
Self-administration of melatonin can be dangerous because it can hide the symptoms of other sleep disorders. For example, a person falls asleep faster, but the quality of rest remains low due to constant micro-awakenings.
"Melatonin can hide the symptoms of sleep apnea—stopping breathing during sleep—or restless legs syndrome. The patient thinks that sleep has improved, because he falls asleep faster. But in fact, the brain continues to experience micro-arousal due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen), which destroys the architecture of sleep and leads to the risk of cardiovascular disasters," the doctor explained.
How sleep deprivation affects the brain
Anastasia Koroleva, a neurologist, reflexologist, deputy chief physician for the polyclinic, head of the Center for Restorative Medicine, Scandinavian Health Center, said that chronic sleep deficiency has a serious impact on the functioning of the nervous system. The situation is considered especially dangerous when a person sleeps for five to six hours for years and perceives such a regime as the norm.
According to the expert, during sleep, the brain does not stop working, but switches to recovery processes. In particular, in the deep stages of sleep, metabolic products are excreted, including beta-amyloid, a protein that is associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease.
With constant lack of sleep, this process is disrupted. As a result, the risks of developing blood pressure problems, weight gain, anxiety, decreased mood, and headaches may increase.
"One short night does not solve anything, the body experiences this calmly. The danger begins where lack of sleep becomes a way of life: a person sleeps for five to six hours for years and considers it his norm," Koroleva noted.
In addition, regular lack of sleep affects memory, attention, and reaction speed. According to the doctor, at night, the brain transfers the information received during the day into long-term memory, so lack of rest can impair the ability to memorize new data.
When insomnia can be a symptom of an illness
Experts point out that sleep problems are not always related only to stress or a violation of the regime. Sometimes insomnia becomes a sign of other diseases.
One of the most common causes is obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, a condition in which breathing stops during sleep. A person can spend enough time in bed, but not get a full recovery due to constant awakenings.
Restless legs syndrome can also be the cause of disorders, in which unpleasant sensations appear in the extremities and it becomes necessary to move your legs, which prevents you from falling asleep.
According to Koroleva, anxiety and depressive disorders are also often accompanied by sleep disorders. In addition, unusual behavior during the REM sleep phase, such as screaming or sudden movements, may be associated with neurological diseases and requires specialist advice.
It is recommended to consult a doctor if insomnia persists for more than a month, daytime sleepiness interferes with work or driving, as well as if snoring with respiratory arrest, headaches, weakness or memory disorders occur.
Gadgets and sleep recovery
The quality of sleep is also influenced by the modern lifestyle. According to Maxim Novikov, the blue light of smartphone and computer screens suppresses the production of its own melatonin.
The body perceives artificial lighting as a signal for the continuation of the day, which causes the internal clock to go haywire. These problems are especially often faced by people who work in the evenings or have irregular schedules.
Difficulties may also arise for residents of the northern regions, where the length of daylight varies throughout the year. Polar nights and days can disrupt circadian rhythms, so such people sometimes need light therapy and a strict regime.
To restore sleep, experts advise to keep a constant wake-up time even on weekends, get enough bright light in the morning, limit the use of gadgets before bedtime and do not abuse caffeine.
Trying to compensate for lack of sleep only by taking a long nap on the weekend does not solve the problem completely. According to doctors, the regularity of the regime is more important than individual long periods of rest.
For chronic insomnia, experts recommend seeking medical help. Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia remains one of the most effective methods, as it helps to change a person's habits and attitude to sleep without constant medication.
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