What are the risks of chronic lack of sleep? Disturbance of biological rhythms. Nervous system symptoms

The content of the article:

Sleep is a time when a person is in complete calm and balance. It was after have a nice rest in the morning we feel invigorated and begin our business with renewed vigor. It is a known fact that a person spends a third of his life sleeping. This indicates the need for night rest for the full functioning of the whole body.

Too active rhythm of life modern man, the stress that constantly surrounds you affects not only the quality of sleep, but also its duration. After all, everyone knows that if you fall asleep too late and wake up early, this greatly affects both a person’s performance and his health.

We have all heard more than once about people who are workaholics or those who have to work at night. Oddly enough, such people soon get used to this regime, but in fact it has a very negative effect on their health. For example, the human brain suffers first of all, because when there is a lack of sleep, it begins to “live its own life,” which does not go unnoticed and is expressed in the form of stress, depression, etc. All human organs and systems begin to suffer, since the brain is the main link in their healthy functioning.

In general, a person should sleep at least 8 hours, but these indicators may vary, since a person’s character plays a big role. For example, energetic and communicative people only need 6 hours of sleep and they feel invigorated. People melancholic type, who have such character traits as thoroughness and slowness, need 9 hours of night rest.

How is sleep beneficial?

We all know that sleep is very useful and necessary for us. But what actually happens to a person during sleep? It is a known fact that a person grows in his sleep. This is explained by the fact that only at night the body produces growth hormone - serotonin. Another hormone is also produced - prolactin, which is responsible for the production breast milk in nursing women. Probably women infants Have you noticed how much milk is released at night? Besides, night sleep- this is the time when all organs work at a slow pace, which gives them the opportunity to recover and work intensively during the day.

As for immunity, it protective functions also increase during sleep. After all, during this period the body produces all necessary substances in order to cope with an infection or virus. Therefore, even during a cold, sleep is the best medicine.

Consequences of lack of sleep

Excess weight. Lack of sleep greatly affects your metabolism. Therefore, its main reason is not only excess weight, but also obesity. It is not uncommon to see that people who work at night have problems with overweight more often than those people whose working hours are during the day.
Disorders in the cardiovascular system. As a rule, a person who does not get enough sleep has a very busy work schedule. That's why he doesn't have enough time to good rest. But prolonged work without rest exhausts a person, he can feel headache, nausea, and if he doesn't get some sleep soon, it could end in fainting or worse, a heart attack or stroke.
Deterioration of skin condition. With a lack of sleep, the body's production of the hormone melatonin decreases. As a result, the skin becomes dry, rashes, wrinkles and bags under the eyes appear. Therefore, to maintain youthful skin, it is very important to get enough sleep.
Lack of sleep negatively affects reproductive system, both women and men. Everything leads to stress, as a result of which men experience a decrease in libido and a decrease in potency. In women, this affects primarily the mood on which her sexual desire depends.
Inadequate sleep can lead to such serious illness as diabetes . After all, many experiments were carried out, during which it turned out: regular lack of sleep significantly exceeds the blood glucose level.
A person who regularly does not sleep at night becomes lethargic and inattentive. In addition, his times of sleepiness and wakefulness are reversed. This could be the reason serious mistakes at work. For example, there are times when, after night shifts, medical workers made big mistakes, which sometimes led to death. Therefore, after night work a person must rest to regain strength.
Lack of sleep or sleep disturbance is also in rare cases may cause to hallucinations. After all, if a person gets little rest, this affects his brain, as a result, he perceives constant stress and the stage of wakefulness as a malfunction. This is why various disturbances in thinking and memory can occur, including amnesia.

Listing different consequences There is a huge list of things that lack of sleep can lead to. All these problems are just small part of what might happen. Therefore, think about whether your health is worth such sacrifices.

What to do to get enough sleep?

First of all, in order to get enough sleep, it is important to establish daily schedule which must be strictly adhered to. It will help you properly allocate time for work and rest. When planning your daily routine, it is also important to adhere to the following rules:

The quality of sleep is affected by what we eat during the day. It is advisable not to accustom yourself to eating dry food, but not to be lazy and prepare yourself a full meal. After all, if the body receives useful material, it will have more energy. Also, a very common cause of lack of sleep is eating too much heavy food. The body, instead of resting, must spend strength and energy processing food. It’s not for nothing that they say that you can’t eat after 18.00, because this concerns not only your figure, but also your health in general.
You should also not drink a lot of liquid before going to bed. This may be the reason why you toss and turn all night.
It's good to take a short walk in the fresh air before going to bed. As you know, fresh air has a good effect on sleep, and in the morning you will feel full of energy.
Before going to bed, you should not watch movies or read books that will cause strong emotional stress or fear. On the contrary, you can watch a funny movie or listen to relaxing music. As you know, there is a special set of melodies that have a positive effect on a person’s sleep.
If you have urgent matters that you plan to finish at night, give up this idea. It is best to go to bed early and begin these tasks in the morning with renewed vigor.
The place where you relax is very important. For example, a pillow, a mattress, and even soft linen should be of high quality.
The quality of sleep and its duration are greatly influenced by air temperature. In the bedroom it should not be more than +18 degrees.

It would seem that a simple lack of sleep can lead to such dangerous consequences. Of course, if you only sometimes have problems with sleep, this is normal, because everyone tends to sometimes not sleep, worrying about something, or vice versa, worrying before an important event. remember, that dangerous lack of sleep will be in cases where it is regular. Such sleep disorders can cause serious illnesses. Therefore, it would not be superfluous to undergo examination by a somnologist. Before you chase money or a career, think about it: no money or status is worth your health. Therefore, it is very stupid to neglect what is the main value in life.

One of the most devastating consequences lack of sleep in this video:

The content of the article:

Chronic sleep deprivation is a condition that develops when a person sleeps little or poorly for a long time. It is accompanied by decreased activity, constant fatigue and nervousness, as well as other unpleasant symptoms. It is worth noting that the reasons for lack of sleep do not always lie in an overly busy rhythm of life, which leaves very little time for sleep. Often the problem lies in one or another physiological and/or psychological disorders. This is why it is so important, if you experience symptoms of chronic lack of sleep, to promptly identify the cause and improve healthy regime, because the consequences of a constant lack of sleep can cause enormous harm to the body.

The main causes of chronic lack of sleep and fatigue

In most cases, the cause of chronic lack of sleep is, of course, wrong mode. A large amount of work, household responsibilities, the need to devote time to development, leisure and personal life lead to the fact that there is very little time left for sleep. However, this reason for lack of sleep is far from the only one and not the most dangerous.

Let's look at other causes of chronic lack of sleep:

Diseases nervous system . For problems with the nervous system caused by physiological and/or psychological disorders, brain activity generally slows down, but a number of centers, on the contrary, characterize increased activity. This condition leads, among other things, to low quality sleep, it is very restless and is accompanied by frequent and sudden awakenings. In this case, even if a person devotes 8-10 hours to sleep, he still feels tired and sleepy.
Poor nutrition. Proper dinner determines not only health digestive system, but also the quality of sleep. Firstly, of course, you can’t simply overeat, otherwise the heaviness in your stomach will interfere with sleep. Secondly, you need to avoid foods that contain caffeine before going to bed, and these include not only drinks such as tea, coffee and cocoa, but also, for example, chocolate and many others.
Child syndrome. This is a sleep disorder caused by a disruption biological clock. In this case, a person feels very sleepy during the day, but at night it is difficult for him to sleep.
Availability bad habits . If you smoke and/or drink before bed, this, like the quality of your dinner, can affect your ability to fall asleep and enjoy restful, deep sleep.
Discomfort. Another reason that often causes lack of sleep is discomfort caused by one reason or another. Perhaps your husband snores or you suffer from some kind of illness accompanied by itching and/or pain. Of course, falling asleep in such conditions is very difficult, and the quality of sleep will also suffer.

These are, perhaps, the main reasons causing a constant lack of sleep. However, before we move on to analyzing methods for eliminating them, let's look at the signs of chronic lack of sleep that certainly accompany this condition.

Symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation

So, if your body regularly experiences a lack of sleep, then very soon you will begin to experience the following symptoms:

Bad mood, depression. First of all, lack of sleep will affect your emotional state. Moreover, the longer the period of time you lack sleep, the worse his disorders will be. Initially, you may only suffer from a bad mood in the morning, then it will stretch throughout the day, smoothly flowing into permanent irritability, nervousness and depression.
Absent-mindedness. Attention disorder is another major symptom of sleep deprivation. Again, it all starts with innocent mistakes and hesitations and ends with a complete inability to concentrate. There is constant absent-mindedness, slow reaction and brain activity. IN critical situations Confusion, loss of space and time, and even hallucinations may occur.
Headache. Another typical feature of chronic lack of sleep is chronic headaches and migraines, which are very difficult to relieve even with the help of strong medications.
Fatigue. Of course, you will also feel constant physical fatigue- drowsiness, the eternal desire to sit down, or even better, lie down - faithful companions of lack of sleep.
Deterioration of health. The first person to suffer with a constant lack of sleep will be the cardiovascular system and immune. That’s why, when you don’t get enough sleep, your blood pressure can rise, and colds become a more frequent “guest.” In addition, the skin will also suffer: circles under the eyes, puffiness, pallor skin - typical symptoms lack of sleep.

It is also worth noting that chronic lack of sleep often results in excess weight gain, despite the fact that appetite in general decreases as well as libido, by the way.

As you can see, people who are chronically sleep deprived literally fall apart, which makes chronic sleep deprivation a very insidious problem. The person looks bad and feels bad both physically and psychologically, is constantly absent-minded, works worse and copes worse with any other responsibilities. That is why it is so important to identify the cause of lack of sleep in time and establish a routine. After all, all these symptoms are just the beginning, in long term Chronic lack of sleep leads to much more dangerous violations in the activity of the body.

How to deal with chronic lack of sleep

Measures to combat persistent lack of sleep, as in the case of any other disease, are divided into different categories: lack of sleep can be eliminated through traditional and traditional medicine, will also help improve sleep correct mode days and creation special conditions for a night's rest.

Use of medications

Special drugs for the treatment of lack of sleep are prescribed only if a person cannot sleep peacefully due to the presence of one or another nervous disorder, as well as in a situation where the inability to sleep is caused by severe pain and/or itching, an accompanying health problem, when painkillers and antipruritics do not help.

In these situations, it is usually prescribed sleeping pills with a calming effect, and here are the most popular of them:

Melaxen. The drug regulates sleep-wake cycles and is a kind of sleep hormone. Taking it causes drowsiness and has a slight calming effect. The main advantage of the product is that it is considered therapeutic, that is, it good dream can be calculated even after stopping its use. It is also important to note that the drug does not cause drowsiness daytime, does not affect concentration and attentiveness. Contraindications include: high cost, individual intolerance, and the development of peripheral edema is also possible.
Donormil. Essentially this antihistamine, however, it is not used for the treatment of allergies, but for the treatment of insomnia. Advantages: causes severe drowsiness, acts quickly. Disadvantages: daytime sleepiness, dry mouth, difficulty waking up. In addition, it is prohibited for people suffering from diseases respiratory system and kidneys.
Novopassit. A widely known sedative that calms the nervous system to a greater extent than stimulates drowsiness. It is prescribed when the problem with falling asleep is caused precisely by disturbing thoughts. The advantages of the drug are the rapid effect and the absence of the need for long-term use; even one dose has a highly beneficial influence on the nervous system. Disadvantages: drowsiness during the day, feeling of depression during an overdose.
Phytosedan. Soft sedative, represents herbal collection the best soothing herbs - motherwort, thyme, oregano, sweet clover, etc. The drug not only helps fight insomnia, but also has beneficial effect on the digestive system. However, during pregnancy and lactation its use is prohibited.
Persen-forte. Complex drug - calms and has a hypnotic effect. Has no serious contraindications, but is no different quick effect. It is worth considering that when long-term use it can cause constipation.

Note! Although most of these medications can be purchased without a prescription, never prescribe them for yourself. Remember: assign correct treatment, which will not only solve the problem, but also not cause harm, can only be done by a competent doctor.

Folk remedies against chronic lack of sleep

In the same situation, when lack of sleep is caused by other reasons, most will help you fall asleep folk remedies. Let's look at a few effective recipes:

Herbal infusions. Taking soothing decoctions evening time- a great way to fall asleep faster. Infusions of mint, oregano, hawthorn and rose hips are perfect. You can use one remedy, or a combination of them. The decoction is prepared in approximately the following proportions - a tablespoon of herbs per glass of boiling water, they need to be infused for 5-10 minutes.
Fitovanny. Herbal decoction You can take it not only internally, but also take baths with it. Oregano, rosemary, wormwood, and linden are best suited for this. In this case, the scheme and proportions are as follows: 100 grams of herbs are poured into 3 liters of water, infused for 30-40 minutes, and the decoction is poured into a warm bath. It is advisable to take it no more than 20 minutes.
Herbal cushion. If you smell the soothing herbs throughout the night, you will sleep soundly. In this case, it is better to use special scented pillows. Of course, you can do this yourself, but the main thing is not to overdo it, the smell should not be too strong, it should only be slightly noticeable.

Massage and exercises against chronic lack of sleep

Helps you sleep well and special relaxing massage. You can do it like this: professional help, and independently. A facial and neck massage works best.

For facial massage, warm the skin faces light using stroking movements, as when washing your face, then rub the point above the bridge of your nose, and then move on to the eyebrows and temples - carefully massage all areas from bottom to top.

Now let's move on to the neck - with gentle movements from top to bottom, massage it from the level of the area behind the earlobe to the collarbone.

There are also special relaxation exercises, which are great to combine with massage. Here is one of them: take a breath and clench your hands tightly into a fist, straining them until shoulder joints, exhale and relax your muscles. Repeat the exercise 15-20 times - watch your inhalations and exhalations, they should be as deep as possible.

These routines work great and are sure to help you sleep, especially when combined, but to get rid of your sleep deprivation problem once and for all, you also need to establish a healthy routine.

Correct daily routine

Each person's need for sleep is different, but average figure fluctuates in the range of 7-9 hours. Unfortunately, the frantic rhythm modern life Not everyone has the opportunity to even come close to this figure - by trying to be as efficient as possible on all fronts, we steal time from sleep.

However, you need to understand that this approach will very quickly demonstrate its inconsistency. Every day you will become less efficient and more irritable. And sooner or later you will understand that sleep should be treated as a responsibility as important as doing work. The only trouble is that this awareness usually comes when its lack has already led to certain negative and even irreversible consequences. We propose to establish a regime without waiting for such a sad development of events.

What steps should I take? At a minimum the following:

Plan your day. Make it a rule to go to bed at the same time every day and have time to finish all your work before hour X. Very soon you will understand what is stealing precious minutes from you and what you need to give up in order to be as productive as possible and at the same time get enough sleep.
Don't go to bed later than 00:00. There is such a thing as the value of sleep. The closer the clock hands are to the “zero” mark, the smaller it is. That's why if you fall asleep at eight in the evening and wake up at four in the morning, your body will be much better rested than if you fall asleep at midnight and wake up at eight in the morning.
Ventilate the bedroom. Sleep is better in a cool room. It’s better to cover yourself with a warmer blanket, but keep your “brain” cold. The ideal temperature for sleeping is 18 degrees.
Have a healthy dinner. Avoid products containing caffeine, as well as overeating in general. Also avoid alcohol before bed. Some people claim that if they drink, they fall asleep better - this is true, but the quality of rest decreases.
Create an environment of peace. Before you go to bed, don't forget to turn off your router and put your phone in airplane mode (or turn it off altogether). Whatever one may say, technology radiation has a certain effect on us, and although scientists have not yet come to a conclusion what it is, it is unlikely that it has a beneficial effect on sleep.
Sleep in the dark. The less light, the better quality sleep- Another interesting rule, adherence to which will help you get better sleep.

Consequences of chronic lack of sleep

Chronic lack of sleep is a serious problem of our generation. AND the main problem the fact that people do not want to establish a routine, considering fatigue and irritability normal reaction for a busy life. However, not much time will pass, and serious consequences will appear that simply cannot be ignored.

What are the dangers of chronic lack of sleep? At a minimum, the following consequences:

The cardiovascular system will become unstable - just imagine, the likelihood of a stroke increases 4 times with regular lack of sleep, and this is a proven fact;
The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be disrupted;
The likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus will increase;
Immunity will decrease;
will arise hormonal imbalance leading to decreased libido;
Joints will suffer - there is a high risk of developing joint fragility diseases, including osteoporosis.
The likelihood of developing cancer will double.

In fact, the consequences of chronic lack of sleep can be listed for a very long time, but the essence remains the same: by regularly depriving yourself of the proper amount of sleep, you are gradually killing the body.

How to deal with chronic lack of sleep - watch the video:

Chronic lack of sleep is an insidious problem. Many people experience lack of sleep, but they are accustomed to looking at this situation carelessly. The result is not long in coming, manifesting itself in nervous system disorders and physiological problems. They, in turn, can develop into serious illnesses, if you don’t realize in time how important sleep is for the body and don’t improve it.

Most people suffer from chronic lack of sleep, despite the fact that everyone is well aware of the consequences of constant lack of sleep. When a person gets enough sleep, his body is relaxed and takes a break from everything that has accumulated during the day.

But when you constantly lack sleep, fatigue will gradually accumulate. And this cannot be allowed, because soon it can lead to irritability, laziness, stress, and therefore depression. Next you will find out what it is chronic lack of sleep– symptoms and treatment.

Often the reason for lack of sleep is that a person cannot properly plan his time, distribute work and rest time. Women may be bothered by frequent phone conversations with friends or a lot of household chores.

Men spend most of their time working, after which they can help their wife around the house or look after their child, for example. But for some reason, when all the work is completed, the man does not go to bed, but watches TV or sits at the computer.

During the student years, lack of sleep accompanies the student almost constantly, especially during the session, here all the reasons are clear. Very small amount people suffer from lack of sleep due to any diseases that may be associated with problems during sleep.

What can lack of sleep lead to?

If you haven’t slept at least one night, then immediately after waking up you will not feel very good, and then worse: no matter what you undertake, everything will go awry, everything will fall out of your hands, and it will not be easy to think.

If a person has had enough sleep, he will be positive, very energetic and active throughout the day, and his mood will not let him down either. He will definitely achieve any goal.

Lack of sleep leads to problems with thinking; most likely, in the head of a sleep-deprived person, the only thought will be about how to quickly go to bed. Attentiveness decreases, activity also decreases, so you will have to spend more energy even on everyday activities.

Memory problems even appear; new impressions during the day cannot be processed and assimilated due to fatigue; the process would go faster if you got enough sleep.

They stay in your head for quite a long time, but still, most of the events are forgotten. And remembered events will gradually fade from memory.

This fatigue due to lack of night rest leads to bad mood. When fatigue becomes chronic, the psyche cannot withstand such stress for long; in the end, one can only expect breakdown or depression. Chronic lack of sleep can also lead to neurosis.

What to do to get rid of lack of sleep?

Some people avoid sleep deprivation by going to bed several hours earlier than usual. But this method is not suitable for everyone, because the nervous system is very tense and cannot quickly relax, so you will have to lie in bed for a very long time, only then will you be able to fall asleep.

Most people work all week with little to no rest; they expect to relax and get a good night's sleep on the weekend. And in common days drink coffee immediately after sleep to make it easier and faster to get out of bed sleepy state. Of course, these actions cannot replace normal daily rest.

In order to get rid of constant fatigue, reconsider your daily routine. Adjust it so that there is enough time for normal night rest.

The main rules to help you have a good night's rest: a couple of hours before bedtime, stop watching TV, working or playing on the computer, it is better to read a book before going to bed.

Don't worry about it unnecessary problems, try to forget for a while about all the day's affairs. Don't worry about any unfinished tasks from the past day. This will not correct the situation; it is better to gain strength and do everything after a good rest. Let your brain relax, this will make it easier to fall asleep.

Some simple tips that will help you fall asleep quickly and gain strength during the night:

In the evening, drink a glass of warm milk, it is better to add honey to it;
Ventilate your apartment or your room before going to bed; fresh air is necessary for relaxation;
take a walk every day, especially an evening walk is good for the body.

Those who constantly work with their heads should definitely know that after a long period of intellectual work they need to switch to physical work. Take up fitness, for example, or jogging. But do not forget that training should end several hours before bedtime.

Take a break!

The recommended sleep duration for an adult is 7-8 hours. This is how much time the body needs to recover. Chronic lack of sleep not only negatively affects your appearance, but also leads to a large number of health problems.

Causes of chronic sleep deprivation

Factors that provoke problems with night rest and prevent you from getting enough sleep are divided into internal and external. TO internal factors include various physiological or psychological problems. External reasons bad sleep are all kinds of circumstances related to the environment surrounding a person.

Stress

Stressful circumstances (problems in your personal life or at work, financial or creative crisis, unpleasant memories from the past) are one of the most common reasons for a poor night's rest. People with increased level suspiciousness that exaggerate the significance negative events. A suspicious person tends to spend a lot of time thinking and analyzing a problem, and, as a rule, they do this before going to bed. This leads to the body decreasing the production of the sleep hormone (melatonin) and increasing the synthesis of adrenaline, which provokes overexcitation of the nervous system and sleep problems.
The fact that lack of sleep is caused by stress can be determined by a number of factors:

fear that sleep will not come throughout the night;
nightmares, disturbing dreams;
superficial sleep;
some time before sleep, a rapid heartbeat begins;
long process of falling asleep (more than half an hour).

Chronic lack of sleep due to insomnia can be a symptom of various mental disorders. These include neuroses, psychoses, prolonged depression, manic disorders. There is even separate disease, in which a person does not sleep at night because he is afraid of sleep. This disorder is called hypnophobia.

Unhealthy sleep due to abnormalities mental health has a number of characteristic features:

panic and anxiety before going to bed;
frequent waking up at night;
short sleep (as a rule, a person wakes up between 3 and 5 a.m. and after that can no longer fall asleep).

Physiological diseases

Various body diseases are a common cause of sleep problems in older people. The manifestations of many diseases worsen in the evening or at night, which makes it difficult to fall asleep and forces you to wake up at night. There are also some pathologies that provoke chronic lack of sleep in people in middle age and in children.

Diseases that can cause chronic lack of sleep include:

diathesis (itching on the skin) – in children under one year of age;
() – most often in preschool children;
hormonal imbalance (lack or excess of one of the hormones) – in women during pregnancy and after childbirth, also common in women during menopause;
syndrome restless legs (involuntary movements feet before bedtime and during sleep) – in men and women aged 20 to 40 years;
angina pectoris (heart pain) – in middle-aged and older people;
hypertension (increased blood pressure) – people aged 40 to 60 years are most often affected;
joint diseases (arthritis, arthrosis) – in people over 50 years of age;
obstructive apnea ( heavy snoring) – more common in older people and those who are overweight.

Disturbance of biological rhythms

All body systems, including the nervous system, function in accordance with biological rhythms. That is, nature has it in such a way that in the period from approximately 20.00 to 22.00 all processes begin to slow down, the body and nervous system relax, and the person falls asleep. If for a number of reasons a person does not go to bed at the appropriate time for some time, his biological rhythm is disrupted. Subsequently, already having the ability to fall asleep at the appropriate period, he begins to experience problems with sleep, which lead to chronic lack of sleep.

Jet lag can be caused by:

frequent flights in different time zones;
night mode;
childbirth and child care;
regular visits to night entertainment venues.

A sign that lack of sleep is caused by jet lag is severe difficulty falling asleep and difficulty waking up.

Signs of chronic sleep deprivation

From a medical point of view, chronic sleep deprivation is considered a disease (sleep disorder) that has a number of symptoms. Since the body does not get the opportunity to fully recover, a number of negative changes occur in it, which affect the appearance, character and general condition person.

Nervous system symptoms

Impaired functionality of the nervous system is the very first symptom of chronic lack of sleep, since it is the nervous system that “suffers” most from the lack of night rest. As a rule, a disorder of the nervous system is manifested not by one, but by a number of signs that significantly reduce a person’s quality of life.

Dysfunction of the nervous system due to lack of sleep is expressed in the following:

inattention;
inability to concentrate;
increased emotionality ( inappropriate laughter or causeless tears);
apathy and depression;
decrease in cognitive abilities (memory, speech, thinking).

In advanced forms of chronic lack of sleep, a fear of nightfall may develop, which becomes the reason for the development of ritual behavior. This symptom is expressed in the fact that the person begins to take various measures delaying bedtime.

A person who suffers from sleep problems can be identified by a number of characteristic external features:

reddened whites of the eyes;
dark circles under the eyes;
swollen upper eyelids;
pale or sallow skin;
general unkempt appearance.

Manifestations of lack of sleep in other body systems

Chronic sleep deprivation is manifested by the following physiological symptoms:

headaches, dizziness;
nausea, excessive accumulation of gases;
dysfunction of the digestive system (constipation or diarrhea);
exacerbation of chronic diseases;
decreased immunity, frequent colds.

Consequences of chronic sleep deprivation

Consequences constant lack of sleep negatively affect the social, personal, and professional spheres of a person’s life.

The consequences of long-term sleep problems are:

Relationship problems . Irritability and other character changes characteristic of lack of sleep lead to the fact that a person begins to isolate himself from others and becomes more withdrawn. This behavior negatively affects relationships with family members, friends, and work colleagues.
Depression . The development of this disease is facilitated by the fact that poor quality sleep slows down the production of the hormone serotonin, which is responsible for positive emotions.
Professional difficulties . Inattention, constant drowsiness, decreased performance, frequent tardiness - all these factors contribute to a person beginning to have problems at work. Lack of sleep is especially dangerous for drivers, since, according to statistics, poor sleep quality and associated fatigue are a common cause of accidents.
Deterioration in appearance . During sleep, collagen is produced, which provides skin tone. With a lack of sleep, the synthesis of this substance decreases, as a result of which wrinkles begin to appear, the oval of the face “floats”, and the muscles become flabby. In men, volume decreases muscle mass, since lack of sleep reduces the production of the hormone somatostatin, which is responsible for muscle growth. In addition, poor quality night rest contributes to obesity.
Sexual life disorders . Lack of energy and weakened general tone lead to decreased libido ( sexual desire). Men may also experience problems with potency.

Sleep hygiene rules

The concept of sleep hygiene includes a set of recommended measures aimed at normalizing night rest. Violation of one or more rules leads to the fact that the quality of sleep decreases and chronic sleep deprivation develops.

To prevent this problem, read the following sleep hygiene rules:

mattress medium hard(for osteochondrosis, a hard mattress is recommended);
low pillow (if you have osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, you should choose a low pillow or sleep without it);
bed and underwear made from natural materials;
absence irritating factors(drafts, ticking clocks, flashing electronic sensors);
refusal to read or watch stories with negative content;
avoiding consumption of products containing caffeine (coffee, tea, energy drinks) 3-4 hours before bedtime;
avoidance of fatty and heavy foods (meat, confectionery) 2 hours before bedtime;
Going to bed should be no later than 22:00-23:00 hours.

The main indicator that the cause of lack of sleep is poor sleep hygiene is poor quality night rest. In other words, a person may have no problems falling asleep and waking up, but at the same time wakes up tired and lethargic.

Treatment of chronic sleep deprivation

Treatment of this disorder involves eliminating the factors that provoke it. So, first of all, you should audit your sleeping place and correct all points that contradict sleep hygiene standards. If the cause of lack of sleep is physiological or psychological problems, you should contact specialized specialists.

You should undergo a medical examination in cases where there are no obvious reasons for you that could provoke chronic lack of sleep.

There are a number of steps a person can take on their own to improve their sleep. It should be noted that all of these steps are optional, as the primary goal is to address the root cause of poor sleep.

As part of measures to normalize sleep, take the following actions:

give up nap, even if you feel too tired;
incorporate more into your life physical activity(play sports, give up public transport, stop using the elevator);
master several techniques for falling asleep quickly (rapid eye movement method, blinking method, method of immersion in a mattress);
carry out procedures before bed that will help get rid of nervous tension(relaxing bath, calm music, watching humorous stories);
ventilate the bedroom before going to bed; if the air is too dry, install a humidifier;
maintain a sleep schedule and try to go to bed at the same time;
do not use alcohol to combat sleep deprivation, as it may contribute to falling asleep quickly, but the sleep will be superficial and heavy.

Folk remedies for improving sleep (video)

Ethnic medicine suggests using herbal decoctions that have a sedative (calming) effect to normalize sleep. These plants can also be used to prepare a special pillow for sleeping. Learn more about which herbs will help with lack of sleep in this video.

Chronic sleep deprivation can be caused by various factors– from the wrong mattress to a hidden serious illness. Therefore, if you experience regularly recurring sleep problems (for 1-2 weeks), you should establish the cause and take action. adequate measures to eliminate it.

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Our crazy age places special, sometimes unrealistically high demands on people. In an attempt to get as much done as possible, we steal time allotted for sleep. It doesn’t really matter what makes us neglect the good night’s rest provided for us by Mother Nature: perfectionism and the desire to do more than others, or just plain disorganization. Day after day we go to bed long after midnight, promising ourselves to go to bed early tomorrow. However, tomorrow everything will repeat itself. What are the consequences of insufficient time allocated for good sleep? The site offers to find out in more detail why chronic lack of sleep is dangerous?

Danger 1. Lack of sleep is the first enemy of beauty

It almost sounds like a slogan, and yet it's true. Nothing affects the condition of the skin, hair and general impression, which our appearance produces on others, like a sleepless night. And if it’s high quality and expensive decorative cosmetics will help hide an unhealthy complexion under an artificial blush, then the loss of skin elasticity and the appearance of “bags” under the eyes is much more difficult to disguise.

When we struggle with sleep, our body begins to synthesize the stress hormone cortisol. Side effect its effect on the body is the destruction of the protein compound that provides the skin with proper elasticity.

Lack of sleep, which becomes systematic, inevitably leads to the appearance of signs premature aging. If you consider that this increases the risk of gaining several extra pounds, the prospect becomes completely sad.

Danger 2. When they're not sleeping, they eat.

Alas, it’s not just bear cubs and tiger cubs at the zoo who eat when they’re not sleeping. When we deny ourselves rest, ghrelin begins to be actively synthesized in the body. This, as you may have already guessed, is another hormone. It "awakens" the appetite. And he does this at the very wrong time: metabolic processes are slowed down at this time, goodies eaten at night are deposited day after day in the form of fatty deposits exactly where they are “used to” - each has its own problem area. Thus, by depriving ourselves of sleep, we risk gaining excess weight, which provokes the development of many dangerous diseases.

However, not only food is dangerous, but also the drinks with which we are in the habit of invigorating ourselves at night. Even “good old” coffee in large quantities can harm your health, and excessive consumption of various energy drinks, which are preferred by young people, can negatively affect your physical condition much faster.

Danger 3: Lack of sleep is a serious health threat

Needless to say, chronic lack of sleep affects normal operation the whole body. Reducing the time of night sleep is a factor provoking the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system:

heart failure;
myocardial infarction;
hypertension.

In addition, violation metabolic processes leads to an increase in sugar levels, which causes the release of additional insulin into the blood. The body, trying to neutralize the excess of this hormone, starts processes that lead to the development of type II diabetes.

Since lack of sleep has an extremely negative impact on the balance of hormones, regular lack of sleep can cause a decrease in immunity and even the development of certain types of malignant neoplasms.

Statistics show that people who neglect to get a full night's sleep have average duration life is significantly shorter than that of those who sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. Does it really make sense to work literally day and night if this increases the risk of not living until retirement?

Danger 4. Loss of attention, concentration and memory

Needless to say, regular lack of sleep primarily affects the central nervous system. The ability to concentrate and focus decreases, attention and memory deteriorate. And this is not surprising. After all, it is during sleep that data is “processed” in the brain. Information received during the day must be absorbed while you sleep.

In the absence or lack of time for sleep, memory noticeably deteriorates, because cognitive processes are impaired.

Information, of course, will be deposited somewhere, but extracting it in right moment It will be very difficult. In this case, can we talk about successful studies and a brilliantly passed session or timely and high-quality work?

Danger 5. Decreased sexual activity

Against the background of overwork caused by lack of sleep, there is often a decrease in sexual activity. Blame it all again insidious hormones: an overtired body inhibits the production of testosterone, libido decreases. People who neglect sleep, as a rule, have no time for love experiences; the body saves energy. Maybe, sleepless nights, full of love languor - this is very romantic, but lack of sleep can have a very negative impact on the intimate sphere.

Danger 6. Lack of sleep leads to stress, depression, apathy

Insufficient sleep duration not only leads to memory impairment, but also slows down almost all manifestations of brain activity. The reaction speed decreases, a person begins to experience difficulties when it comes to comparing data and drawing certain conclusions and making decisions. In other words, regular lack of sleep is fraught with a decrease in analytical abilities. This means that even if you are a very cool gamer, the lack of proper rest will soon come back to haunt you: it will become increasingly easier for your virtual opponent to defeat you.

Oh more serious consequences I don’t even want to think about lack of sleep: a chronically sleep-deprived driver on the road - potential threat for everyone who may be nearby, in stressful situation his reaction is extremely difficult to predict. Emotional sphere suffers no less: fatigue caused by lack of sleep increases the risk depressive states, apathy appears. I don't want anything. IN best case scenario, sleepy.

Danger 7: Overwork can cause insomnia

Even if your daily lack of sleep is caused by the most objective reasons, overwork, which accumulates day after day, can cause serious problems with falling asleep. Paradoxically, it is the lack of time to sleep that can trigger insomnia. You may need to see a specialist and see sedatives. However, you should not prescribe them to yourself. If this is your problem, try:

before going to bed, do not read or watch anything that could disturb your peace of mind;
take evening walks in the fresh air;
take a relaxing bath;
ventilate the room or leave a window open at night;
drink warm milk with honey (tea with mint, chamomile or lemon balm);
If you are into yoga, you can do relaxing exercises.

It's also worth taking a closer look at managing your body clock to address insomnia.

To make chronic lack of sleep a thing of the past

Don’t think that lack of sleep is the lot of disorganized, unsuccessful losers or young people who prefer night parties normal sleep. The whole rhythm of modern life pushes us to the fact that night is no less active time than day. Internet and television work around the clock, and great amount supermarkets do not close their doors at night. The rhythm of modern life often requires us to do almost impossible things: work more, have more fun, get more information.

How to break out of the vicious circle and return to normal? Take time off, go on vacation or sick leave. And give yourself, your loved one, the opportunity to get a good night’s sleep. Be healthy, and estet-portal.com, where you will find many useful information about maintaining health will help you with this.