The state of not getting enough sleep. Chronic lack of sleep: what it is, causes of sleep disturbance in men and women

Lack of sleep is so common in society that it is considered normal. However, this does not reduce negative influence sleep deficit per person. It is worth checking whether lack of sleep is present in your life, thinking about its consequences and taking the necessary measures.

The lack of night rest is not always obvious for three reasons:

• it does not immediately manifest itself clearly, for example, by falling asleep on the spot;
• in this state, a person’s perception of reality is dulled and it may be difficult to evaluate oneself from the outside;
• Often people live with lack of sleep for a long time and get used to this condition.

Symptoms of sleep deprivation include:

• fatigue;
• absent-mindedness;
• inattention;
• memory problems;
• inability to assimilate new information;
• irritability;
• frequent ailments;
• weight gain.

Some habits and factors that indicate chronic lack of sleep:

• the need for an alarm clock in order to wake up on time;
• the habit of setting the alarm clock 5-10 minutes longer after it rings;
• in the afternoon I constantly want to lie down, at least with my head on the table;
• drowsiness easily overcomes during boring lectures;
• everything irritates, even what did not cause such emotions before;
• on weekends it’s easy to sleep until lunchtime and even longer.

Those who forgot something for the third time in a week when leaving home, become offended more often and cannot remember what date it is today, most likely need to think about changes in their sleep schedule.

Violating the laws established in nature is never beneficial. And lack of sleep also has its consequences. They can be divided into two categories: physiological and psychological.

Physiological consequences

The appearance of excess weight

Some associate excess weight and lack of sleep only with the formula “go to bed earlier, eat less,” but that’s not all. The brain perceives lack of sleep as hunger.

This happens because the hormone leptin is produced during sleep, which causes a feeling of fullness. How less people sleeps, the less this hormone is produced. Because of this, a feeling of hunger appears and the craving for the so-called fast carbohydrates, which are contained in sweets. Eating sweets in large quantities contributes to obesity and the development of various diseases.

Frequent viral infections

Adequate sleep is one of the foundations good immunity. The thing is that during sleep, lymphocyte cells are produced, which are responsible for fighting infections. Due to lack of sleep, there are fewer of them, the body’s protective abilities are reduced, and infections take over.

Cardiovascular diseases

Statistics show that those who don't get enough sleep have a higher risk of stroke than people who get enough sleep. This is due to two reasons:

• a sleep-deprived person is irritable, and this has an extremely bad effect on the condition of blood vessels;
• appear wrong habits diets that increase cholesterol levels in the blood - another step towards stroke and heart attack.

Microsleep

Almost everyone was nodding off after a sleepless night. This happens because, trying to save the situation, the brain enters the first stage of sleep. It can last from one to five minutes.

This state is unpleasant in itself, since microsleep does not give a feeling of vigor, but disconnects you from reality. If this happens while driving, the likelihood of a car accident increases significantly.

Constant fatigue syndrome

I woke up and was already tired. There is no strength or desire to do even simple, familiar things. This symptom often manifests itself in conjunction with others, such as infections. This happens because the body does not have time to recover.

Exacerbation of chronic diseases

It would seem that there is no direct connection between sleep and kidney and liver diseases, but since the body’s strength is depleted, it is necessary to fight diseases and maintain good condition there are none left. Therefore, sometimes, due to lack of sleep, strange sensations of vague pain appear in the back, joints or stomach.

Acceleration of the aging process

If a person who has had enough sleep is said to look fresh, then those who do not get enough rest run the risk of looking and feeling older than their age.

Firstly, if the body goes beyond its resources day after day and does not replenish them, then it wears out faster. Secondly, lack of sleep provokes a disruption in the hormonal system and the production of collagen, which is responsible for skin elasticity, decreases. She becomes more flabby and wrinkled, which does not make her look younger.

Deterioration of motor coordination

A sleep-deprived person is on the same level as a drunk person in terms of reaction speed.

Psychological consequences

Irritability

If a person does not get enough rest, the activity of the parts of the brain responsible for emotions more than doubles. This means that the reaction to everything around you becomes more painful than usual.

Touchiness

This consequence follows from the previous one. If lack of sleep becomes chronic, then the habit of getting upset over little things can become a character trait.

Apathy

When you don’t have the strength, you don’t want to take on anything, start new things or finish old ones. Moreover, lack of sleep distorts your view of the reality of what is happening and everything appears in a gloomy light. The last thing you want to do in such a state is to do something.

Depression

All these consequences gradually add up. Hormonal imbalances, irritability, apathy provoke depression: clinical condition, which is really hard to live with.

Everything seems gray and joyless, even those things that used to bring pleasure do not arouse interest.

Indirect consequences of lack of sleep

In addition to the main consequences of this condition, indirect consequences arising from them can be identified.

Decreased performance

This happens due to several factors:

• it takes a lot of effort to overcome apathy;
• you need to communicate with colleagues who are annoying;
• Even the smallest things take more effort than usual.

Deterioration of relationships with people

When a person perceives everything acutely and at the same time feels tired, he wants to retire. People tire him even more. Even loved ones seem strangers.

Accidents and accidents

Lack of sleep itself does not kill, of course, unless we are talking about a long period. But if we are talking about chronic failure sleep in small portions, then attentiveness, ability to concentrate and reaction speed decrease.

The consequences are easy to predict: accidents will lurk at every turn. And statistics confirm this: 2 out of 10 cases are due to the fault of a lack of sleep.

You should think carefully before sacrificing sleep: productivity decreases, relationships with people deteriorate, and the risk of an accident increases.

Watch the video about these and more dangerous consequences constant lack of sleep:

How to deal with chronic lack of sleep?

To overcome lack of sleep, it’s not enough to just sleep until lunch on the weekend. You need to get regular and adequate sleep. There are several steps to this:

Understanding the importance of getting enough sleep

Changing something that has become chronic can be very difficult. Therefore, first of all, you need to understand what good these changes will bring and why they are worth making. This could be a desire to feel better, overcome an illness, or improve the working rhythm of life.

Understanding what prevents you from getting enough sleep

Sometimes the reasons are obvious: getting up early for work or a restless baby. On the other hand, you can analyze which habits steal time for rest. Some people watch TV for a long time before going to bed, others endlessly scroll through their news feed. in social networks or correspond in messengers. Sometimes lack of sleep occurs due to an uncomfortable place to sleep or overstimulation.

Getting rid of the cause of lack of sleep and finding ways to make up for the lack of sleep

It’s definitely worth giving up unimportant tasks in favor of sleep. Firstly, on sleepy head It is unlikely that it will be possible to make them as good as fresh ones. Secondly, the quantity unpleasant consequences often outweighs the benefits of the matter.

If it seems that five minutes on the Internet in the evening will not make a difference, it’s worth remembering how precious those five minutes are in the morning.

If the reason cannot be overcome, it is worth considering other ways. Some have developed the habit of sleeping during their lunch break. Sometimes fifteen minutes is enough to fully survive until the evening.

It is unreasonable to think that coffee or other invigorating drinks- this is a solution to the problem. Often they only aggravate the situation with chronic lack of sleep.

Creating a Sleep Schedule

You need to clearly determine for yourself what time to go to bed and what time to wake up. This regime must be followed both on weekdays and on weekends. Then it will be easier to fall asleep and wake up on time.

What time should you go to bed or wake up to feel alert during the day? Optimal time and possible duration sleep will help calculate

You may need to ask family members for help so that they remind you of the time you need to go to bed and not disturb you after a certain hour. During your rest period, you need to put your phone into sleep mode.

The consequences of chronic lack of sleep can be physical and psychological, they affect all areas of a person’s life. To correct the situation, you need to provide yourself with the necessary duration of a comfortable night's sleep.

Medical statistics are inexorable - chronic lack of sleep is found everywhere - about 1/3 of the Russian population suffers from this disease. The worst thing is that few people attach importance to this, although everyone knows that full health is impossible without quality rest.

During sleep, the human body relaxes and disconnects from all the problems that have accumulated during the day. Periodic lack of sleep soon causes fatigue. This should not be allowed, since frequent lack of sleep provokes irritability and a decrease in both physical and intellectual performance.

We all know that a person should sleep at least 8 hours a day. However, this norm cannot be the same for everyone. For some, seven hours is enough, for others 9-10 hours are not enough to restore lost strength.

Elderly people, pregnant women, children, and the sick need to sleep longer. In a word, each person can determine for himself how many hours he needs to rest.

1. An acute lack of night sleep is sometimes expressed by gastrointestinal disorders - constipation or diarrhea, nausea.
2. Strong desire to lie down and fall asleep. However, due to severe fatigue, it is impossible to fall asleep quickly, even with extreme drowsiness.
3. Constant lack of sleep creates headache, .
4. Distraction of attention, lack of concentration, low performance, fulfilling daily duties becomes impossible.
5. Occasionally, faces, arms, legs, dark circles under the eyes, the skin turns pale.
6. Positive emotions, good mood absent for a long time, but there is nervousness and irritability.
7. Lack of sleep reduces appetite.
8. Severe cases of sleep deprivation are manifested by hallucinations, clouding of consciousness, and poor coordination of movements.
9. Slow down when lacking sleep metabolic processes which leads to, despite proper diet nutrition.
10. Immunity is reduced due to chronic lack of sleep. This provokes exacerbation of chronic diseases and the emergence of others.

The main reason for constant lack of sleep is improper distribution of free time at home or at work.

Student lack of sleep during regular sessions is quite understandable.

Poor women do not notice how time flies due to the mass of household chores or hours of communication with their girlfriends.

Lack of sleep can be a consequence of some serious illness, for example, but the percentage of such patients is much lower.

Men devote themselves completely to work; in the evening they can help their wife take care of the babies - ironing things or cleaning them. Then they are captivated by TV or computer games until late at night.

We can paraphrase the familiar proverb “As one works, so one eats” in relation to sleep: “As one sleeps, so one works.” Everyone can feel how true this saying is from their own experience.

If you didn’t get a good night’s sleep the night before, everything at work gets out of hand, the thoughts in your head wander somewhere and don’t allow you to concentrate. A completely different thing happens to a person who has had enough sleep - he is full of energy and strength, his life potential and mood are at their highest. There are no barriers for him when solving any problem.

A lack of sleep at night dulls thinking. Think for yourself, what might a sleep-deprived patient think about? Only about how to get some sleep as quickly as possible. Concentration drops sharply, so you have to make more effort to perform normal actions.

At the same time, many sometimes irreparable mistakes are made. It is almost impossible to decide or plan any complex problems being in this state. If you don't get enough sleep chronically, your memory weakens. Ultimately, fewer and fewer events of the past day are remembered, and those that are remembered are not retained in memory for long.

Lack of sleep, which gives rise to chronic fatigue, creates a fatal mood that promotes confrontation and overcoming imaginary obstacles environment. It is impossible to remain in this state for a long time - the psyche will not stand it, it will happen soon emotional disorder or depression will come. Lack of sleep is a direct road to neurosis. Insomnia often causes the development of the so-called.

Some people thinking that best fight with lack of sleep - go to bed earlier than usual. As practice has shown, this technique is not always useful, since an overloaded psyche is not able to instantly relax and you have to toss and turn in bed for a long, long time before falling asleep.

Others after difficult working week strive to get enough sleep on the weekend. Moreover, in the morning hours on weekdays they drink strong coffee in order to find a cheerful state. This measure does not bring complete rest.

In fact, you can stop being chronically sleep deprived if you carefully follow your daily routine like this:

Stop nightly computer games or watching television for a long time.

Stop thinking about work problems in the evenings to relax your brain and give it a peaceful rest.

Try to get a good night's sleep. Forget about your problems, entrust the children to your grandmother, put off all projects for later, turn off all phones, monitor, TV.

Stick to a routine—go to bed and wake up at the same hours. It's better to go to bed before midnight.

Every day after lunch, do not fill your stomach with fatty, heavy foods, especially before bed. Forget about energy drinks - tea, coffee, etc.

Increase physical activity every day - more active movements, which improve blood supply to organs and relieve insomnia.

It has been proven that good sex and a vivid orgasm relax you before bed. This opportunity must be taken advantage of.

Remove blinking electronics and ticking clocks from the bedroom, which are very annoying.

Doctors recommend daytime naps to all sick and pregnant women.

Other measures to help you get to sleep faster and eliminate sleep deprivation

Drink warm whole milk with the addition of natural honey in the evenings.

Take slow walks before bed.

Ventilate the bedroom often, sleep with the window open.

Any physical exercise can be done at least two hours before bedtime.

People suffering from chronic sleep deprivation often complain of...

Conclusions: Today we learned what chronic sleep deprivation is, symptoms and treatment. Remember that adequate sleep is extremely important for the functioning of the central nervous system. If a person can exist without food for 2-3 months, without water - up to 10 days, then without healthy sleep a person’s life can end in 3-4 days. Fight lack of sleep, maintain beauty and health for many years to come!

According to scientists, the human body requires 7-8 hours of sleep at night to recover. This duration may vary depending on individual characteristics body, but long absence normal sleep has serious health consequences. Recognizing the symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation allows the doctor to develop the correct treatment strategy.

Concept of chronic sleep deprivation

If you can't get enough sleep for several days or weeks, then it's too early to say that you have chronic sleep deprivation. Of course, lack of sleep will affect a person’s condition and appearance, but catastrophic disturbances will not occur.

You can fully experience the consequences of lack of sleep after six months, if you suffer from insomnia throughout this entire period, and your rest time is limited by external and internal factors. Studies have shown that a constant lack of sleep at night leads to poor health.

How does chronic lack of rest manifest?

The systematic lack of opportunity for the body to recover is fraught with negative disorders. Damage occurs to all systems and organs. Literally in a few days this will be reflected in the appearance, and then the whole body will fully feel it.

Symptoms from the nervous system

The brain is governing body our body. Every night, when sleep overtakes him, he actively begins to process the information received during the day. During night sleep, active recovery processes in the nervous system, if you deprive it of this, the consequences will not take long to arrive.

Within a few days, lack of sleep will manifest itself with the following signs:

• Lethargy. This symptom does not allow a person to make quick and adequate decisions.
• Impulsiveness. This is the other side of the coin, when a person reacts in exactly the opposite way. Makes rash decisions, which results in serious negative consequences.
• Irritability. It’s difficult to admit on your own that everything around you is annoying, but those around you will notice it immediately.
• Inability to concentrate. Constant lack of sleep reduces performance; a person is often distracted by extraneous things. When working on serious projects, this can lead to errors and problems.
• Memory deteriorates. There is a realization that you cannot remember basic things.
• Drowsiness leads to clumsiness in movements. This is caused by brain fatigue; the cerebellum, which is responsible for coordinating movements, is unable to adequately perform its functions.
• If you do not give the body for a long time necessary rest, then he will certainly begin to make up for this deficit. The brain will periodically simply turn off, this is the so-called microsleep.

Attention! The danger of lack of sleep is that nodding off while driving a car or while working with complex mechanisms can end disastrously for the person and others.

• Depression. Chronic lack of sleep depletes the nervous system. This leads to aggression and irritability. Depression gives way to bouts of anger and rage. Adolescence in this regard, the most vulnerable. The psyche during this period is unstable. Lack of sleep and constant fatigue lead to emotional depression, which can lead to suicidal thoughts.

Statistics say that chronic lack of sleep can lead not only to depression, but also to serious mental damage, including insanity.

The listed symptoms are a serious reason to think about providing quality rest for the body.

Reflection of lack of sleep on appearance

All you have to do is not sleep for one night and it will all show on your face. They say that a person's appearance can be deceiving, but not in this case. You can recognize a sleep-deprived person by the following signs:

• Red eyes. This is the first consequence of a sleepless night.
• Pallor skin.
• Dark circles appear under the eyes.
• The eyelids become swollen.
• Painful appearance.
• Overwork from chronic lack of sleep gives a person a sloppy appearance.

If, after a bad night's rest, you sleep for at least half an hour during the day, then the person begins to look fresher and more rested.

Response of other organ systems to sleep deprivation

After some time, symptoms of lack of sleep will become noticeable in the functioning of all other organ systems. This will affect a person’s well-being. If observed following symptoms, then you can safely diagnose a chronic lack of sleep, which will have to be urgently treated:

• As a result of a lack of rest, the immune system weakens and the ability to fight pathogenic viruses and bacteria, and the person begins to get sick often.
• The negative impact of lack of sleep also affects vision. It is quite common after several sleepless nights to notice that the letters are blurred and the clarity of the image decreases.
• Rising arterial pressure. This manifestation is usually for people suffering from hypertension and vegetative-vascular dystonia. With VSD vascular system It works with errors, and if you don’t get enough sleep all the time, the situation will get even worse.
• The person begins to gain weight. It would seem that you sleep less, spend more energy, everything should be the other way around. But you won’t be able to lose weight by depriving yourself of sleep; lack of rest disrupts your hormonal balance, you constantly want to eat, which leads to weight gain.
• Sleep deprivation syndrome is fraught early aging body. Miracle anti-aging products and masks will not help if you regularly do not get enough sleep. Chronic insomnia increases the production of cortisol, which leads to the formation large quantity sebum. It is his fault that the skin shows signs of aging much earlier.
• After several sleepless nights, a headache will certainly bother you.
• Dizziness indicates vascular disorders.
• Work deteriorates digestive tract, which is manifested by nausea, stool disturbances.
• At constant lack of sleep thermoregulatory mechanisms suffer, which leads to chills. Body temperature may rise or fall sharply for no reason.

Depriving your body of proper sleep is no joke. Serious illnesses will not take long to appear. Failure to take timely measures will lead to the need for long-term treatment.

Causes of chronic sleep deprivation

To decide what to do about persistent insomnia, you need to find out the reasons for the disturbance in night rest. They can be completely different depending on gender.

But it should be noted that to break the strong and healthy sleep can not only external factors, but also internal problems.

Causes of lack of sleep in women

It has been noticed that females are much more likely to suffer from insomnia. This is associated with increased emotionality and sensitivity. That is why in the first place among women there are psychological causes of nighttime sleep disorders, not short-term, but long-term disorders.

Doctors include such provoking factors as:

• Prolonged stress. First of all, they can negatively affect the quality of sleep.
• Conflicts in the family or at work.
• Quarrel with a loved one.
• Wedding preparations.
• Carrying a baby and waiting for future births.
• The appearance of a baby.
• Loss of loved ones.
• Change of job or place of residence.

The vulnerable female psyche cannot perceive all these situations calmly, which leads to the development of chronic insomnia.

What prevents men from sleeping soundly?

Both external and external factors can disturb men’s peace of mind. internal factors. Among the most common are:

• Problems at work. Considering that for most males it is important to realize themselves in society, any problems and failures are perceived acutely and painfully. How can we cope with this and sleep normally?

• Workaholism or normal fatigue. Often men, especially office workers and lawyers, return home and continue to work. The whole evening is spent at the desk and computer. Can one really call sleep complete after such brain overstrain?
• Change of marital status. Men perceive changes in their lives very painfully. For them, the birth of a child, marriage or divorce are equally stressful.
• Business. People who are busy with personal projects and running their own businesses constantly worry about their future. Even when going to the bedroom, the brain continues to think right decisions and expedient moves.
• Everyone knows that drinking and smoking is harmful, but they do not suspect that bad habits affect the quality of sleep. Sometimes getting rid of them is enough to night rest improved noticeably.

You can try to remove the listed reasons, then the morning will not be accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and weakness, but of vigor and good mood.

Common Causes of Sleep Disorders

There are some factors that disrupt sleep in everyone, both adults and children. These include:

• Stuffiness in the room. Before going to bed, you should always ventilate the room to increase the oxygen concentration and reduce carbon dioxide. During sleep, full cellular respiration will be ensured, which will improve the quality of sleep.

• An uncomfortable bed is the first thing that can disrupt sweet Dreams. The choice of sleeping place must be approached thoroughly. It is better to purchase orthopedic models to support you while you sleep correct position spine.
• Many people note that they cannot sleep in an unusual place, for example, at a party. Even having a quiet and comfortable bed does not help you sleep soundly.
• Extraneous noise. It is advisable to sleep in complete silence. If household members are watching TV in the next room, you can use earplugs.
• Lighting. In the bedroom, it is better to hang dark and thick curtains on the windows so that early dawn in the summer, Sun rays didn't wake up early.
• Drinking coffee can simply disturb sleep, strong tea or a hearty dinner. After a late-night meal, you may feel nauseous in the morning and feel exhausted.

If, after eliminating all these factors, sleep does not improve, then the reason lies elsewhere.

Physiological causes of sleep disturbance

If all external factors are eliminated, and sleep does not improve, then the cause should be sought in diseases internal organs and physiological conditions. Insomnia can be caused by:

• Apnea. Night snoring disrupts the sleep of not only household members, but also the snorer himself. The danger of such a violation is that a short-term cessation of breathing may occur. The next morning a person feels weak, tired instead of cheerful.
• Bedwetting, which can often affect children. If there is a problem, you need to visit a neurologist to find out the causes and prescribe adequate treatment.
• Joint diseases can deprive a person of sleep. Nights become especially restless when the weather changes.
• High blood pressure. If a person suffers from hypertension, then the readings may jump in the middle of the night, for example, due to stuffiness in the room, the presence of excess weight.

• Chronic lack of sleep may be to blame hormonal imbalance, which is often observed in the female body during pregnancy and menopause.
• Restless legs syndrome. May disturb you at night if present diabetes mellitus, anemia, joint diseases. During sleep, a person makes restless movements with his legs and often wakes up.
• The body lives according to its own biological rhythms, if they are forcibly violated, then in response we get insomnia at night, and in the morning sleepy look and bad mood. Biorhythms can be disrupted by: night shift work, time zone changes, entertainment events in nightclubs.
• Elderly people and those with heart pathologies may be awakened by an attack of angina.

In medical circles, chronic sleep deprivation is a disease that requires serious treatment.

Consequences of lack of sleep

The body is complicated arranged system, where everything is interconnected. Violations in one place will certainly lead to negative consequences in other systems. Night sleep necessary for recovery; if the body is deprived for a long time, it will forcibly begin to demand rest. This will lead to falling asleep right at work or, even worse, while driving a car.

• stroke;
• obesity;
• loss of ability to think sensibly;
• pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
• oncological diseases;
• chronic depression;
• weakening of the immune system.

Interesting information is presented in the film about the dangers of lack of sleep. The pictures of the video on the screen make you think about the importance of full and healthy sleep.

Traditional recipes for strengthening sleep

If you have insomnia, it’s not always worth running to the pharmacy and buying medications to improve your night’s sleep. Can be used folk remedies, which often turn out to be quite effective:

• Before going to bed, it is useful to take a soothing bath with pine extract. It will help get rid of headaches and relieve tension.
• Herbal teas, for example, a drink with mint, lemon balm, oregano, and chamomile, have a calming effect. A cup of a pleasant drink can induce sound sleep.
• At chronic problems useful to take vitamin preparations. They will have a positive effect on brain function, activate cell regeneration, and improve skin condition.
• Take a glass at night warm milk with a spoon of honey.

If folk remedies are powerless, then you will have to take a pill to improve sleep. But the choice of drug should be discussed with your doctor so as not to worsen the situation.

1. If you want to lie down during the day, then you shouldn’t do it.
2. Fighting sleep at 9 pm can result in insomnia after you go to bed, so don’t force yourself to finish watching the movie and force your eyes open.
3. Give your body physical activity during the day.
4. Avoid heavy dinners and coffee before bed.
5. Before going to bed, you need to take off your day clothes and put on comfortable pajamas.
6. It is advisable to go to bed at the same time every day.
7. The air temperature in the bedroom should not exceed 18-20 degrees.
8. Before going to bed, it is useful to take a short walk.

1. Make it a habit to read before going to bed, but the literature should be appropriate.
2. You should go to bed before 12 o'clock; it has been noted that sleep before midnight is of better quality.

Lack of rest, if it occurs occasionally, negative consequences will not benefit the body. But systematic lack of sleep is fraught with serious complications, therefore, if you cannot cope with the problem on your own, then you should not postpone your visit to the doctor. Remember, full and healthy sleep is the key to the well-being of the body and youth.

At modern rhythm In life, adequate sleep for some people turns from a daily ritual into an unattainable dream. Constantly waking up to the alarm clock and going to rest late at night lead to the development of chronic sleep deprivation. For some, this lifestyle is a necessity, while others reduce the total duration of sleep to please their hobbies. In both cases, lack of sleep is very dangerous to health and can lead to the development of serious diseases.

Definition

Chronic sleep deprivation is understood as a condition in which a person finds himself due to a systematic lack of sleep or poor quality of rest. First, there is a decrease in activity and severe fatigue. On next stage As the disease progresses, constant irritability and soreness come. If insomnia persists for more than six months, it worsens chronic diseases, general state health deteriorates, productivity falls, reducing quality of life.

Ignoring the problem for a long period of time leads to decreased immunity and dysfunction various systems body. At the first signs of chronic sleep deprivation, it is necessary to find and eliminate the causes of this phenomenon.

Causes

Traditionally, the main reason for lack of sleep is considered to be too much sleep. active image life. In fact, the inability to manage time leads to constant fatigue. A person tries to perform a large amount of work every day, although he should divide his responsibilities by day and pay attention to all aspects of life. In addition, lack of rest develops due to a number of other reasons.

• Nervous system diseases

An overexcited state of the central nervous system, resulting from psychological or physiological disorders, leads to increased activity and inability to sleep. Even if a person manages to go to bed, his rest will be superficial and of poor quality.

• Poor nutrition

Timely reception proper food provides positive influence to all systems of the body. If dinner takes place more than 4 hours before bedtime and contains difficult-to-digest foods, it will not be easy to fall asleep. The situation is aggravated by the fact that in many homes it is customary to wash down any meal with tea or coffee containing a large amount of caffeine, which completely “drives away” sleep.

• Child syndrome

Probably every parent has at least once noticed a failure of the child’s biological clock when during the day increased drowsiness interferes active games, and at night the baby has difficulty falling asleep. The same can happen to an adult.

• Bad habits

Alcohol consumption, narcotic drugs and smoking have a stimulating effect on the nervous system. Because of this, sleep does not come for a long time. Although there are cases when, in a state of strong alcoholic intoxication, a person quickly falls asleep, his sleep is superficial and intermittent.

• Discomfort

It can be caused by an incorrect microclimate, some diseases, lack of space, an uncomfortable bed and other reasons. All this negatively affects the speed of falling asleep and the quality of rest.

That is, there are many reasons for the development of lack of sleep. The fight against a disease necessarily includes finding and getting rid of the source bad sleep, not just treating symptoms.

Features of lack of sleep in representatives of different sexes

The causes of sleep disturbance in men and women are usually different, as is the mechanism of the disease itself. Representatives of the fairer sex are more susceptible emotionally, so their lack of sleep is often associated with some kind of psychological problems. Typically, this ailment is characterized by a protracted course and complex treatment.

Men suffer from lack of sleep most often due to some external problems, for example, difficulties at work or sudden changes in life. Interestingly, when a child appears in the home, it is usually the father who develops sleep deprivation. The mother soon emotionally detaches herself from the difficulties associated with the baby and adjusts her daily routine to the child’s routine.

Symptoms

• Signs of lack of sleep are obvious

Lack of sleep causes redness eyeballs, swelling of the eyelids, blue circles under the eyes. Painful pallor and sloppy appearance are sure companions of lack of sleep.

• From the nervous system

A person needs proper rest, since it is in the deep phase that all body systems, including the nervous one, are restored. If the quality of sleep is low, a slow reaction will soon make itself felt, increased irritability, impulsive actions, aggression.

• Other symptoms

One of the first signs of organ failure gastrointestinal tract– nausea from lack of sleep, which appears already on the 2-3rd day of lack of rest. Further, immunity decreases, vision deteriorates, and chronic diseases. More than 80% of patients with insufficient sleep experience uncontrolled weight gain and premature aging.

If any symptoms are detected, you should start self-treatment or consult a doctor.

Psychological consequences

From a psychological point of view, an unkempt appearance and constant drowsiness are not the worst consequences of lack of sleep. When destructive changes occur in the human nervous system, the brain suffers. Blood circulation in the frontal cortex deteriorates significantly, which leads to such negative reactions How:

• Short-term memory loss;
• Inability to think logically;
• Frequent dizziness;
• Decreased concentration.

With prolonged lack of sleep, serious mental disorders, which leads to the development of depression, neurosis, and attacks of aggression. Doctors advise such patients home treatment, refusal to drive a car and perform professional duties related to difficult or dangerous work.

Physiological consequences

With a lack of rest, the body is subjected to severe stress, which causes hormonal disbalance. Ultimately, this leads to excess weight gain. Interestingly, the kilograms are put off, despite the fact that a person feels sick from lack of sleep.

The paradox is explained simply - since the body works at a slow pace, the absorption of glucose decreases. At the same time, increased production of the hunger hormone forces you to frequently consume high-calorie foods. As a result, excess energy goes into fat deposits.

Due to constant stress, the pressure in blood vessels. Pathologies of the cardiovascular system develop slowly, but do not manifest themselves until a critical moment. In the zone increased danger There are hypertensive people, since their likelihood of having a stroke is much higher than for hypotensive people or people with normal blood pressure.

Disruption of normal blood flow leads to constant dizziness and even fainting due to oxygen and glucose starvation. Body temperature rises from lack of sleep, so a person confuses lack of rest with developing cold or the flu, and begins the wrong treatment, which only aggravates the situation.

IN medical practice there is evidence that if a person does not sleep at all, then in 7-10 days he will experience death. Of course, the risk of mortality with systematic sleep deprivation is lower than with complete lack of sleep, but it still exceeds normal value by 300%.

Treatment

If sleep deprivation has just begun to develop, then it is not necessary to see a doctor, since the disease is highly treatable. For this it is enough:

• Normalize your daily routine;
• Spend more time in the air to enrich the body with oxygen;
• Make your sleeping area comfortable;
• Eliminate daytime naps;
• Refuse bad habits and switch to a healthy lifestyle.

But if the symptoms of the disease appear constantly, you need to find out how to treat chronic lack of sleep. It is best to contact your primary care physician. After laboratory examination, he will clarify the specifics of the disease and will be able to redirect to more qualified specialist on this issue. If you want to speed up the process, you can immediately make an appointment with a neurologist, since in most cases it is he who helps cope with sleep disorders.

Experts identify several methods to combat sleep deprivation:

• Medications

They can be represented by mild hypnotics or powerful tranquilizers, which are prescribed depending on the level of complexity of the disease. Medicines are prescribed if the basis of the disease lies in a nervous disorder, emotional or psychological instability.

• Folk remedies

IN difficult cases are used as auxiliary, and in simple cases - as the main means of treatment. Baths with relaxing herbs and light sedative teas can normalize sleep phases and improve the quality of rest.

• Massage

It is necessary when there is severe tightness in the muscle corset, especially in the neck and shoulders. The treatment course will allow you to relieve excess stress and relax. It is best to perform this procedure immediately before bed or a few hours before it.

Any drug therapy comprises integrated approach, which includes normalizing the daily routine and maintaining sleep hygiene. Without these components everything additional measures will not bring results.

Possible complications

Many people don't realize that lack of sleep leads to health problems. The effects of lack of sleep on the body can be varied.

• Decreased potency in men

Hormonal imbalance leads to a decrease in testosterone production by approximately 15%, which negatively affects sexual function and quality intimate life. Naturally, this leads to even greater psychological problems.

• Frequent illnesses

A general decrease in immunity makes the body unprotected against viruses and bacteria. As a result, a person begins to get sick often. If lack of sleep is associated with problems at work, then you need to remember that constant sick leave is unlikely to have a positive impact on your career.

• Decreased vision

Overvoltage optic nerve leads to swelling. Intracranial pressure increases, destructive processes in the vessels are observed, which leads to a significant loss of visual acuity.

• Diabetes

Problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and glucose absorption increase the risk of developing diabetes. Particular caution should be exercised by people with a predisposition to the disease.

• Shortened life expectancy

Statistics show that people who have normalized their daily routine live, as a rule, longer persons with insomnia. At the same time, even sleeping pills do not help prolong life.

• Oncological diseases

During sleep, the body actively produces melatonin, which suppresses the production cancer cells in certain organs. Lack of proper rest leads to decreased melatonin production and an increased risk of developing cancer.

This is the most frequent complications which are diagnosed in patients with chronic lack of sleep. Knowing the dangers of lack of sleep can help prevent the development of pathological processes and improve your quality of life by strictly following proper routine day.

Healthy sleep will best help hide the signs of lack of sleep on your face. To improve it, doctors advise:

• Temporarily introduce a daytime rest of 1-1.5 hours into your daily routine;
• Stop using electronic equipment 1.5-2 hours before going to bed at night.

Systematic exercise will also help improve your sleep quality. physical exercise, maintaining an optimal indoor microclimate, sufficient oxygen and following proper nutrition. All these measures will help prevent the development of sleep deprivation or cure it. initial stage, in order to exclude serious complications and return high quality life.

Watch video: Chronic fatigue | Great Leap

The content of the article:

Chronic lack of sleep 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 certain physiological and/or psychological abnormalities. 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, the wrong sleep schedule. 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:

• Nervous system diseases. 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 the health of the 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 in the body clock. In this case, a person feels very sleepy during the day, but at night it is difficult for him to sleep.
• Having 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.

Symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation

1. 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 bad mood in the morning, then it will stretch throughout the day, smoothly flowing into permanent irritability, nervousness and depression.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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, pale skin - typical symptoms lack of sleep.

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 disturbances in the body’s functioning.

How to deal with chronic lack of sleep

Measures to combat constant lack of sleep, as in the case of any other disease, are divided into various categories: lack of sleep can be eliminated using traditional and traditional medicine, and will also help improve sleep correct mode day and creation of special conditions for night rest.

Use of medications

In these situations, sleeping pills with a sedative effect are usually prescribed, and here are the most popular ones:

• 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 by anxious thoughts. The advantages of the drug are its rapid effect and the absence of the need for long-term use; even one dose has a highly beneficial effect 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 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: only a competent doctor can prescribe the correct treatment, which will not only solve the problem, but also not cause harm.

Folk remedies against chronic lack of sleep

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Herbal cushion. If you smell the soothing herbs throughout the night, you will sleep soundly. IN 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

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

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 the quality of sleep - another interesting rule, adherence to which will help you get better sleep.

Consequences of chronic lack of sleep

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

1. 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;
2. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract will be disrupted;
3. The likelihood of developing diabetes mellitus will increase;
4. Immunity will decrease;
5. There will be a hormonal imbalance leading to a decrease in libido;
6. Joints will suffer - there is a high risk of developing joint fragility diseases, including osteoporosis.
7. The likelihood of developing cancer will double.

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