World Sleep Day: Five Health Risks Related To Chronic Sleep Disorder Or Insomnia

Sleep and its patterns has been a subject for interest for several researchers as healthy sleep cycle not just is linked to better mental health it has several social and health impacts as a well. Although sleep is necessary, it is important when it happens during a day’s time. Daytime sleeping has been linked with increased chances of heart disease. High blood pressure, diabetes and cancer. The condition called hypersomnolence is defined as excessive daytime sleepiness even after having seven or more hours of sleep. Poor sleep cycle in infants can also be the cause of slow emotional and behavioural problems in later stages of childhood. So shift-workers are also more prone to metabolic syndrome and other health effects.

Sleep loss that is less than 7 hours at a time in night may have adverse effects on the cardiovascular, immune, endocrine, and nervous systems, including the following:

• Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance: Researchers suggest unruly sleep patterns can influence the way body process glucose, the fuel for the body, causing Type 2 Diabetes.
• Anxiety symptoms: Chronic sleep disorder can lead to irritable behaviour. The condition is related to anxiety, depression and mental stress.
• Alcohol Abuse: Alchohol at times acts as a mild sedative. People suffering from sleeplessness often consume alchohol. But as the effects are temporary, after a few hours of consumption, it begins to stimulate the parts of the brain that cause arousal, in many cases causing awakenings and sleep problems later in the night.
• Obesity in adults and children:  Human body secrete hormones like cortisol that help to control appetite and aids glucose processing during sleep. Obtaining too little sleep upsets the balance of these and other hormones, resulting in weight gain.
• Cardiovascular disease and hypertension: Researchers tried samples and found that a single night of inadequate sleep in people who have existing hypertension can cause elevated blood pressure throughout the following day.