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Sleep problems can have many causes. Often, problems falling asleep can be caused by minor causes, such as too high a temperature in the bedroom or an unventilated room. Sometimes, however, sleep problems are related to stress or serious illness. If you have trouble falling asleep, or if you wake up frequently during the night and can't fall asleep, then you are suffering from insomnia.

Sleep problemsaffect as many as one third of us. Unfortunately, very little is healed. Duringsleep , cell renewal is accelerated, the metabolism control system is overhauled, more blood flows to the muscles, protein formation and hormone production (including growth hormone, which is so important) during adolescence). Sleep makes us function well. It is also important that during sleep we review the events of the past day and consolidate what we have learned. Sleep problems disrupt these processes, which can affect both your physical and mental he alth.

Why does the body rest best at night?

We sleep at night because that's our nature. When dusk falls, our body demands rest.

We feel it clearly on cloudy days, when we suddenly feel sleepy. Those who try to change day and night, that is, stay awake at dawn and then go to sleep, will become more and more tired and irritated with time.

We usually go to the bedroom between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. There are also so-called but they also capitulate between 1:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m.

Then our body (focused on a 24-hour circadian rhythm) feels the greatest need for regenerative rest. Body temperature drops slightly and blood pressure drops, which rises again around six in the morning.

Sleep problems - proven ways to prevent insomnia

Sleep problems - when does insomnia become a disease?

Problems with sleepmay begin as soon as we go to bed. It can take several hours before we finally get tired of sleep.

Sometimes we fall asleep easily, but we wake up at night and find it difficult to fall asleep again. It also happens that we wake up in the morning and wait for the alarm clock to ring while awake.

Specialists call all these problems togetherinsomnia. Women suffer twice as often, especially during and after the menopause.

Of course, we all have a sleepless night from time to time. It's not a drama. However, if we have three or four "white" nights a week and this condition lasts for at least three consecutive weeks, it is chronic insomnia, which requires medical consultation and treatment.

Insomnia has been recognized as a disease by the World He alth Organization (WHO).

Sleep problems - types of insomnia

Scientists who have been studying sleep disorders for years have tried to sort the "night problems". They divided them into extrinsic- and intrinsic.

Extrinsic insomnia

It is caused by factors related to sleep hygiene, including :

  • uncomfortable bed,
  • too high temperature in the bedroom,
  • noise from a busy street
  • or a neon flickering outside the window.

Sometimes, to finally get a good night's sleep, it is enough to start sleeping in another room or arrange the bedroom differently, e.g. move the bed in a different direction, hang thicker curtains in the windows.

It is also worth changing the evening rituals: take a walk before bedtime, listen to relaxing music, etc.

Intrinsic insomnia

Unfortunately, its reasons lie within ourselves and are harder to overcome. These are primarily psycho-emotional disorders:

  • mainly neuroses,
  • depressions (even periodic ones related to the change of seasons),

but also diseases:

  • hyperthyroidism,
  • rheumatic diseases,
  • diabetes,
  • chronic pains,
  • cancer
  • or sleep apnea (especially men in their forties).
Important

People who function best late in the evening "owls" are usually extroverts (people who express their emotions). "Owls" work best, have the best ideas and enthusiasm for work at night.

"Skowronki" are mostly introverts (people who hide their emotions). They get up at dawn, because then they concentrate best, have the most energy and are able to catch up.

The tendency to act at dawn or late in the evening is encoded in us, so it's better to surrender to it, not to fight with nature.

Problems with sleep - the most common cause is chronic stress and work

Video source: newseria.pl

Problems with sleep - what are the risks of insomnia?

When the trouble with sleep does not go away, we feel worse during the day, we are less active, nervous, difficultconcentrate on study or work.

Memory deteriorates and immunity decreases.

People who suffer from insomnia are much more likely to fall ill and die from strokes and heart attacks.

They also suffer from mental disorders (especially depression). There are even suicide attempts.

Sleep phases

Sleep, which lasts about eight hours, usually consists of four or five cycles. Each of them lasts from 90 to 100 minutes and is divided into five successive stages:

  • The first stage- intermediate between wakefulness and sleep, it lasts only a few minutes. The production of cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases, and the concentration of melatonin (a hormone that helps to sleep) in the blood increases. If nothing disturbs us during this time, we fall asleep.
  • The second stage- it's a shallow dream. The muscles are relaxed, the eyes do not move, the breathing slows down and it becomes even. Temperature and pressure drop.
  • Third stage- is called slow wave sleep. The brain is still working at a slower pace, but consciousness is gradually shutting down. Mind and body regenerate.
  • The fourth stage- REM (rapid eye movements) is also known as paradoxical sleep because the brain works intensively even though the body is asleep. Dreams appear. Then we also consolidate what we learned on the previous day. At the end of the night, the time of daydreaming increases. The closer to dawn, the longer REM phases last.
  • After the REM phase is over, the body calms down and calms down. In a moment it enters the next cycle again. We only need three complete cycles, that is, about five hours, to regenerate our strength. Each subsequent hour is a pleasure for the body to rest. People who do not progress through the stages, such as the first two, do not rest and feel worse during the day.

Sleep duration is an individual matter

How much sleep we need is an individual matter. The length of sleep depends on, among other things from:

  • genetic predisposition,
  • ages,
  • seasons (we would sleep longer in winter),
  • lifestyle,
  • and even the type of work you do (less stressful allows you to sleep better and longer).

Sleep duration by age:

  • babies sleep about 18 hours a day,
  • 8-10-year-olds sleep on average 9-10 hours
  • 12-14-year-olds are the biggest sleepers, their bodies want at least 10 hours of sleep
  • young people and in their prime, 7-8 hours of sleep is enough
  • seniors sleep the shortest - statistically only on average6 hours, and during the day they take naps
  • Poor diet causes insomnia and sleep problems
  • Sleep Paralysis: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment. Is sleep paralysis harmful to your he alth?
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness - causes, research, treatment

"Zdrowie" monthly

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Category:

Psychology