Insomnia is often linked to chronic diseases. Any chronic disease is hard to accept. The regime of therapy, the need to follow a special diet do not allow one to lead a carefree life. The situation becomes even more difficult when insomnia is added to the troubles resulting from the underlying disease. What chronic diseases can cause sleep problems? How to cure insomnia in a chronic disease?

There is a two-way relationship between chronic disease and insomnia . On the one hand, the disease itself or the ailments resulting from it worsen the quality of sleep, on the other hand - sleep deprivation can exacerbate the symptoms of the disease. People who experience chronic pain most often suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep is also hindered by digestive tract disorders, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, as well as metabolic and mental diseases.

Insomnia and chronic disease - what diseases cause insomnia?

The best known is the mechanism of the interrelationship between insomnia and hypertension. The problem comes down to the over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system, which results in high blood pressure during the day and night, but also insomnia.

It has been proven in many scientific studies thatpeople with chronic insomnia have a 2-3 times greater risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks .

The same is with hormonal disorders. Insomnia can cause both excess and deficiency, as is the case with hypothyroidism, for example.

In the course of many chronic diseases, the activity of pro-inflammatory factors that naturally occur in our body and regulate defense mechanisms increases. One of them is interleukin 6.

It has been proven that the increased concentration of this substance not only maintains chronic inflammation in the body, but also contributes to insomnia. So, treatment to control inflammation improves sleep quality at the same time.

The importance of good sleep in chronically ill patients has been proven by British scientists. Their clinical studies have shown that people who experience chronic pain but sleep well have less disability and greater life satisfaction.

That's why it's worth itset the intake of painkillers so that their strongest effect is at night.

Find out what to do to sleep better

Insomnia and chronic disease - what drugs interfere with sleep?

These include medications for the treatment of bronchial asthma, statins to lower cholesterol, steroids for arthritis, beta-blockers for high blood pressure, and diuretics, which cause frequent urination.

Benzodiazepines used in insomnia constitute a special group because, as it turns out, they significantly reduce sleep.

Pharmaceuticals that treat the underlying disease may not always be replaced with those that do not disturb sleep, but you should talk to your doctor about it.

Treatment of chronic insomnia

Chronic insomnia arises when we fail to deal with short-term and accidental insomnia. Our habits and behavior in the spring are often at the root of insomnia.

If we watch TV, read a book or eat while lying in bed, you can forget about a relaxing sleep. And when, unable to fall asleep, counting the rams or visualizing memories from holidays, we only make the situation worse.

The basis of a good sleep is to calm down, calm down the brain, and counting rams or recalling images from the past forces it to be active.

In the fight against insomnia, you need to be patient. Recognize that improvement won't happen overnight. If we cannot sleep during the following nights because, for example, our husband is snoring, fear grows in us and we have another sleepless night.

There is no point in closing your eyes and lying in bed when sleep does not come. It is better then to get up, do something interesting and only when you feel sleepy, go back to bed.

Insomnia and chronic disease - watch out for sleeping pills

The easiest way would be to swallow the pill and sleep through the night. But this can be a solution for people who suffer from short-term, episodic insomnia - caused by trouble at work, a stressful event.

For chronic insomnia, it doesn't work. What's more, it often leads to addiction and - paradoxically - it is sometimes the cause of persistent insomnia.

You can deal with occasional insomnia by taking over-the-counter remedies, e.g. herbal remedies.

On the other hand, the treatment of chronic insomnia should be decided by a doctor, who must remember to choose the preparations so that they do not interact with medications taken due to a chronic disease.

  • What to eat to sleep well? Diet for insomnia
  • Causes of insomnia:why can't you sleep?
  • Insomnia - how to deal with it? Ways to fight insomnia
  • Insomnia - don't underestimate your sleep problems
This will be useful to you

10 good habits

  • Get out of bed if you don't feel sleepy.
  • Avoid unpleasant conversations before going to bed.
  • Don't worry about the next night being sleepless again.
  • Before going to bed, relax while listening to soothing music or reading.
  • Do not combine feeling unwell during the day with a sleepless night. Look for another cause, e.g. headache, nervousness.
  • Remove the TV from the bedroom, the clock ticking loudly, cover the windows thoroughly, keep the air humidified and the temperature not too high (preferably 18-20ºC).
  • Cultivate good habits: go to bed and get up at the same time and make sure that the sleep is about 6 hours.
  • Plan your workouts in the afternoon. As a result, physical fatigue will speed up and deepen sleep.
  • Do not drink coffee or energy drinks in the afternoon.
  • Stay in the sun as much as possible, and in well-lit rooms in winter.

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Category:

Psychology