Are you having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Have you been neglecting your sleep schedule? Not having any motivation to go to work or college? All these things lead us to believe in one thing: that you’re facing a sleeping disorder.
Insomnia is a common problem in many people all over the world. It is a disorder in which one has problems such as falling asleep,staying asleep throughout the night or waking up in the middle of the night and difficulty going to sleep again. You might also feel tired while getting up in the morning.
Lack Of Sleep Results In Mental Health Problems
Sleep is a very important part of physical and mental health. It helps us give rest to our mind and body which in return rejuvenates our whole body. Lack of sleep leads to many mental and physical health problems like heart disease, gastro-intestinal problems ,etc. In mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic disorder, etc.
Causes
Some causes of Insomnia are:
- Stress- Sometimes due to concerns related to work, college, finances and personal problems in our family we feel a lot of stress. Stress makes it difficult to fall asleep at night and hence we face insomnia. Death or job loss often leads to stress when we are alone at night and we are unable to stop over thinking which again leads to insomnia.
- Poor sleeping habits- Irregular bedtime, uncomfortable sleeping habits, jet lag while traveling in different time zones disrupts our internal clock. Everyone has a sleep cycle which regulates our metabolism and body temperature. Often disrupting this cycle leads to sleep disorder.
- Unhealthy eating habits- Eating late night snacks or having dinner late at night leads to gastrointestinal problems. Problems such as heartburn, vomiting , nausea, etc, keeps us awake at night which leads to sleep disruption. Weight gain is also observed.
- Genes- Researchers have found that genetics can also lead to having insomnia.
Symptoms
Symptoms related to insomnia are:
- Brain fog due to lack of sleep resulting in confusion, low concentration, trouble remembering things or memories, emotional lows and highs, etc.
- Fatigue, a constant feeling of being exhausted.
- Feeling sleepy during the day
- Mood changes such as feeling grumpy, getting irritated easily, anger, aggression
- Hallucination and delusions are also observed in extreme cases of sleep deprivation
- Not feeling well rested even after a good night’s sleep
- Difficulty in focusing in work
Different Disorders Related To Mental Health
Some of the mental health issues related to sleep deprivations are:
- Depression- A common mental health problem related to insomnia is depression. It is because of a lack of interest in anything , we start to feel unmotivated in things which we used to find pleasurable previously. Nothing makes us happy.
- Anxiety- Certain situations like examination, meetings create a sense of fear or dread when one has anxiety. Excess sweating and accelerated heartbeat are often seen in people having anxiety.
- PTSD or Post-traumatic stress disorder- Sleep disorder also results in PTSD. It is a mental health condition triggered by stress of facing or witnessing a traumatic incident or event. This leads to sleepless nights when there is sudden wakefulness in the middle of the night, then we are unable to go back to sleep and stay awake.
- Bipolar disorder- Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes mood changes in a person along with low concentration levels, low energy and low productivity. These sudden shifts can make it difficult to carry out daily tasks.
- ADHD or Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder- It is a neurodevelopmental disorder which makes it difficult paying attention or losing things or memories, making careless mistakes, and having difficulty mixing with others. Often found at an early age resulting in depression from a very young age.
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Questions may arise that does sleep only leads to mental health problems and no physical health problems. As we mentioned earlier, sleep is needed for both mental and physical development. So the answer is sleep deprivation creates both physical and mental health problems. Some of the physical health problems related bad sleeping habits are:
- Eating disorder- Excess eating or overeating and less eating are often seen in people having insomnia.
- Weight gain- Weight gain in the body such as face, stomach, hands and thigh areas are observed also.
- Gastrointestinal disease- Food consumption leading to heartburn and discomfort in the stomach. Vomiting, nausea, etc.
So you might question how to solve these problems? How to solve sleep problems and have a good night’s sleep? Do I feel anxious? How to lose body fat? We have listed some solutions below for you.
Solutions
- Consulting a doctor is a must when facing any of the above mental health problems and to find a solution to your sleep problem. A professional in sleep study can find out the root cause of your sleep related problems leading you to overcome your mental health problems as well.
- Sleep medicines prescribed by the doctors can help a lot in solving health problems related to sleep. These over the counter medicines have lots of ingredients that will help you sleep throughout the night.
- Drink warm milk before bed, drink natural teas like chamomile tea, and avoid products containing caffeine in it.
- Creating a sleeping routine for better sleep or taking frequent naps can also help you solve sleep problems.
- Exercise helps you sleep better is proven in research studies found by John Hopkins Center of sleep and it also helps you remain fit physically.
Conclusion
I hope this article gave you an insight to your sleeping problems. Nowadays many children and adults are seen facing mental health problems due to bad sleeping habits. Hope you find correct guidance in the above article so that you can get better fast. Do let us know about your recovery journey. Sleep tight.
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