Insomnia

---

Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that affects millions of Americans each year. In fact, 1 in 4 Americans complain that they have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep through the night. People experiencing chronic sleeplessness typically report having a poor quality of life. Performance at work and at school, the ability to make important decisions, and relationships all suffer when you aren’t getting the sleep you need on a nightly basis.

If you:

• Fall asleep at night but wake up a few hours later and can't go back to sleep
• Lie in bed, tossing and turning for many hours a night
• Dread going to bed because you know you will not be able to sleep
• Feel tired most mornings when you should be feeling refreshed after a good night’s rest
• Have trouble concentrating and focusing on tasks when you need to be mentally alert
• Are frequently moody and irritable or having trouble with memory

Any of these symptoms above can be indicative of Insomnia.

Insomnia can be triggered by various physical and psychological factors. Possible causes for insomnia include:

• Psychological issues – bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety disorders, or psychotic disorders.
• Medical conditions – chronic pain, chronic fatigue syndrome, congestive heart failure , angina, acid-reflux disease ( GERD ), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma , sleep apnea, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, hyperthyroidism , arthritis , brain lesions, tumors, stroke.
• Hormonal imbalances or fluctuations.
• Watching TV or using computers before going to bed at night.

On average, adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night to maintain their health. Getting enough sleep is just as important to your health as getting enough food, air and water. Getting less than 7 hours sleep night after night leads to health consequences for your entire body and mind. Sleep is a time when critically important biological processes take place that maintain the health of your cardiovascular system, central nervous system, digestive system, endocrine system, immune system, and respiratory system. Sixteen different research studies have linked long term sleep deprivation and sleeplessness to early death and the development of common chronic diseases. 

Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining heart health as well as the health of blood vessels that regulate your blood sugar, blood pressure, and inflammation levels. Lack of sleep increases the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

During sleep, pathways form between nerve cells (neurons) in your brain that help you remember new information you’ve learned. A sleep-deprived brain loses its ability to function at its best. Sleep-deprived people often report feelings of impatience, irritability and moodiness. Decision-making processes and creativity are also impaired when you feel overly-tired and sleepy.

Hormone production occurs during sleep. Testosterone production requires at least 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is about the time of your first R.E.M. episode. Waking up throughout the night impairs the ability to produce the hormones needed to stay healthy and functioning properly. Children and adolescents who don’t get enough sleep don’t produce adequate amounts of the growth hormone that helps the body build muscle mass and repair cells and tissues.

Sleep is also a time when your immune system produces protective antibodies and infection-fighting substances that protect your body from illnesses caused by harmful bacteria and viruses. Poor sleep habits interfere with your immune system’s ability to fight off illness or recover quickly when you do get sick.

Sleep deficits also affect the body’s ability to maintain proper levels of leptin and ghrelin — the two hormones that control appetite. Leptin tells your brain that you’ve had enough to eat, while ghrelin stimulus appetite. When you sleep poorly, your body’s leptin levels decrease and ghrelin levels increase — which encourage late-night snacking and the weight gain that comes with overeating and poor eating habits. Sleep deprivation can make you feel too tired to exercise. Long-term lack of exercise can lead to excessive weight gain because you’re not burning enough calories and not building muscle mass. Sleep deprivation also causes your body to release less insulin after you eat. Insulin helps to reduce your blood sugar (glucose) level. Sleep deprivation also lowers the body’s tolerance for glucose and is associated with insulin resistance. These disruptions can lead to diabetes mellitus and obesity.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder that disrupts normal breathing patterns, causing one to wake up throughout the night. OSA can lead to respiratory infections like the common cold and flu and make existing respiratory diseases and lung diseases worse.

Dr. Sharmili Mathur is board certified in sleep medicine by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. 

Dr. Mathur will listen to you carefully and develop a personalized treatment plan to help you get the sleep you need to restore your physical and mental health as well as your overall quality of life. Call us today to schedule an appointment.