Ill-Health Effects of Insomnia Essay Example

deprivation tend to suffer from stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, many studies also indicate that approximately 90 percent of the children who suffer from chronic loss of sleep may present various symptoms of depression. One-third of all the patients who are enrolled for counseling services due to depression also suffer from insomnia-related conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Insomnia also increases the possibility of developing other mental diseases. According to Grery and Young (2014), a longitudinal research that was carried by Michigan Health Maintenance Organization in 2014 indicated that many adults aged between 22 to 31 years report a history of insomnia and depression more that young adults who are aged 21 years of age and below.

Two other longitudinal studies that involved children aged 12-19 years in Kentucky indicated that many kids are also affected by sleep deprivation. The first research involved 300 pairs of young twins while the other involved 1,014 teenagers. The studies identified that sleep deprivation develops before the major depression occurs. Apart from depression, many patients who are suffering from insomnia do not show a positive response to treatment as compared to those who do not have sleep problems. Healthcare providers have also found that patients who show positive response when treated with antidepressant are at a higher risk of experiencing episodic mental problems. People who suffer from chronic insomnia are also at a higher risk of thinking about suicide as compared to people who sleep normally.

Insomnia Is Related to Obesity

Apart from mental disorders and depression, insomnia is also closely related to obesity and non-obesity extra (love handle) weight. Although this condition is not experienced by all individuals who experience sleep deprivation,

a significant proportion of the citizens of the United States is suffering from this condition. Several population and laboratory investigations have indicated that a persistent loss of sleep promotes insulin resistance, and this acts as the major onset of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Sleep debt enhances the appetite of the individuals and more so increase craving for high-calorie and carbohydrate-rich diets. According to Gellman and Turner (2013), many advanced imaging scans have showed increased stimulation of the brain area that controls the desire to eat when the person is suffering from insomnia. This is one of the apparent reasons for weight gain, even though the deeper depiction is more complex. Recent studies have found that adipocytes release leptin, the satiety hormone, to the bloodstream in order to signal adequate intake of fat component in the food. In other words, leptin acts as the major natural appetite suppressor.

When the stomach is empty, it releases ghrelin hormone which signals hunger. Ghrelin is thought to be linked with the body’s long-term weight regulation and it is always found in higher amounts in obese people as compared to lean people. Insomnia decreases the amounts of leptin hormone and consequently raise the amounts of ghrelin hormone in the body. As a result, the brain receives some signals that the body is hungry, and this stimulates the need to eat. Not only does insomnia stimulate the desire for food, but also arouses the desire to eat high-fat and high carbohydrate diets. Currently, researchers are also investigating if adequate sleep can be the standard remedy for obesity programs. However, public health-minded experts who fear the issue of obesity focus on both

sides of energy balance. Many obese people eat a lot of calories but burn off a small portion of these calories with physical exercises. When one is tired due to sleep deprivation, he or she might fidget less and therefore burn small amounts calories. However, evidence has clearly indicated that insomnia is closely related to increased levels of hunger and appetite. This eventually leads to weight gain and obesity. According to a study that was carried by Colorado Health Foundation (CHF) in 2013, persons who sleep less than five hours in a day are almost 25 percent more likely to gain weight and become obese as compared to those who sleep for six to nine hours.

Insomnia Leads to Hypertension

Sleep deprivation is also closely related to hypotension. According to several types of research that have been carried recently, many people who sleep for less than five hours at night are at a higher risk of suffering from high blood pressure and the situation worsens if the people fail to seek the necessary medical attention. Many types of research have been carried to determine the measures that can be embraced to increase the knowledge of sleep deprivation and hypertension. However, Hellam (2015) states that these processes have been hindered by a lack of knowledge among citizens in the United States. It has been established that sleeping plays a significant role in regulating the stress hormone and improving the health of the nervous system. Therefore, lack of sleep for a long period of time can hurt the body's capacity to control stress hormones that lead to high blood pressure.

Furthermore, sleeping for seven to eight hours in a day

can play a significant role in prevention and treatment of hypertension. If one experiences chronic lack of sleep, he or she must visit the doctor for instructions on how to get a better sleep, especially if the person is suffering from high blood pressure. One possible and curable cause of insomnia that can also lead to hypertension is obstructive sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a sleeping disease in which the patient repeatedly stops and starts breathing when he or she is sleep. The symptoms that are associated with this disease include feeling fatigued even after sleeping, anxiety, and irregular headaches that mainly occur in the morning when one wakes up. In most cases, obstructive sleep apnea also increases the risk of contracting cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Insomnia Is Associated with Diabetes

Insomnia has also been found to be closely related to diabetes. Two epidemiological researches that were carried recently by Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) proved that many people who experience sleep deprivation are also likely to suffer from diabetes. In fact, one experimental study indicated that there is a close association between insomnia, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance. According to Gellman and Turner (2013), impaired glucose tolerance, the major precursor of diabetes, is mainly demonstrated by increasing levels of glucose beyond the normal reference range for an extended period of time. However, some researchers state that there is no direct link between insomnia and diabetes. One thing that many scientists agree on is that diabetes mainly occurs when the individual becomes obese due to sleep deprivation. Obesity then leads to diabetes.

Insomnia Affects Skin Health

Insomnia also has detrimental effects on the skin of an

individual. This is mainly evidenced when the person presents various symptoms such as pale skin, restlessness, and swollen eyes after a few nights of missed sleep. Scientists have found that many people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation also present symptoms such as pale skin, fine lines in some parts of the skin, and dark patches under the eyes. When an individual is suffering from insomnia, their body tend to release higher amounts of stress hormone that is also known as cortisol. In excess quantities, cortisol destroys the skin collagen that keeps the skin pliable, elastic, and smooth. Insomnia and chronic loss of sleep can also cause the body of a person to release very little amounts of human growth hormone. When the child is growing, human growth hormone is produced in large quantities in order to support the growth of vital organs. As one matures, the growth hormone is used by the body to increase the muscle mass, strengthen the bones, and to thicken the skin. Therefore, sleep plays an important role in regulating growth hormone and cortisol. Any person who wants to maintain good skin health must ensure that he or she spends enough time on sleep.

Conclusion

As stated above, insomnia is regarded as one of the main diseases that affect the health status of many people in the current world. Insomnia affects both the psychological and physiological wellbeing of a person. First, insomnia causes depression which is a disease of the mind. It increases stress which then build up anxiety, and this eventually leads to depression. Many adults who are suffering from depression are also affected by sleep deprivation. Secondly, sleep deprivation is

a major culprit of obesity. As discussed above, insomnia affects the functionality of hunger and satiety hormones. This increases the desire for food and at the same time increase craving for high-carbohydrate foods. Intake of such foods leads to obesity. Researchers have also found that insomnia is linked to other diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Furthermore, studies have also proved that insomnia increases the amount of cortisol that is released by the human body, and this affects the health status of the skin.

References

1. Amit, T. (2015). Insomnia. Heidelberg: Kehrer.
2. Gellman, M. D., & Turner, J. R. (2013). Negative effects of sleep deprivation; A critical approach. New York, NY: Springer.
3. Grery, J., & Young, H. (2014). The impact of insomnia on mental health. Journal of the American Sleep Disorders Association, 12(19), 99-103.
4. Hellam, D. (2015). The association between insomnia and high blood pressure: A critical analysis. Journal of Sleep Research, 45(62), 45-50.