Dr. Curtis McElroy

Tag: sleep deprivation

  • Chronic Insomnia And Your Health

    How Does Chronic Insomnia Affect Your Health

    Chronic insomnia can have greatly impacting effects on human health. It has been linked to many health problems such as depression, stroke, heart attack, obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

    Unfortunately, the damaging effects of chronic insomnia remain under-recognized by many people, including some medical professionals.

    The obvious symptom of insomnia is lack of sleep, or sleep deprivation. This is not a trivial symptom. When this is chromic, or sustained, the negative health effects are additive and compounding.

     The Under-Recognized Effects of Chronic Sleep Deprivation

    If a person suffers with insomnia, their lack of sleep can adversely impact their memory, thinking and learning skills. Research shows that people who are chronically deprived of sleep have been found to be measurably slower in accomplishing mentally challenging tasks.

    The ability to complete relatively ‘low-level’ tasks is even affected, as is co-ordination and any function that requires a level of judgement to undertake it. As far as efficiency goes, both speed and accuracy are affected.

    Experts from Walter Reed Army Institute of Research also revealed that chronic sleep deprivation can also affect an individual’s moral judgment.

    Once an individual’s cognitive and reactionary skills suffer from the impact of sleep loss, it also affects their ability to take the most appropriate action, especially in crucial situations. Part of the reason is that sleep deprivation impairs a person’s ability to properly evaluate and integrate emotion during the decision-making process.

    Sleep loss can also trigger migraine, anxiety, depression, irritability and other mental and emotional problems. Any or all of these symptoms will have damaging ongoing effects on all areas of a person’s life, including their work or school performance, personal and professional life.

    Effects of Partial Sleep Deprivation

    Researchers have stated that having only 4 or 5 hours of sleep each night is considered to be a case of partial sleep deprivation. This condition has been found to trigger the development of chronic inflammation in the body, which is a precursor to many diseases, including diabetes and heart disease.

    Partial sleep deprivation can also speed up the aging process. Certainly the visible signs usually attributed to aging are more apparent in those suffering from sleep deprivation!

    If you only get five or less hours of sleep each night, your body’s ability to absorb insulin can be impaired, thereby increasing your likelihood of developing insulin resistance and subsequently contracting type 2 diabetes. For those people who already have diabetes, sleep deprivation will only worsen the symptoms that they are experiencing.

    The Sad Truth about Self-Inflicted Sleep Problems

     What is even more troubling about some cases of chronic insomnia is that quite often it is caused by self-inflicted sleep problems.

    Unhealthy lifestyles are often a large component of the often complex factors which contribute to an insomnia problem. Stress, poor diet, too much alcohol and caffeine, not enough exercise – all this can add up to poor sleep.

    While it is tempting and easier to externalize the blame for insomnia, or attribute it to ‘health problems’ beyond your control, there are almost always steps that can be taken to at least mitigate the situation.

    If you do have a problem with insomnia, take a look at your lifestyle and see what you can ‘fix’ to improve it. Your health will thank you for making the appropriate changes, and it is better than heading to the pharmacy for that ‘quick-fix’ sleeping pill.

    So, if you don’t want to suffer with the side effects of chronic insomnia and being sleep deprived all the time, make some changes today!

  • 6 Reasons We Get Sick Alot

    6 Reasons We Get Sick Alot

    Some people seem to be ill all the time, and pick up every bug that’s going. In contrast, others always seem to healthy and very rarely do they get a cold.

    For those who get sick a lot the impact on overall quality of life can be devastating. Lack of energy that comes with not feeling well can affect how well you perform at work and at home. It can also lead to mild depression as down time begins to take its toll.

    The first thing you should do is see your doctor and get a full checkup to be sure that there is not something serious causing you to be ill more than the average person is.

    Second, keep in mind that it is not simple luck that some are very healthy, while you seem to catch something every other month. There are some well-researched reasons as to why some people get ill much more often than others do.

    1. Diet

    There are so many sayings around about healthy eating, such as ‘you are what you eat’; this has never been truer. Your body needs a well-balanced, healthy diet that provides all the essential food groups and vitamins. Without this, your body cannot function effectively and fight any infections away. Different people, and those of different ages, require a slightly different diet. It is important to know what diet suits your body best, and try to stick to it. This will ensure your body is in fighting fit condition, so any small bug that comes your way can quickly and easily be fought off without it turning into a proper illness.

    2. Sleep Deprivation

    Quite simply, if you don’t get enough sleep, you will become ill. Sleep enables the body to rest and recover, and without this, it will be unable to function properly. During sleep, the immune system produces proteins that fight inflammation and disease. When you are sick or stressed, your body needs even more of these proteins; without sleep, your body simply cannot make enough to fit the infection.

    While sleep deprivation leads to increased illness like colds and flu, it has been shown to have much more harmful and long lasting effects. Conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and diabetes have all been linked to sleep deprivation.

    3. Stress

    We all experience stress in some form, and in small doses, it can be healthy. However, when we become too stressed for too long, our health is significantly affected. Research has repeatedly shown that chronic stress directly affects our immune system, weakening it and making us much more susceptible to illnesses.

    Stress directly contributes to minor illnesses, but also much more serious conditions such as heart disease, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Too much stress is also linked to sleep deprivation – how many times have you not been able to sleep because you have too much on your mind that you worrying or stressing about? In short, too much stress is very bad for our health.

    4. Nutrients and Vitamins

    While all vitamins and nutrients are important, some are especially good at fighting off infection and illnesses. Magnesium in particular, helps us to manage stress, and react to situations. When we are stressed, unwell or sometimes even just cold, we are using up our stores of magnesium. Unless this is replaced, we will be running low and therefore more likely to get ill.

    Similarly, vitamin D is essential for many basic functions, and it is much harder to get sufficient levels in the winter. Vitamin C is an essential component to the immune system, and without it, you will be much more likely to get ill. If you are not getting enough vitamins and other necessary nutrients through your daily diet, consider taking a supplement to ensure you are always topped up and able to fight any illness that comes your way.

    5. Dehydration

    Every part of our body depends on a sufficient amount of water to function correctly. Without enough water, vital organs and muscles will struggle. Each day we lose a large quantity of water through our bowels, sweating, and urinating. Imagine how dry and sore your throat would be without any moisture or water.

    Dehydration happens when you are not replacing lost fluids adequately, and your body starts to struggle. It may not seem like a big problem at first, as the symptoms are similar to that of a mild cold or headache. However, dehydration can become life threatening if left long enough.

    6. Overwork

    Are you a workaholic? Do you work much more than you rest or relax? Is work always your first and foremost priority? This can well contribute to being run down and when you are run down, you are more susceptible to illness.

    Bottom Line

    There is no magic to wellness; it really is all about self-care. It takes effort to maintain a high level of good health, but you are well worth it!

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy