Unlocking the Impact of Neurological Diseases on Sleep

Sleep is essential for our physical and mental health, but many people suffer from sleep disorders that affect their quality of life and well-being. Some of these sleep disorders are related to neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, epilepsy, and others.

In this article, you will learn about:

  • How Important is Sleep?
  • Effects of Sleep Disorders on the Body
  • Sleep Self-Assessment
  • Common Causes of Sleep Disorders
  • Neurological Diseases Leading to Sleep Disorders
  • Frequently Asked Questions
    • When should I see a doctor or a sleep specialist?
    • What are the risks and benefits of taking sleeping pills?
  • Reference

Table of Contents

How Important is Sleep?

Sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being. It helps us to maintain a healthy immune system, fight off infections, and prevent chronic diseases. It also supports our brain functions, such as learning, memory, and creativity. During sleep, our brain processes and consolidates the information we acquired during the day, and prepares us for new challenges and experiences. Sleep also regulates our mood and emotions, and helps us cope with stress and adversity.

There are four stages of sleep that we cycle through several times each night. The first two stages are light sleep, where we are easily awakened and our brain activity slows down. The third stage is deep sleep, where our brain waves become slow and synchronized, and our body repairs and restores itself. The fourth stage is rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, where we experience vivid dreams and our brain activity resembles that of being awake. Both deep sleep and REM sleep are crucial for our brain function, as they enhance our memory, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Therefore, it is important to achieve enough deep sleep and REM sleep every night, which usually requires about seven to nine hours of sleep for most adults.

Effects of Sleep Disorders on the Body

Sleep disorders are conditions that affect the quality, quantity, or timing of our sleep. They can have various causes, such as environmental factors, lifestyle habits, psychological issues, or underlying medical conditions. Some of the common types of sleep disorders are insomnia, sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, and circadian rhythm disorders. Sleep disorders can have negative impacts on our body and mind, such as:

  • Decreased emotional control and cognitive abilities: Sleep deprivation impairs our ability to regulate our emotions, making us more prone to mood swings, irritability, and anxiety. It also affects our attention, concentration, reasoning, and decision-making skills, leading to poor performance and increased errors.
  • Diminished alertness and environmental sensitivity: Sleep deprivation reduces our reaction time, vigilance, and awareness of our surroundings, making us more vulnerable to accidents and injuries. It also impairs our coordination, balance, and motor skills, affecting our physical activities and daily tasks.
  • Significant decline in memory: Sleep deprivation hinders our memory consolidation and retrieval processes, making it harder for us to remember and recall information. It also interferes with our memory formation and storage, affecting our long-term learning and knowledge.
  • Increased susceptibility to depression: Sleep deprivation alters our brain chemistry and hormonal balance, affecting our mood and motivation. It also increases our stress levels and lowers our resilience, making us more susceptible to depression and other mental disorders.
  • Elevated risk of cardiovascular diseases: Sleep deprivation increases our blood pressure, heart rate, and inflammation, putting more strain on our cardiovascular system. It also disrupts our metabolic and hormonal functions, affecting our glucose regulation, appetite, and weight, which can lead to diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic disorders.

Sleep Self-Assessment

If you are experiencing any of the following signs or symptoms, you may have a sleep disorder or a sleep problem that needs medical attention:

  • Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep: You have trouble initiating or maintaining sleep, or you wake up too early and cannot go back to sleep. You may also experience frequent awakenings or restless sleep throughout the night.
  • Difficulty breathing during sleep: You have episodes of interrupted breathing, gasping, choking, or snoring during sleep, which may indicate sleep apnea or other respiratory disorders.
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue: You feel sleepy, tired, or drowsy during the day, even after getting enough sleep at night. You may also have difficulty staying awake or alert, or you may fall asleep at inappropriate times or places.
  • Abnormal movements or behaviors during sleep: You have involuntary or unwanted movements, such as twitching, jerking, kicking, or walking, during sleep, which may indicate restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or other sleep-related movement disorders. You may also act out your dreams, such as talking, shouting, or hitting, during sleep, which may indicate rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder or other parasomnias.
  • Disrupted sleep-wake cycle or schedule: You have difficulty adjusting to a regular sleep-wake pattern, or you have a mismatch between your internal clock and the external environment. You may also experience jet lag, shift work disorder, or other circadian rhythm disorders.

Common Causes of Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can have various causes, depending on the type and severity of the condition. Some of the common causes are:

  • Serious type: Work, gaming, phone use: These activities can interfere with your sleep hygiene, which is the set of habits and practices that promote good sleep quality and quantity. They can also expose you to artificial light, noise, or stimulation, which can disrupt your circadian rhythm and melatonin production, which are the natural signals that regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
  • Emotional type: Anxiety, depression, aging: These factors can affect your mental and emotional state, which can influence your sleep quality and quantity. They can also cause changes in your brain chemistry and hormonal balance, which can affect your sleep regulation and maintenance.
  • Disease type: Periodic limb movement disorder, sleep-related movement disorder, sleep apnea: These conditions can cause physical or physiological disturbances during sleep, such as abnormal movements, breathing problems, or pain, which can interrupt your sleep continuity and quality. They can also affect your oxygen levels, blood flow, and brain activity, which can affect your sleep regulation and maintenance.

Neurological Diseases Leading to Sleep Disorders

Neurological Disease Symptoms Common Causes
Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD) or Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) Repetitive, rhythmic limb movements during sleep, such as leg or arm twitching, accompanied by insufficient sleep and low mood, affecting the sleep quality of family members. Female gender, medications, iron deficiency, genetic predisposition, neurological disorders, dementia, degenerative diseases, diabetes, renal dysfunction.
Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD) Involuntary movements during sleep corresponding to dreams, talking during dreams, intense limb movements, even hitting nearby family members, affecting the sleep quality of family members. Male gender aged 50 and above, medications, genetic predisposition, Parkinson’s disease, dementia, Lewy body disease.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I see a doctor or a sleep specialist?

If you have persistent or severe sleep problems that affect your daily functioning, health, or quality of life, you should consult a doctor or a sleep specialist for diagnosis and treatment. Some of the indications that you may need professional help are:

  • You have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep most nights, or you wake up too early and cannot go back to sleep.
  • You snore loudly, gasp, choke, or stop breathing during sleep, or you have been told that you do so by others.
  • You feel excessively sleepy, tired, or drowsy during the day, or you have difficulty staying awake or alert, or you fall asleep at inappropriate times or places.
  • You have abnormal movements or behaviors during sleep, such as twitching, jerking, kicking, walking, or acting out your dreams.
  • You have difficulty adjusting to a regular sleep-wake pattern, or you have a mismatch between your internal clock and the external environment.
  • Your sleep problems cause you distress, anxiety, depression, or other emotional problems.
  • Your sleep problems interfere with your work, school, social, or personal life.
  • Your sleep problems do not improve or worsen despite trying various self-help measures, such as improving your sleep hygiene, lifestyle habits, or relaxation techniques.

What are the risks and benefits of taking sleeping pills?

Sleeping pills are medications that can help people fall asleep or stay asleep. They are usually prescribed for short-term use, such as for insomnia or jet lag. However, some people may use them for longer periods or without a doctor’s supervision, which can lead to dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and side effects.

The benefits of taking sleeping pills include:

  • Improving sleep quality and duration, which can enhance mood, memory, and daytime functioning.
  • Reducing the stress and anxiety associated with insomnia, which can improve mental health and well-being.
  • Preventing or treating certain medical conditions that are worsened by poor sleep, such as chronic pain, depression, or epilepsy.

The risks of taking sleeping pills include:

  • Experiencing adverse reactions, such as drowsiness, dizziness, headache, nausea, or allergic reactions.
  • Interacting with other medications, supplements, or alcohol, which can increase the sedative effects or cause dangerous complications.
  • Developing dependence, tolerance, or withdrawal, which can make it harder to stop taking the pills or require higher doses to achieve the same effect.
  • Experiencing rebound insomnia, which is a worsening of sleep problems after stopping the pills.
  • Impairing cognitive and motor skills, which can increase the risk of falls, accidents, or errors.
  • Affecting the quality and structure of sleep, which can reduce the restorative benefits of sleep and interfere with the natural sleep cycle.

Therefore, before taking sleeping pills, it is important to consult a doctor or a sleep specialist, who can evaluate your sleep problems, recommend the best treatment options, and monitor your progress and safety. Sleeping pills should be used as directed, for the shortest possible time, and in combination with good sleep hygiene and behavioral therapies.

Reference

  • Insomnia in neurological diseases | Neurological Research and Practice | Full Text - BioMed Central
  • Sleep Deprivation and Neurological Disorders - Hindawi
  • Insomnia and Its Neurological Causes: Stroke, Dementia, RLS - Healthline
  • Neurology - Sleep Conditions - Penn Medicine

You may be interested in these articles:

Late-Night Care: Nourishing Your Body After Staying Up

The Hidden Dangers of Staying Up Late: Impact on Health and Well-Being

Sleep Quality and COPD Risk: Unveiling the Connection

Master the 4-7-8 Breathing Technique for Instant Sleep

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