Studies have shown that insomnia often contributes to numerous other health problems, some of which, such as stroke or heart attack, can be fatal.
About a third of adults in Western countries have trouble sleeping at least once a week, and up to ten percent of the population meets the criteria for insomnia as a disorder.
The dangers of living with insomnia have been proven through several studies. Over time, lack of sleep can make it difficult for people to lead a healthy life.
Insomnia can also cause changes in the body's physiology, such as an increase in blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which can cause much more serious problems such as the following:
Heart problems
People with a genetic predisposition to insomnia have a higher risk of coronary artery disease, heart failure and stroke, according to a study published in the journal American Heart Association Circulation in 2019. klix.ba.
A Chinese study published in the journal Neurology found that people with symptoms of insomnia were 18 percent more likely to have a stroke or heart disease than those without symptoms.
The symptoms the 487.000 patients were asked about were trouble falling asleep, waking up too early, or poor focus during the day due to poor sleep.
The risks don't end there, as a study published in April 2022 found that half of those who have already had a heart attack have insomnia.
Stroke
Not getting enough sleep can also increase your chances of having a stroke.
Scientists from McMaster University in Canada followed the health of 116.632 adults for eight years after asking them about sleep. During that time, 4.381 died and another 4.365 suffered a major cardiovascular problem, such as a heart attack or stroke.
Sleeping less than six hours a day increased the risk by nine percent, 2018 results showed.
High blood pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) is also known as the "silent killer" because it has no symptoms. In 2015, researchers studied 200 people with chronic insomnia, comparing sleep and blood pressure with 100 people without the condition.
People with chronic insomnia who took longer than 14 minutes to fall asleep had three times the risk of high blood pressure, according to results published in the journal Hypertension.
High blood pressure can lead to deadly problems like stroke or heart attack.
Type 2 diabetes
Researchers from the University of Bristol found that people who have difficulty falling asleep or don't get enough sleep have higher blood sugar levels than people who rarely have trouble sleeping.
This could play a direct role in the development of type 2 diabetes, according to a study of more than 336.999 adults in the UK, published in April 2022.
An estimated 27.000 adults in the UK with insomnia could be freed from diabetes if their sleep conditions were addressed, study authors claim.
When to see a doctor
There are a number of commitments you can make to improve sleep, including stopping phone use at least an hour before bed, cooling down your bedroom and waking up at the same time each morning.
However, for people with severe forms of insomnia, it is not so simple.
A pharmacist can help find sleep aids for people with short-term insomnia, but if the problem persists for months, the problem should be discussed with a doctor.
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