Sleep Deprivation - Alarming New Studies
by GiGi Konwin
zone3
New studies indicate that sleep deprivation and insomnia may be
causing a lot more health problems than just losing a few nights of sleep
and being tired the next day.
There have been several studies recently that link sleep deprivation
with an increased risk of developing diabetes, obesity, heart disease and
cancer.
That’s rather scary when you consider 3.5 million
Americans suffer from insomnia.
With regard to the obesity cases, researchers have found that even mild
sleep deprivation can disrupt the hormones ghrelin and leptin that
regulate appetite. Sleep deprivation may also increase substances in
the blood that indicate increased inflammation which is associated with
diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes.
Not all experts agree with the findings, claiming that the
link between health problems and sleep problems could be caused by other
factors. However, most experts agree that further studies need to be
done.
More Bad News
Sleeping difficulties may be a red flag for a serious illness. In
a recent Harvard Medical School study involving 82,000 nurses, they found
an increased risk of death among those who slept less than six hours a
night.
What About Pills?
The most popular way to treat insomnia and other sleep disorders is
with sleeping pills. It’s a $2.1 billion a year business. The
most common drugs are Ambien, Lunesta, and Sonata. Although
they are not as addictive as the barbiturates prescribed in the past (the
kind Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley took), most experts agree that the
new drugs have not been tested enough for long-term use.
Melatonin is a popular over-the-counter sleep aid, but it is not
regulated or approved by the FDA and there are no reliable studies that
show it works. Something to consider when using melatonin are the
purity levels and correct usage. Most people take it 30 minutes
before bed when they should take it several hours before bed.
Any Good News?
There is a non-drug therapy that seems to be working for sleep
disorders that are caused by stress, depression, or other psychological
factors. It’s called cognitive behavioral therapy and is showing
some promising results. In one study, researchers found patients got
to sleep faster after the therapy than after taking Ambien.
The treatment includes training patients how to calm their mind and
body and teaching them how their thought patterns can cause sleeplessness.
Other therapy actually restricts the amount of time you spend in bed. The
goal is to get six great hours of sleep rather than six hours of poor
sleep spread over an eight hour period.
Powerful Sleep
Actually, that’s the theory behind the book “Powerful Sleep”. If you
can go to sleep quicker, sleep deeper and wake up feeling refreshed every
morning in just 6 or 7 hours, then why would you want to toss and turn for
8 or 9 hours?
If you have an interest in learning more about how your internal sleep
clock works and what you can do to enjoy a better night’s sleep, click on
the link below to get the first two chapters of “Powerful Sleep”.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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