Medicine Cabinet
Reiner W. Gloor
IT IS EASY enough to know that when you don’t sleep enough, you wake up the next day groggy and maybe even grumpy. But sleep deprivation is just one of the many sleep disorders that can have serious consequences and lasting effects. Some of these conditions may need medical attention. If you or a loved one have any of these disorders, this week’s column is for you.
We will focus on sleep deprivation, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, but truth be told there are a lot more sleep disorders that need treatment. It is important that we know what we can do to improve our sleep so we can enjoy a better quality of life.
When one has trouble falling or staying asleep with no obvious cause, it is referred to as insomnia. If this is prolonged, this can lead to sleep deprivation. Not getting enough sleep has very serious effects on our cognitive function. In fact, over time it can actually affect your mental prowess. Gradually, it will first impair your attentiveness, then your alertness, concentration, reasoning, and, finally, problem solving. This makes it really hard to learn efficiently.
Sleep cycles play a crucial role in “consolidating” memories so lack of sleep will impair the brain’s ability to remember lessons and experiences. Back in October 2009, American and French researchers — publishing their findings in Nature Neuroscience — determined that “sharp wave ripple” events in the brain are responsible for consolidating memories. The ripples transfer learned information from the hippocampus to the neocortex of the brain where long-term memories are stored. These ripples happen mostly during the deepest levels of sleep.
Lack of sleep has also been found to affect weight. When a person is sleep deprived, this can lead to an increase in hunger and appetite, and possibly result in obesity. A link has been found between sleep and the peptides that regulate appetite. Sleep loss appears to stimulate appetite and may even increase a person’s cravings for rich and fatty foods. While studies have not yet proven whether sleep should be a standard part of weight loss programs, taking this into account will definitely not hurt.
Sleep deprivation can also put you at risk for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. According to some estimates, as many as 90% of people with insomnia may have another health condition.
Snoring may also be an indication of a sleep disorder. Many people snore while sleeping. Some of these snorers may have a more serious condition called obstructive sleep apnea. This is characterized by multiple episodes of breathing pauses greater than 10 seconds at a time, due to upper airway narrowing or collapse. This also causes a lack of sufficient deep sleep. Although not all snorers have sleep apnea, it would be good to get this checked out, especially if it leads to daytime fatigue. If left untreated, sleep apnea can also lead to weight gain and NCDs.
Another sleep disorder that is often misunderstood is narcolepsy. It is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness and intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day. This is caused by low levels of hypocretin which helps regulate wakefulness and keeps rapid eye movement (REM) sleep stable and occurring at the current times. It is not known what causes low levels of this hormone.
As mentioned, there are many other sleep disorders, including as bruxism or involuntary teeth grinding or clenching, sleep walking, night terrors, sleep paralysis, and more. Any of these can lead to other conditions, disrupt normal everyday routines, or cause stress. Thankfully there are now treatment centers aplenty all over the country that specialize in treating various sleep disorders. Makati Medical Center, The Medical City, Asian Hospital and Medical Center, the Philippine General Hospital, the Lung Center of the Philippines, Cardinal Santos Medical Center, Chong Hua Hospital and Manila Doctors Hospital all have well-established sleep laboratories and diagnostic centers. With doctors specializing in pulmonology, EENT, and others, they are able to diagnose and treat sleep disorders in the best way.
We do not have to suffer in silence. Sleep plays a crucial role in our lives. Let’s try to improve this any way we can.
Log on to www.phap.org.ph and www.phapcares.org.ph. E-mail the author at reiner.gloor@gmail.com.
