The importance of quality sleep

Sleeplessness, particularly over an extended period of time, is debilitating and puts sufferers at an increased risk of depression, a compromised immune system, and inertia. Unfortunately, despite being treatable, insomnia remains one of the most under-diagnosed and under-treated disorders of the central nervous system.

Insomniacs are people who do not get enough quality sleep. They may have problems falling asleep (known as sleep-onset insomnia), or staying asleep (known as sleep-maintaining insomnia), they may wake up intermittently during the night or too early the next morning, or they wake up feeling unrefreshed.

Admittedly, nearly everybody suffers from a lack of sleep at some point in their lives. It is not about how long you sleep, but rather the quality of sleep you get, and also about your own perception of how much sleep you have had and how much you feel you need. Poor sleep can be associated with accidents, lower work productivity and it may also worsen medical and psychological conditions. These consequences make insomnia an important health problem that deserves serious attention.

Insomnia is a common problem that affects almost everyone at some point in their lives. It can be triggered by stress or emotional distress (in particular internalised anger or anxiety), overusing certain substances such as alcohol, disturbances to the body clock, environmental factors such as noise or extreme temperatures, and even vigorous exercising too close to bedtime. This transient insomnia often gets better in a couple of days, usually when the triggers have been eliminated or adapted to. While a few nights of poor sleep won't necessarily do any harm, prolonged sleep disturbances can have serious consequences.

Some people with transient insomnia start to worry about not sleeping and can become trapped in an exhausting, vicious cycle whereby they can work themselves up into getting less and less sleep, leading to chronic insomnia. Chronic insomnia can also be a symptom of other existing health problems, including depression, cancer or chronic pain. It can also be related to medications such as antidepressants, high blood pressure and steroids which can interfere with sleep. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD) lists more than 84 unique sleep disorders which range from the common types such as Insomnia and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) to the rare syndrome Narcolepsy.

While chronic insomnia, whether somatic or psychological, is less common than short-term sleep problems, the impact is more severe. People suffering from insomnia become handicapped in their everyday life due to an impaired ability to concentrate, forgetfulness, lack of energy, lethargy, irritability, and it has been reported they even have lower pain thresholds. Consistently tired people are generally less productive at work, less patient with others, and more prone to accidents.

Women tend to be more prone to insomnia than men, with poor sleep usually associated with the menstrual cycle, menopause and pregnancy. Ageing also tends to bring a change in sleeping patterns, with elderly people often suffering from lighter, more fitful sleep, while people with a history of depression are also more susceptible to insomnia.

Issued on behalf of sanovi aventis