Good quality sleep is not a luxury, but a necessity for optimal health. In natural medicine, sleep is sometimes called the "antioxidant for the brain," because free radicals that accumulate during the day are removed during sleep so there is less neuronal damage. Growth hormone -- responsible for tissue regeneration, muscle building and breakdown of fat stores, among other functions -- is also released during sleep. The National Sleep Foundation recommends seven to nine hours of sleep per night, but the Centers for Disease Control report that 29 percent of U.S. adults sleep fewer than seven hours each night. Sleep difficulties are also very common, with more than 70 million adults suffering from sleep disturbances or wakefulness disorders.
Stimulants and Medications
Stimulants, alcohol, certain recreational drugs, and numerous prescription and nonprescription medications end up disrupting normal sleep patterns, creating more of a need for them the next day.
Lack of Physical Activity and Restless Legs
It has been long believed that regular physical exercise has a positive effect on sleep and that a sedentary lifestyle may cause sleep disturbances. Several studies have focused on the relationship between physical activity and sleep. The June 2010 issue of the "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine" reports that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise benefits chronic insomnia sufferers by reducing presleep anxiety and improving quality of sleep. Iron anemia and magnesium deficiency may contribute to insomnia by promoting restless leg syndrome and muscle cramps.
Anxiety and Stress
Numerous studies have investigated the effect of stress and anxiety on sleep and found them to be closely connected. As noted in the June 2007 issue of "Sleep Medicine Clinics," often insomnia first occurs following a stressful life event. In general, it is made worse by stress and anxiety. While personality plays an important role in how life events affect us, anyone may find his sleep temporarily disturbed following certain stressful events.
Hypoglycemia
Blood glucose levels change throughout the day, but most people are not aware of these changes. During the day, as people experience a drop in blood glucose, also called hypoglycemia, they feel hungry and usually eat something. During the night, a drop in blood glucose causes the release of glucose regulatory hormones such as glucagon, cortisol and epinephrine and may cause awakening. If falling asleep is not a problem, but waking during the night occurs, hypoglycemia may be to blame.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Insufficient rest or sleep in adults, United States, 2008
- "Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine"; Effect of acute physical exercise on patients with chronic primary insomnia.; Passos GS; Poyares D; Santana MG; Garbuio SA; Tufik S; Mello MT; June 2010
- "Sleep Medicine Clinics"; Chronic Insomnia and the Stress System; George P. Chrousos, MD, FAAP, MACP, MACE, Antonio Vela-Bueno, MD, Alexandros N. Vgontzas, MD; June 2007
