Effects of Insomnia.

Good sleep is a sign of good health. Difficulty in sleeping or insomnia does indicate an underlying cause which can be minor or severe and can translate into serious insomnia effects and complications. The importance of sleep can be gauged by a lab experiment in which mice who were not allowed to sleep, died within three weeks, where their normal life span is three years.

When the rotation of the sleep stages  (NREM sleep and REM sleep) during the night is incomplete due to improper sleep, the body and the brain are not fit to perform optimally for the next day. The statistics as mentioned in insomnia are alarming today due to pressures of modern-day life and the effects of insomnia can be seen immediately even after one sleepless night.

These complications of insomnia mentioned below can literally wreak havoc on a person vis-a-vis  his health, work performance and relationships. If you have insomnia which has lasted for some time and the results of insomnia are seen vis-à-vis its complications mentioned below, taking medical help will be necessary. It is surprising what can sleep insomnia can do.

Image showing effects of insomnia.

Side Effects of Insomnia.

• The person with insomnia feels tired and fatigued during the next day due to drop in energy levels. This is typical effect of insomnia.
• Generalized muscle ache prevails.
• The senses and reflexes are blunted and slowed down.
• Lack of sleep can lead to very painful and frequent headaches.
• Performance level drops.
• Logical reasoning drops.
• Mentally, the ability to learn, grasp, concentrate and remember, are adversely affected because the mind becomes sluggish..
• Drop in stress threshold levels (cannot handle stress well).
• The person has spells of dizziness during the next day.
• Higher risk of motor vehicle accidents and machinery operation. According to the U.S. Transportation Department about 2,00,000 vehicle accidents are caused by sleepy drivers every year – that is more than the accidents caused by drunken driving. Lack of sleep for 24 hours produces drop of mental acuity equal to that produced by blood alcohol level of 0.1  which is more than that allowed for legal limit for driving a vehicle.
• Irritation with flare-ups and mood changes are seen during the next day.
• Chronic insomnia can lead to serious consequences such as depression and in extreme cases paranoia and hallucinations.
• Socialization suffers and so does relationships with family and colleagues.
• It is during sleep that body cell repair takes place and loss of sleep over time can lead to premature aging.
• Immunity system suffers making you more prone to illness and leading to delayed healing of wounds and frequent infections such as fever, cough and cold.
• Just one night of sleeplessness can make you more hungry and make you overeat. Insomnia over time will make you gain weight and can lead to obesity.
• Chronic insomnia can cause heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, substance abuse and even cancer

These complications of insomnia can seriously affect the life of an insomniac and have serious consequences like leading to a divorce due to relationship issues, loss of job due to poor performance, increased alcohol consumption to fight stress and get sleep, among other things.

Related posts:

1. Effects and Complications of Sleep Apnea.
2. Symptoms and Signs of Insomnia.
3. What is Insomnia or Sleeplessness.
4. Insomnia Treatment and Cure.
5. Types of Insomnia.
6. Why I Can’t Sleep|Causes of Insomnia.
7. Snoring Effects on Health.
8. Sleeping Pills, Sleep Aids & Medications To Treat Insomnia.