Symptoms of chronic insomnia or sleep deprivation include physical as well as behavioral disorders. Knowing the identifying signs will be beneficial to get the condition treated.
Human beings require up to 7-9 hours of sleep daily. It can, of course, vary according to the age and occupation of the person. But, sometimes, due to certain reasons, a person may not get sufficient amount of restorative sleep. He is then said to be deprived of sleep.
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation, or chronic insomnia, is the lack of adequate amount of sleep. It can be involuntary as a form of a disorder.
On the other hand, it is also be a form of psychological torture when a person is forcibly deprived of sleep. It can be chronic as well as acute. Frequent sleep deprivation can become chronic and have long-term health hazards.
Causes
Stress, anxiety, or excessive worry are the most common causes. Any psychological disorder or undiagnosed medical condition, nightmare, menopause, insecurity (usually in children and teens), mania, etc., are the other prominent causes.
Symptoms
Due to stress, very few people get adequate amount of sleep every day. Most of the time, people are not aware that they are deprived of sleep. They experience typical symptoms, but, fail to relate them to sleep deprivation.
Following are the symptoms to look out for-
Headache
Blurred vision
Feeling sleepy during daytime
Body ache
Dizziness
Lack of energy
Drowsiness
Constant yawning
At the same time, there are also behavioral symptoms like:
Irritability
Hallucinations
Inability to concentrate
Intolerance
Delusions
Paranoia
Symptoms in Children and Teens
Due to changing sleeping patterns or improper lifestyle, numerous teenagers face sleep deprivation. Although they may not be aware, it can cause serious long-term health hazards.
Parent should look out for the following symptoms.
Poor scholastic performance
Lack of interest in any activity
Loss of appetite
Irritability
Unable to concentrate and memorize
Long-term Effects
As mentioned before, sleep deprivation has several negative effects on our body. It has adverse effect on the functioning of the brain and the digestive system. It can impair a person's problem solving, thinking, and understanding ability. A sleep deprived person is also at a high risk of suffering from depression, Alzheimer's disease or even schizophrenia.
Similarly, there are increased chances of suffering from digestive and gastrointestinal disorders, obesity, and hypertension. It can affect the overall personality and performance of a person, his work, relations, and sex life. Most of the time, chronically sleep deprived people start relying on drugs for energy and alertness.
Treatment
In order to avoid all the aforementioned dangers, one should first identify the causes and symptoms, and try to treat them. One should try to reduce stress by using stress management and relaxation techniques. Change in lifestyle or environment also helps in treating insomnia.
On the other hand, psychological disorders or insomnia can be treated with the help of medications. If sleep deprivation persists for more than a few days, you should consult a doctor.
Following a proper and healthy lifestyle can help in treating sleep disorders to a great extent. The following quote says it all:
"A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor's book" ~ Irish Proverb
Disclaimer:This is meant only to provide information. It is not to be substituted for doctor's advice.