Sleep is vital and essential to the proper functioning of our body. Although it does not seem so at first sight, there are many important processes in our body from hormone production to memory consolidation. Therefore if sleep disorder occurs, it's no fun.
When Aneta Jičinská was eight, sleeping was her usual afternoon activity. She slept for hours. Then a letter came from the school that Aneta fell asleep even during her classes. Her mother suspected that something was wrong and brought her daughter to the doctor. At that moment she had no idea what peripeteia she started by this. "They said I was a hysterical mother and I was making things up. The doctors were referring us to each other like a hot potato,” says Marketa Jičínská. "After two months spent in the hospital and an endless series of tests, we came to know that Aneta suffers from narcolepsy."
This disease is namely very rare and affects approximately one per 1000 of the population. It manifests itself with an insurmountable inclination to sleep during the day - narcoleptic people fall asleep even in such situations as conversation or driving a car. It is often accompanied by muscle weakness, so the sick person can even fall. "THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE PEOPLE REMAIN LONG UNDIAGNOSED AND ARE MORE OFTEN BLAMED FOR LAZINESS. SO IT CAN EVEN LAST SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE THEY GET KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS," Dr. Iva Příhodová, member of the Center for Sleep and Vigilance Disorders confirms the words of Mr. Jičínská, the headquarters of the Center being situated in the Neurological Clinic in Charles Square in Prague. This is where little Aneta got successful help and where - at the age of eleven - she already is being successfully treated. However, a life with medication and without a driver’s license awaits her.
According to Dr. Příhodová, about one-third of the population suffers from various sleep disorders. However, people often underestimate sleep problems and thus many disorders will not be detected. Most often doctors encounter insomnia or sleeplessness. This term refers to a state where a person falls asleep with difficulty, sleeps intermittently, shortly and feels sleepy the following day. Insomnia often affects people with depression, persistent stress or people suffering from alcoholism. We can also cause it with bad habits.
In particular, it is important to remember that not only too little, but also to much sleep causes harm. Medical studies even show that the risk of a stroke death is highest for those who sleep more than 9 hours a day. If we are talking about the optimum sleeping time for an adult, usually 7-8 hours are given. The ideal length is, of course, governed by individual needs. "Some people have a lesser need for sleep," Dr. Monika Golková says. However, as President of the Association for Aging Medicine, she says: "If someone neglects sleep for a long time, after some time it begins to manifest itself on their body. More subcutaneous fat is stored and the person becomes fat without overeating, is not fit and feels tired. Aging processes accelerate because there is no adequate regeneration of the organism. There is a greater risk of cardiovascular diseases; a greater risk of diabetes, and age becomes shorter."
The effect of sleep on overall health is undisputed. It participates in the renewal of forces, positively affects the immune system, and promotes growth in childhood and adolescence. This is due to the release of growth hormone. The poor excretion of this hormone in sleep disorders can lead to elevated levels of insulin and thyroid hormones. People who have sleeping problems also have a higher risk of obesity. There appears a disruption of hormone levels that are responsible for regulating hunger and appetite. If you want to lose weight successfully, you should not underestimate the importance of sleep. Sleep also affects the functioning of our brain, primarily through the hormone melatonin. This main antioxidant fulfils the task of protecting the brain, restoring the memory and improving attention.
A study at the University of Princeton found that lack of sleep had a negative impact on the creation of memories. Poor memory and concentration may be due to the fact that because of increased levels of stress hormones, the brain produces fewer new cells. Other research, this time performed at two universities in Singapore, has again shown that in people with a long-term lack of sleep, the brain for some time functions normally. This may convey the impression in them of sufficient vigilance. However, slow reactions, vision loss and inattentiveness occur very quickly which may be fatal namely in the case of professional drivers or doctors.
Sleep does not only relate to our vital processes but also to our appearance. Sleep plays a huge role for the skin. During sleep, metabolism and detoxification proceeds and a number of substances of a hormonal and non-hormonal nature are produced which are necessary for the regeneration of the skin. For example, the already-mentioned melatonin which is added to rejuvenating creams.
