Good Health: Sleep Well

Good Health: Sleep Well

Introduction

Healthy living is essential for quality life and optimal productivity. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as both the absence of disease and complete wellness of an individual’s physical, social, mental aspects. In line with the social determinants of health (SDH) framework, factors such as gender, ethnicity, income levels, education, and occupation act as structural determinants of health (Daniel, Bornstein & Kane, 2018). Other factors, such as material circumstances, biological, behavioral, psychosocial factors, act as intermediary determinants of health. Examples of behavioral factors (unhealthy habits) include unhealthy eating habits and poor sleep patterns. Individuals with poor sleep habits experience poor physiological functions and unhealthy lives. These behavioral habits may lead to an array of disease processes and psychiatric disorders that reduce the quality of life. Therefore, the paper below will analyze some of the unhealthy habits such as unhealthy eating and poor sleep habits. It will also examine the dangers and effects of poor sleep habits and the benefits of good sleep habits.

Unhealthy Habits and Causes of Unhealthy Sleep

Unhealthy habits are critical modifiable factors that determine the health status of people. Examples of such unhealthy habits include unhealthy dietary patterns and unhealthy sleep patterns. For instance, intake of salty, highly processed foods and fatty foods may lead to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, and obesity (Olatona, Onabanjo, Ugbaja, Nnoaham, & Adelekan, 2018). Nakajima (2018) opines that habits such as skipping breakfast and late-night dinner eating may lead to diabetes and obesity. Such poor eating habits may also alter sleep patterns and vice-vera.

Several factors can cause poor and inadequate sleep. Some of the risk factors that lead to disruption and deprivation of sleep include lifestyle factors such as drug abuse, jet lag, drinking alcohol, unfavorable work shifts, consumption of large amounts of caffeine, among others (Medic, Wille, & Hemels, 2017). Environmental factors (eg., excess light and excess noise) and psychological factors (e.g., stressful life events, depression anxiety, and increased parental/caregiver roles) further increase the risk of poor quality of sleep. Individuals with acute, painful medical conditions, chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, psychiatric disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and chronic kidney diseases) also experience poor sleep. Poor sleeping habits include excessive intake of caffeine, sleeping for short hours, and staying up late. Other practices, such as using the bed for other activities apart from sleeping, excessive lighting in sleeping rooms, and hot sleeping rooms, also lead to poor sleep patterns. Low food intake and excessive food intake also impairs therapeutic sleep. Sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome, obstructive sleep apnea, and insomnia also predispose an individual to sleep disruption and deprivation (Medic, Wille, & Hemels, 2017).

Effects of Unhealthy Sleep

Sleep is a fundamental aspect of health. Sleep disorders can manifest as either an inability to have continued sleep (sleep disruption), the lack of enough sleep (sleep deprivation), and the presence of specific activities during sleep (e.g., sleep apnea). These pathogenic manifestations move on to affect different physiologic functions in the individuals, including the cardiovascular system, the immune system functions, hormonal functions, and appetite (Medic, Wille, & Hemels, 2017). The effects of poor sleep can be divided as either long-term or short-term. Short-term consequences include altered response to stress, somatic manifestations, psychosocial issues, and reduction in the quality of life. Increased response to stress through the autonomic nervous system may lead to cardiovascular diseases and renal problems.

Unhealthy sleep patterns also lead to the development of mood disorders (e.g., anxiety disorders and depression), and emotional distress. Children also experience memory impairment, disturbances of cognition, and performance deficits, which lead to a decline in school performance. Somatic manifestations of disrupted sleep include persistent headaches, abdominal pain. Medic, Wille, and Hemels (2017) also propose that individuals who have sleep problems end up in substance abuse, including alcohol and tobacco products. Ultimately, the above consequences culminate in a decline in the individual’s level of functioning, thus leading to a decline in the quality of life (Medic, Wille, & Hemels, 2017).

Long-term effects of disrupted and inadequate sleep include cardiovascular effects, metabolic effects, malignancies, and death. Individuals with unhealthy sleep patterns are at an increased risk of having elevated blood cholesterol levels, higher body mass index, and higher blood pressure levels that may result in hypertension. Medic, Wille, and Hemels (2017) propose that the risk of developing hypertension is approximately 1.20, with equal risk levels existing in both males and females. Individuals with sleep durations above or below 7-8 hours also are at a higher risk of developing both fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease (CHD). Fatal CHD may cause arrhythmic irregularities that can result in sudden cardiac death. The prevalence of cerebrovascular disease (stroke) in individuals with sleep durations of ≤6 hours, 7-8 hours, and ≥9 hours/night is 2.78%, 1.90% and 5.20% respectively (Covassin, & Singh, 2016).

Nonetheless, unhealthy sleep patterns may lead to metabolic consequences. The short duration of sleep is primarily associated with an increase in food intake and impairment of insulin sensitivity.  Both adults and adolescents ultimately experience weight gain that leads to weight-related problems such as obesity, hypertension, and CHDs. Medic, Wille, and Hemels (2017) further note that sleep disruption alters the metabolism of glucose, leading to insulin insensitivity and the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Other effects of insufficient sleep among motorists leads to sleepiness, which is associated with high rates of traumatic car accidents. Approximately 20% of all the car accident incidences are caused by drivers and motorists who were experiencing sleepiness (Medic, Wille, & Hemels, 2017). Finally, disrupted circadian rhythms and irregular sleep causes an alteration in the level of melatonin, which can increase the risk of developing malignancies. Such effects occur due to the alteration of DNA repair and tumor growth inhibition properties of the melatonin hormone that is normally produced during sleep.

Benefits of Sleep

Adequate and sufficient sleep carries a myriad of benefits to the health of an individual. First, sleep is essential in improving the level of cognition and memory functions in individuals, which helps in enhancing performance levels, memory retention, and academic performance. Secondly, sleep carries psychological benefits, such as a decline in stress levels and reduced anxiety. These benefits protect the individual from experiencing mood disorders such as anxiety disorders and depression. Adequate sleep duration helps in the reduction of inflammatory mediators such as C-reactive proteins, interleukins 1, IL-6, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Such alterations reduce the development of atheroma, which further reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases (Grandner et al., 2017). Thus, therapeutic sleep is essential in maintaining cardiac health ad reducing metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and obesity. Finally, healthy sleep helps in the production of immune factors (both adaptive and innate immunity), which improves the immune response of the body to offending agents (Irwin, 2015).

Conclusion

Sleep is essential in the growth, development, and functioning of the individual. Unhealthy sleep patterns arise for a myriad of biological factors, environmental, and behavioral patterns. Concurrent diseases also increase the risk of getting sleep disorders and involvement in unhealthy sleep habits. The effects of sleep manifest as cardiovascular effects, metabolic effects, effects on the immune systems, and psychological effects. Early identification and mitigation of the above risk factors by clinicians, community members, caregivers, and family members can help reduce the morbidly and mortality that is associated with unhealthy sleep.