Frequent insomnia, a disease that seems easy to cure but actually erodes health

Insomnia is becoming more and more common, especially in urban areas. Not only does it make the body tired and lethargic, prolonged insomnia also has negative impacts on both physical and mental health.

The hustle and bustle of life, work and study pressure, unhealthy living habits... cause many people to fall into a state of prolonged insomnia - Illustration photo drawn by AI

Not just insomnia, can be related to many diseases

More than 9 months after giving birth to her first child, Ms. BN (30 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) still has not had a single full night's sleep because her baby wakes up every night to breastfeed.

After the cesarean section, the wound was still painful, combined with the pressure of breastfeeding and constant lack of sleep, causing her to fall into a spiral of fatigue, stress, and even fear every time she heard her baby cry.

Chronic lack of sleep forced Ms. N. to gradually accept waking up frequently in the middle of the night. During the day, her body fell into a state of lethargy and exhaustion. She feared that her health was deteriorating, while she herself became "hardened" by the successive sleepless nights.

Doctor Tran Tien Tai (Department of Neurology, An Binh Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City) said that the department regularly receives patients complaining about sleep, most of which are related to neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and diseases that cause nerve pain.

It should be noted that insomnia is not simply a sleep disorder, but can also be related to many other diseases. In particular, mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder... are often associated with sleep problems. Statistics show that 30 - 60% of insomnia cases originate from mental disorders.

Neurological diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diseases that cause nerve pain or common internal medical groups such as cardiovascular, respiratory (sleep apnea), digestive (gastric reflux), endocrine (hyperthyroidism), chronic pain... can all cause insomnia.

From another perspective, insomnia is also a consequence of lifestyle and environment. The hustle and bustle of life, pressure from work and study, and pollution in big cities can easily make people stressed, which in turn affects sleep.

In addition, unhealthy lifestyle habits are also common causes. Substance abuse, irregular eating habits, lack of exercise, or using electronic devices right before bed can all lead to sleep disorders.

To sleep better, avoid stimulants such as tea and coffee, especially in the afternoon and evening - Illustration photo

Many health consequences, how to improve sleep?

So how does insomnia affect health? Dr. Tai said that insomnia can cause many health consequences. In the short term, it reduces the ability to concentrate, remember, and weakens the immune system.

In the long term, this condition increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity; and can easily lead to anxiety disorders and depression. More seriously, insomnia reduces the quality of life, affecting work, study and social relationships.

To improve sleep, each person needs to develop healthy living habits: go to bed and wake up on time, even on weekends. Create a quiet, airy sleeping space; limit the use of electronic devices before bed.

Avoid stimulants such as coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, especially in the afternoon and evening.

In addition, you should maintain regular exercise (not too close to bedtime), eat a light dinner, avoid spicy, greasy foods; practice relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing, listening to soft music, reading books or taking a warm bath before going to bed.

"Insomnia is not just an individual problem, it can be a sign of an underlying disease. Don't be subjective with insomnia, go see a doctor to find out the cause and treat it promptly. Build a healthy lifestyle to protect your sleep and overall health," Dr. Tai concluded.

Dr. Tai added that sleep disorders come in many different forms including:

- Difficulty falling asleep, waking up many times during the night, or interrupted sleep.

- Waking up too early in the morning, or even less common sleep-related problems like feeling tired or sluggish after waking up.

- Difficulty concentrating, memory loss.

- Feeling anxious, stressed, irritable.

SPRING PLUM

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/mat-ngu-thuong-xuyen-benh-tuong-de-chua-nhung-thuc-te-bao-mon-suc-khoe-20250908052545339.htm