What are effective ways to manage sleep deprivation and enhance sleep quality?

Hello,

I am here to help you with your health queries.

I can understand your concern.

Lack of adequate sleep can lead to many complications. Some of these complications can further hinder the ability to get sufficient sleep. Sleep deprivation causes elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which can result in increased blood sugar and worsened diabetes control, elevated blood pressure and worsened hypertension control, and cravings for sugar, ultimately leading to weight gain. The subjective experience of sleep loss can exacerbate stress, which, in turn, can worsen complications associated with sleep deprivation, which include:

1. Diabetes or insulin resistance.
2. Hypertension.
3. Obesity.
4. Obstructive sleep apnea.
5. Vascular disease.
6. Stroke.
7. Myocardial infarction.
8. Depression.
9. Anxiety.
10. Psychosis.

There are some essential questions to ask to assess a person's lack of sleep, such as:

1. Do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep?
2. Do you feel tired upon waking from sleep?

If there are affirmative answers to any of these questions, the next questions are:

1. Do these sleep problems happen despite adequate time and opportunity for rest?
2. Is the sleep difficulty hampering your functioning during the day?
3. Do you feel distressed from the lack of quality sleep?
4. What is the frequency and severity of the above symptoms?

If you lack adequate sleep, you will commonly experience symptoms of sleep loss, such as excessive daytime sleepiness, impaired concentration, fatigue, moodiness, and decreased sex drive, among other symptoms. There will generally be more than one cause contributing to the loss of sleep. It is better to treat the causes directly. The most damaging cause of sleep deprivation is a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), which could be life-threatening and requires active testing (sleep studies) and management (medical or surgical). The sleep physician must review proper sleep hygiene with you to eliminate behavioral habits that might adversely affect sleep. Many of the comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions can contribute to the trouble with sleep. If the first two treatment options fail to resolve the sleep difficulties, one can consider pharmacotherapy or using medicines. The physician should be judicious when using medications as sleep aids due to their many unintended adverse effects, such as worsening daytime fatigue if given at too high a dose or if the medication stays in the body too long.

Sedating sleep aids can also exacerbate the conditions causing poor sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea can be worsened by sleep aids that promote weight gain and further relax the muscles around the airway during rest. If sleep loss is a result of a lifestyle that cannot be changed (for example, shift work), daytime sleepiness can be prevented by specific behavioral modifications to help you stay alert. Medications that promote wakefulness, such as caffeine, Modafinil, and Methylphenidate, are options. Currently, Modafinil is the only medication that is FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved for shift work sleep disorder but not sleep loss.

I hope you are satisfied with my answer. For further queries, you can consult me at icliniq.

Thank you.