Sleep disorders and weight balance
Weight balance requires a healthy diet, regular physical activity anda general healthy lifestyle. Sleep quality is a key factor in obesity disorders. In Switzerland, nearly thirty units specialized in sleep analyze and dissect it. Scientists find that one in four people are concerned about poor sleep quality. What is happening in Switzerland is not a special case. Sleeping well is essential for the proper functioning of the body. In France, sleep-related disturbancesare equally worrying.
Many pathologies
Whether it concerns insomnia attacks or conversely hypersomnias or disorders related to the respiratory system with the recurrent presence of apneas or that dysfunctions cause in the person who suffers from restless legs syndrome … These disorders are worrying, even disabling, in the long term.
This concerns theimmune systemthat must regenerate itself during rest phases through the production of dopamine and prolactin. Lack of sleep disrupts the activity of white blood cells that have the function of fighting against the enemies of our defense system.
Then, hormonal secretions, empowered to regulate our body, are affected: diabetes II and obesity are linked to lack of sleep. Thus, sleeping less than six hours harms the regulation of appetite and triggers weight gain.
The cardiovascular system is also damagedby prolonged lack of sleep. The risk of stroke is multiplied by four and risks of high blood pressure, heart attack and heart failure are intimately linked to the sleep disorder.
But these disturbances are nothing compared to those experienced by the brain, which, if it regenerates during the sleep phases, is unable to detoxify when these are disturbed. According to Claudio Bassetti, chief physician of the neurology department at Bern Hospital, neurological disorders are mainly due to a degraded quality of night rest. This is followed by memory and emotional disorders with negative feelings that are amplified over time. Depression is not far away.
Various solutions exist
They are traditional, with or without side effects, phyto-therapeutic or scientific. Overweight people who suffer from sleep disturbances should treat their disorders with intelligence and common sense.
Sleeping pills are an easy but deleterious solution in the long term, benzodiazepines in mind. These molecules disorganize sleep by making it lighter, habituation is rapid and it is very difficult to wean. Moreover, withdrawal triggers rebound effects such as mental confusion, aggravations of heart, kidney and respiratory failure, especially in the elderly. Benzodiazepines are the bedrock of Alzheimer’s disease according to research published in the pages of the “British Medical Journal”(1).
Apart from these molecules, several avenues are promising in the fight against insomnia. Melatonin, which is produced naturally by the brain, can be absorbed as tablets two hours before bedtime. It avoids dependency in the long term.
Otherwise, medicinal plants are renowned for their soporific effectiveness: Valerian, Chamomile, Lime Blossom, Passionflower… Drinking these herbal teas in the evening helps induce a bedtime ritual that helps you fall asleep.
Within the CHU Vaudois in Lausanne, the CIRS (Center for Investigation and Research on Sleep), which studies and treats various sleep disorders, promises serious medical care which makes it possible to diagnose sleep dysfunctions and thus find A Quality Rest with the least possible harm.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.