Recently Michael Jackson – the King of Pop was back in the news, after his former nurse Cherilyn Lee testified that the troubled singer was suffering from insomnia and was convinced that the propofol was the only cure for his condition. Jackson had so much trouble falling asleep that he actually wanted propofol – a powerful anaesthetic to get some shuteye!
The testimony was part of a lawsuit filed by Jackson’s mother and children about his wrongful death. Lee claims that Jackson asked her to find him an anaesthesiologist who could help him sleep with the surgical anaesthetic propofol! Incidentally, his personal physician was convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter and is serving a four-year sentence in prison. While the cause of death was the drugs, the question is that was it insomnia or lack of sleep that led to Jackson’s untimely demise. What was it that prevented him from sleeping? For that you’ve to understand:
What is insomnia?
Simply put, insomnia is a condition where a person finds it difficult to fall asleep. Sleep is an important part of the human body’s system. It repairs the muscles, tissues and cells of the body, provides much-needed rest to organs and makes and releases necessary hormones and enzymes during this time. Since the sleep cycle of humans is regulated according to daylight and nightfall, it is essential that a person sleeps adequately during the night. This is why insomnia is extremely bad for health. Another reason is that since one does not sleep at night they are generally sleepy during the day – due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation – which interferes with their ability to perform everyday functions normally and efficiently. Read more about sleep disorders.
How can a person die due to insomnia?
While Michael Jackson died due to fatal cocktail of drugs, insomnia itself can take lives. In fact, you’d sooner die due to the lack of sleep than lack of food! Insomnia usually pushes a person towards depression and fatigue with makes their judgement skewered, pushing them to try desperate things to get some sleep. A more sudden and severe reaction to sleep deprivation is death due to cardiac arrest. This happens when a person becomes so weak that the heart muscles can no longer pump enough blood to the rest of the body. The organ becomes so fatigued that it stops working.
What are the symptoms of the disease?
Insomniacs show various symptoms like irritability, increased fatigue, sleepiness during the day, irritability and problems with concentration and memory. Think you are suffering from insomnia? Read about what might not be letting you sleep.
What are the types of insomnia?
There are basically two types of insomnia – primary insomnia and secondary insomnia. Primary insomnia is when the person suffers from insomnia independent of other diseases. Secondary insomnia is when the condition arises as the result of some other prevalent disease.
Risk factors that could lead to insomnia:
Conditions such as intense stress, emotional distress, depression, high blood pressure, allergies, change in the sleep timings and obesity (which leads to sleep disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea) can lead to acute insomnia (one that lasts for a short period of time). Factors like extreme anxiety, clinical depression and pain can lead to chronic or long term insomnia.
How is it diagnosed?
Insomnia is usually diagnosed by a physical examination. The doctor may ask the patient or their family about their sleeping patterns for a better understanding of the severity. This usually suffices, but in some cases one may need a sleep test (where one’s sleeping patterns are monitored in a sleep clinic) for more accurate diagnosis.
What are the treatment options?
Mild or acute insomnia is usually treated with some mild sedatives and some changes in sleeping patterns. Here the doctor will tell the patient about healthy ways to help them fall asleep. Although sleeping pills are known to be addictive in nature some people may require it in small doses to overcome their reason for the acute insomnia, like trauma or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In the case of chronic insomnia a doctor may prescribe a heavier dose of the drugs along with behavioural therapy or counselling depending on the patient’s needs. If the insomnia is due to some physiological condition like high blood pressure, pain or mental health disturbances or obstructive sleep apnoea, he/she will aim to first cure the root cause of the problem. Read about some helpful ways to fall asleep.
What are the complications of insomnia?
Not being able to sleep directly relates to not being able to rest one’s body and mind. Therefore the complications are also related. They are include extreme fatigue that could lead to sudden weight loss, irritability and lack of appetite, malfunctioning of vital organs due to long term use of drugs, inability to concentrate on work, depression and anxiety. In all cases of insomnia, it is always advisable to get a doctor’s opinion at the earliest. Never attempt to use any medication (like sleeping pills) over the counter as they can cause great damage to the body.
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