The lack of adequate sleep is currently a common and unhealthy problem for people. Even though it appears to be a minor predicament, Sleep Problems have become an alarming issue since a new study was presented at the annual European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress in Paris, France. The study suggested that inadequate sleep poses several major health hazards such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

In the United States, about 70 million Americans suffer from wakefulness and chronic sleep disorders.

That is why several experts have warned about the possible effects and health hazards of not having a good night’s sleep every night. In fact, lack of sleep has been linked to the major manifestations of ADHD, as well as to several chronic illnesses (including depression, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and cancer), car accidents and occupational errors.

ADHD

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD is defined as a brain condition manifested by “an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity” that inhibits development and functioning. This brain-based syndrome generally persists throughout an individual’s lifetime and is not limited to children. It also occurs in both men and women.

The condition is caused by the chemical, structural and connectivity differences in the brain, which is often associated with genetics, the Attention Deficit Disorder Association noted. But according to a recent study, sleep disruption has a connection to the major signs of ADHD such as uncontrollable behavior, having too much energy and struggling to concentrate.

New study

The recent theory that correlated sleep disruption and ADHD was explained by Amsterdam’s VU University Medical Center professor Sandra Kooij at the pharmacology conference in Paris this weekend. Kooij said their study revealed clear evidence that ADHD and sleep disturbances are connected saying, “they are two sides of the same physiological and mental coin,” The Guardian reported.

Kooij also stressed that sleep disruptions have consequences, affecting the levels of the brain’s neurotransmitters such as dopamine and melatonin. Other conditions that are associated with the disturbances in dopamine and melatonin levels are sleep apnea (breathing disturbance during sleep) and restless leg syndrome (irresistible urge to move the legs), which is also linked to ADHD.

Kooij’s theory was also supported by Frankfurt’s University Hospital professor Andreas Reif, saying sleep disruptions seemed to trigger ADHD. As Kooij’s team looks for the biomarkers associated with sleeplessness, Reif believed that experts could be able to come up with non-pharmacological methods as potential ADHD treatment.

Scientists could also prevent the detrimental effects of chronic sleep problems on health.

Other serious illnesses

Despite the recent findings, the researchers stressed that not all ADHD problems are linked to the disruptions of the circadian patterns. But they highlighted that it is a significant factor to consider, EurekAlert! noted.

Apart from ADHD, the study also found that chronic sleep loss could lead to chronic sleep debt that is associated with serious health issues such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. However, experts said the negative effects of Lack Of Sleep in human’s health could be partly preventable by resetting one’s “sleep rhythm.”
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