How Does Insomnia Have A Negative Affect On An Individual's Health
Does Insomnia Have a Negative Affect on an Individual’s Health?
Daina Whitehead, 0807887
University of Guelph
PSYC 2360
Dr. M. Gloria Gonzales-Morales
Abstract
Surveys were sent out to 2600 people that are apparently suffering from some form of insomnia. The surveys asked how many hours the participant slept as well as a series of health related questions regarding their mental and physical state. The answers were assessed to see if there was any sort of relationship between insomnia and health issues. There was reasonable proof that insomnia was negatively correlated with physical health, but there was no substantial proof that sleep deprivation is related to mental illness.
Does Insomnia Have a Negative Affect on an Individual’s Health?
“I 've always envied people who sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of the skull well swept, all the little monsters closed up in a steamer trunk at the foot of the bed.” (Benioff, 2008). Roughly 15% of the population suffers from insomnia, …show more content…
which is a sleep disorder that causes the individual to have frequent awakenings throughout the night or have difficulties falling asleep (Merrigan et al, 2013). Many studies have been conducted in the past to see if insomnia has an impact on a person’s health. The health of an individual has many dynamics, including their mental and physical wellbeing. A person needs sleep in order to for their body to function properly. Seeing as sleep is so vital to one’s survival, one would think that doctors pay close attention to whether or not their patient is suffering from insomnia. Unfortunately this is not the case, and insomnia is often over looked when a diagnosis is being determined (Morin and Benca, 2012).
The body literally cannot survive without sleep. The average person can stay awake for eleven days before their body will begin to shut down and they will ultimately die. There have been cases in the past where individuals suffering from extreme insomnia experience organ failure as a result of lack of sleep. Less extreme cases of sleep deprivation may cause the individual to have joint and muscle pain, headaches, and nausea (Morin and Benca, 2012). Anybody that has ever had a restless night can tell you that the next day they are not feeling 100%. Now imagine having numerous consecutive sleepless nights. Putting that into perspective, it is understandable why their body might not function properly.
Many past studies have been conducted to see if insomnia has an effect on one’s mental state. Most studies have found that there is a fairly strong correlation between insomnia and mental illnesses. Researchers in the past have found that those that have more severe insomnia often have bipolar disorder and anxiety issues. For those whose cases are not as serious may experience fatigue, mood swings, and have difficulties remaining attentive (Morin and Benca, 2012). Some people believe that insomnia may be what is causing mental disorders, while others think that it is the mental conditions that are bringing on the insomnia. For instance, if a person is experiencing anxiety and sleep deprivation, it is difficult to tell if they are anxious because they are unable to sleep, or if their anxiety is causing their insomnia. Inability to sleep is also associated with other mental illnesses such as depression and stress. Unfortunately, because insomnia is so often overlooked, the root of their problem may be ignored. If a patient is being treated for anxiety that has been brought on by the insomnia, doctors will often only treat the anxiety, ignoring the cause of the problem. Often, if insomnia goes untreated, it can result in more serious conditions and require medical assistance (Robotham, 2011). Previous research shows that insomnia is often associated with an individual health. A variety of studies have been conducted that have found a correlation between sleep deprivation and health. There appears to be a relationship between somebody’s mental state and insomnia as well as a relationship between insomnia and a person’s physical health. With this information available, it is fair to say that insomnia is positively correlated with mental conditions and negatively correlated with one’s physical wellbeing.
Method
Participants
The participants for this investigation were selected from all over Canada. Within largely populated areas, such as major cities, booths were set up asking individuals that had been experiencing insomnia to participate in the study. They were asked to write down their name, age and email address. All participants were to be between the ages 18 and 50. There were 20 booths set up within each province and territory, making a total of 260 booths. These booths were found within and around hospitals and health centers. They were set up from March 20th, 2013 to March 27th, 2013. From each booth, ten people were randomly selected using a simple random sample. Five of the people were male and the other five were female. In total, 2600 people participated in the study. Socio-economic status varied among the participants.
Materials and Apparatus
Those who were selected to participate in the study were sent a survey to fill out and send back to the researchers. They were asked a variety of questions that required specific types of responses. The survey consisted of twenty questions. The first three were basic information questions set up in a multiple-choice/numerical format: gender (M/F), age (18-21, 22-25, etc.), and marital status (single, married, divorced, etc.). The next four questions were also multiple-choice/numerical questions that asked the individual how many hours a night they sleep (0-3 hours, 4-7 hours, etc.). They were asked how many hours they sleep on an average weekday and weekend, special occasions, and when they are feeling ill. The next four questions asked how, on average, they felt in the morning regarding their physical and mental state. These questions were answered by rating how they felt on a scale of one to ten, one being very negative, and ten being very positive. The following four questions go more in depth with their mental state, asking if they are anxious, depressed, etc. They open-ended, allowing the participant to answer freely. They are giving a space to fill in their reply. The proceeding four questions went more into detail regarding their physical state. These questions were also set up in an open-ended manner. They were asked if they experience aching muscles, medical issues, etc. The final question asked if they had ever received a medical diagnosis confirming that they are suffering from insomnia. This question was set up as a multiple-choice/categorical question, with the only options being yes or no.
Procedure
The individuals that were randomly selected to fill out the questionnaire were sent the survey via email. They were given thirty days to fill it out and send it back to the researcher. This allowed them to answer the questions in the comfort of their own home and at a time that suited their schedule.
Discussion
This study was conducted to see if there is a correlation between insomnia and an individual’s health.
The generally findings of this study confirmed that there is a negative correlation between insomnia and a persons physical well-being, but did not provide reasonable proof that there is a positive correlation between mental illnesses and insomnia. The surveys revealed that those that did not have a reasonable amount of sleep often felt physically restricted the following day, worsening with each sleepless night. The correlation found between physical health was very strong, having an r-value of 0.7. When participants were asked about their mental state, however, the answers varied. Many claimed that they felt irritable the next day, but not many of them claimed to have any sort of mental disorder, such as anxiety or
depression.
These results appear to be different from past research. Though we did find that there is a correlation between physical health and insomnia, we could not identify one between mental health and insomnia. Many past studies found that there was a relationship with sleep deprivation and mental health. There could be many reasons for this. One reason being that people may be more likely to seek medical attention regarding their physical health as opposed to their mental health. Another possibility could be that mental health is more difficult to asses, making it difficult to determine if a person does have a mental illness or not. Different doctors may also have different standards for what is defined as mental illness and what is not.
There were a few limitations with this study. This study achieved its information via survey, which poses a risk for response bias; only those that were interested in answering the survey would answer it. This means that some of the population may be under-represented. Also, because the participants were found in or around health facilities, those that did not seek out medical help would be excluded from the survey. As mentioned above, insomnia is often overlooked, which means that many people, regardless of whether they saw one of the booths to participate, they may believe that they do not have insomnia because they never received a medical diagnosis. Some people also diagnose themselves, and believe that they have insomnia when they do not. Some ways to improve on these issues could be to set booths up in a larger variety of places to reach more of the population, or to provide some sort of incentive that will bring in more people to participate in the survey.
This study will help pave the way for future research and investigations. Because our results varied from results found in the past provides evidence that we are still not certain on what results from having insomnia. In future studies, perhaps the investigators could bring the focus in on mental illness and insomnia, and attempt to see if there is or isn’t a relationship present. They may also look into what mental illnesses are more likely to occur in insomnia patients.
Insomnia affects a very large amount of the population. About 15% of the population experiences sleep deprivation. Sleep not only affects how we feel during the day, but is also vital to our survival. Seeing that sleep is so important and such a large number of people suffer from insomnia, it is apparent that more research is necessary to better understand how lack of sleep affects an individual’s health.
References
Merrigan, J., Buysse, D., Bird, J., & Livingston, E. (2013, February 20). Insomnia. The Journal of the American Medical Association. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://jama.jamanetwork.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/article.aspx?articleid=1653524
Morin, C., & Benca, R. (2012, April 21). Chronic Insomnia. The Lancet. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/science/article/pii/S0140673611607502
Roborham, D. (n.d.). Sleep as a public health concern: insomnia and mental health. ProQuest . Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://search.proquest.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/docview/915054341?accountid=11233
Benioff, D. (2008). City of thieves: a novel. New York, N.Y.: Viking.
Daina Whitehead, 0807887
University of Guelph
PSYC 2360
Dr. M. Gloria Gonzales-Morales
Abstract
Surveys were sent out to 2600 people that are apparently suffering from some form of insomnia. The surveys asked how many hours the participant slept as well as a series of health related questions regarding their mental and physical state. The answers were assessed to see if there was any sort of relationship between insomnia and health issues. There was reasonable proof that insomnia was negatively correlated with physical health, but there was no substantial proof that sleep deprivation is related to mental illness.
Does Insomnia Have a Negative Affect on an Individual’s Health?
“I 've always envied people who sleep easily. Their brains must be cleaner, the floorboards of the skull well swept, all the little monsters closed up in a steamer trunk at the foot of the bed.” (Benioff, 2008). Roughly 15% of the population suffers from insomnia, …show more content…
which is a sleep disorder that causes the individual to have frequent awakenings throughout the night or have difficulties falling asleep (Merrigan et al, 2013). Many studies have been conducted in the past to see if insomnia has an impact on a person’s health. The health of an individual has many dynamics, including their mental and physical wellbeing. A person needs sleep in order to for their body to function properly. Seeing as sleep is so vital to one’s survival, one would think that doctors pay close attention to whether or not their patient is suffering from insomnia. Unfortunately this is not the case, and insomnia is often over looked when a diagnosis is being determined (Morin and Benca, 2012).
The body literally cannot survive without sleep. The average person can stay awake for eleven days before their body will begin to shut down and they will ultimately die. There have been cases in the past where individuals suffering from extreme insomnia experience organ failure as a result of lack of sleep. Less extreme cases of sleep deprivation may cause the individual to have joint and muscle pain, headaches, and nausea (Morin and Benca, 2012). Anybody that has ever had a restless night can tell you that the next day they are not feeling 100%. Now imagine having numerous consecutive sleepless nights. Putting that into perspective, it is understandable why their body might not function properly.
Many past studies have been conducted to see if insomnia has an effect on one’s mental state. Most studies have found that there is a fairly strong correlation between insomnia and mental illnesses. Researchers in the past have found that those that have more severe insomnia often have bipolar disorder and anxiety issues. For those whose cases are not as serious may experience fatigue, mood swings, and have difficulties remaining attentive (Morin and Benca, 2012). Some people believe that insomnia may be what is causing mental disorders, while others think that it is the mental conditions that are bringing on the insomnia. For instance, if a person is experiencing anxiety and sleep deprivation, it is difficult to tell if they are anxious because they are unable to sleep, or if their anxiety is causing their insomnia. Inability to sleep is also associated with other mental illnesses such as depression and stress. Unfortunately, because insomnia is so often overlooked, the root of their problem may be ignored. If a patient is being treated for anxiety that has been brought on by the insomnia, doctors will often only treat the anxiety, ignoring the cause of the problem. Often, if insomnia goes untreated, it can result in more serious conditions and require medical assistance (Robotham, 2011). Previous research shows that insomnia is often associated with an individual health. A variety of studies have been conducted that have found a correlation between sleep deprivation and health. There appears to be a relationship between somebody’s mental state and insomnia as well as a relationship between insomnia and a person’s physical health. With this information available, it is fair to say that insomnia is positively correlated with mental conditions and negatively correlated with one’s physical wellbeing.
Method
Participants
The participants for this investigation were selected from all over Canada. Within largely populated areas, such as major cities, booths were set up asking individuals that had been experiencing insomnia to participate in the study. They were asked to write down their name, age and email address. All participants were to be between the ages 18 and 50. There were 20 booths set up within each province and territory, making a total of 260 booths. These booths were found within and around hospitals and health centers. They were set up from March 20th, 2013 to March 27th, 2013. From each booth, ten people were randomly selected using a simple random sample. Five of the people were male and the other five were female. In total, 2600 people participated in the study. Socio-economic status varied among the participants.
Materials and Apparatus
Those who were selected to participate in the study were sent a survey to fill out and send back to the researchers. They were asked a variety of questions that required specific types of responses. The survey consisted of twenty questions. The first three were basic information questions set up in a multiple-choice/numerical format: gender (M/F), age (18-21, 22-25, etc.), and marital status (single, married, divorced, etc.). The next four questions were also multiple-choice/numerical questions that asked the individual how many hours a night they sleep (0-3 hours, 4-7 hours, etc.). They were asked how many hours they sleep on an average weekday and weekend, special occasions, and when they are feeling ill. The next four questions asked how, on average, they felt in the morning regarding their physical and mental state. These questions were answered by rating how they felt on a scale of one to ten, one being very negative, and ten being very positive. The following four questions go more in depth with their mental state, asking if they are anxious, depressed, etc. They open-ended, allowing the participant to answer freely. They are giving a space to fill in their reply. The proceeding four questions went more into detail regarding their physical state. These questions were also set up in an open-ended manner. They were asked if they experience aching muscles, medical issues, etc. The final question asked if they had ever received a medical diagnosis confirming that they are suffering from insomnia. This question was set up as a multiple-choice/categorical question, with the only options being yes or no.
Procedure
The individuals that were randomly selected to fill out the questionnaire were sent the survey via email. They were given thirty days to fill it out and send it back to the researcher. This allowed them to answer the questions in the comfort of their own home and at a time that suited their schedule.
Discussion
This study was conducted to see if there is a correlation between insomnia and an individual’s health.
The generally findings of this study confirmed that there is a negative correlation between insomnia and a persons physical well-being, but did not provide reasonable proof that there is a positive correlation between mental illnesses and insomnia. The surveys revealed that those that did not have a reasonable amount of sleep often felt physically restricted the following day, worsening with each sleepless night. The correlation found between physical health was very strong, having an r-value of 0.7. When participants were asked about their mental state, however, the answers varied. Many claimed that they felt irritable the next day, but not many of them claimed to have any sort of mental disorder, such as anxiety or
depression.
These results appear to be different from past research. Though we did find that there is a correlation between physical health and insomnia, we could not identify one between mental health and insomnia. Many past studies found that there was a relationship with sleep deprivation and mental health. There could be many reasons for this. One reason being that people may be more likely to seek medical attention regarding their physical health as opposed to their mental health. Another possibility could be that mental health is more difficult to asses, making it difficult to determine if a person does have a mental illness or not. Different doctors may also have different standards for what is defined as mental illness and what is not.
There were a few limitations with this study. This study achieved its information via survey, which poses a risk for response bias; only those that were interested in answering the survey would answer it. This means that some of the population may be under-represented. Also, because the participants were found in or around health facilities, those that did not seek out medical help would be excluded from the survey. As mentioned above, insomnia is often overlooked, which means that many people, regardless of whether they saw one of the booths to participate, they may believe that they do not have insomnia because they never received a medical diagnosis. Some people also diagnose themselves, and believe that they have insomnia when they do not. Some ways to improve on these issues could be to set booths up in a larger variety of places to reach more of the population, or to provide some sort of incentive that will bring in more people to participate in the survey.
This study will help pave the way for future research and investigations. Because our results varied from results found in the past provides evidence that we are still not certain on what results from having insomnia. In future studies, perhaps the investigators could bring the focus in on mental illness and insomnia, and attempt to see if there is or isn’t a relationship present. They may also look into what mental illnesses are more likely to occur in insomnia patients.
Insomnia affects a very large amount of the population. About 15% of the population experiences sleep deprivation. Sleep not only affects how we feel during the day, but is also vital to our survival. Seeing that sleep is so important and such a large number of people suffer from insomnia, it is apparent that more research is necessary to better understand how lack of sleep affects an individual’s health.
References
Merrigan, J., Buysse, D., Bird, J., & Livingston, E. (2013, February 20). Insomnia. The Journal of the American Medical Association. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://jama.jamanetwork.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/article.aspx?articleid=1653524
Morin, C., & Benca, R. (2012, April 21). Chronic Insomnia. The Lancet. Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://www.sciencedirect.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/science/article/pii/S0140673611607502
Roborham, D. (n.d.). Sleep as a public health concern: insomnia and mental health. ProQuest . Retrieved October 9, 2013, from http://search.proquest.com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/docview/915054341?accountid=11233
Benioff, D. (2008). City of thieves: a novel. New York, N.Y.: Viking.