[Vinmec - Q&A with experts] Number 01: Insomnia topic (Part 3)

Sleep is very important in regulating the body's rhythm of life. When sleeping, the body parts work actively to eliminate harmful toxins from the body, and at the same time provide energy for the coming working days. So how seriously does sleep loss affect health? Below are the answers of Dr. Vinmec on this issue!

The questions were consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long - Psychological Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital.

16: Ms. Nguyen Thi Khue (44 years old, primary school teacher): Hello doctor, my daughter is 18 years old this year, just finished her high school graduation exam. This is an important exam, so I'm also quite hardworking. I often study at night and at night, so I don't go to bed until 2 am every day. Now that I have finished the exam, I still sleep late. My mother reminded me that I had insomnia. I have heard that there are many foods that can be nutritious and help with insomnia. So I want to ask the doctor what to eat to treat insomnia?
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Hello! To treat insomnia, you can refer to some of the following foods:
Food:
Bananas: rich in potassium and magnesium, two substances that help the brain relax and avoid stress. Bananas contain tryptophan, which is converted into serotonin and melatonin, two neurotransmitters, and is released at night to maintain natural sleep. Yogurt is also good for sleep because it contains tryptophan acid. Fish with high protein content and abundant is a good food source for brain health Porridge: Warm, soft, easy to eat, inexpensive, easy to prepare and very nutritious, it is a nutritious and very suitable dish. suitable for patients with insomnia. Spinach (spinach or spinach): Very rich in potassium, which helps improve good sleep. Eggs: Rich in protein. Sleep will be deeper when you provide protein every night. Soy: Especially necessary for women in menopause. Compounds such as natural estrogen found in soy products have been shown to reduce nighttime hot flashes, one of the main causes of sleep loss in this age group. Lotus seeds: In addition to nourishing the body, it also has a sedative effect. Drinks:
Chrysanthemum tea: Used to treat insomnia has been used for a long time, because chrysanthemum contains ingredients and active ingredients that induce sleep. Lotus heart tea is a good drink for sleep. Ginger tea. Artichoke tea helps relax, reduce stress and limit the effects of stress, help eat better and sleep more deeply. In addition to supplementing with foods to treat insomnia, you should encourage your child to change his daily routine: go to bed early, exercise, not eat before going to bed, do not use electronic devices before going to bed. sleep... to improve insomnia. If you have applied the above methods but are not effective, you should take your child to the Department of Internal Medicine - Neurology to be examined and treated by a specialist.

17. Ms. Hoang Thi Ngoc Anh (43 years old, address Cau Dien Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi) Hello doctor, I have a son this year 14 years old. My child is going through puberty, changing a lot psychologically and physiologically, so I am quite worried. Recently I read an article that insomnia can be a sign of mental illness, but especially children are prone to depression during puberty, so it's too much to worry about. My baby really hasn't slept much since about a year ago. Emotions are also volatile. Does my child need to see a psychologist or is it just a normal physiological change? Ask a doctor to help you with long-term insomnia, will you be mentally ill? I thank you very much
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital: If your son has signs of insomnia with headache, dizziness, insomnia, what This can be a manifestation of a certain neurological disease, but insomnia is a warning sign of the disease.Up to 50% of patients with insomnia is related to the problem. However, mental and neurological causes are not many, accounting for only about 10% of cases
Many people have headaches and chronic insomnia but subjectively only take sleeping pills without thinking about it. Insomnia due to depression is very dangerous, causing depression to worsen, even leading to suicide.
Therefore, patients with insomnia should see a doctor with Psychiatrist in case:
Stress - stress, anxiety Depression Pressure at work, pressure in study, conflict in family life Irregular living habits . 18. My friend Nguyen Thanh Nam (Final year student at Foreign Trade University): I greet the doctor. I'm Nam, 24 years old this year. I'm 1.70m tall but weigh only 52kg, a bit thin, so I'm trying to go to the gym to gain weight but I think exercise is also good to treat insomnia because I also have very little sleep. The doctor asked me to go to the gym if I can't sleep and should I exercise at night?
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Hello! People who practice sports regularly will need longer sleep time, and the more intense the exercise, the more sleep you have to sleep. That's because sleep restores energy and restores the body, it plays an important role in restoring your immune and endocrine systems, including the release of male sex hormones. Testosterone and muscle-regenerating hormones travel throughout the body.
Proper diet and rest is the key to having a "standard" body, not just exercise. Muscles and fitness only develop when you eat enough nutrients, drink at least 2-3 liters of water, have a reasonable exercise regimen, and sleep at least 7-8 hours/day.
Without the above conditions, bodybuilding will have the opposite effect, you will be exhausted, muscles will not develop or develop slowly. When you're sleep-deprived, your muscles don't get enough fuel, and you'll use up that little energy quickly during exercise. You can absolutely go to the gym, but with a light level. However, to be able to exercise with more intensity and time to exercise, in the immediate future, you need to change your activity time, nutrition regimen or ask for more support from your doctor to improve your health. improve sleep.

19. My friend Nguyen Minh Ha (26 years old, Viet Hung urban area, Long Bien, Hanoi): I just gave birth to a baby 1 month ago, doctor. My baby steals a good wallet, doesn't disturb. The women kept reminding them to sleep a lot to have milk. But after giving birth, I had insomnia, kept tossing and turning until midnight, so I woke up very tired the next morning. I want to ask the doctor if this postpartum insomnia is dangerous? Do I need treatment or will it go away on its own after a while?
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Insomnia after giving birth can originate from the following causes:
Toss and turn, unable to relax psychologically , because I'm always worried that if I sleep, I won't hear my baby's cry when there is a problem. Failure to adapt to the baby's daily routine, leading to circadian rhythm deviation. External factors such as weather, ambient noise. Psychological instability due to lack of attention and care from loved ones. This can even lead to postpartum depression. If not treated promptly, postpartum insomnia can lead to consequences such as: Long-term postpartum insomnia, making the mother always in a state of fatigue, irritability, and anger; This lack of sleep can affect the hormone that stimulates the secretion of breast milk, which in turn leads to less milk, or loss of milk, and poorer milk quality; In some cases, postpartum insomnia is also the cause of postpartum depression. The mother may even be disgusted with her own child.
To improve insomnia after giving birth, you can apply a number of measures such as:
Share work: Share the work, from taking care of the baby to taking care of the family, don't embrace everything. everything. Take advantage of naps: Short naps, even just relaxing for a few minutes during the day with mom, are essential. You should sleep as soon as your baby sleeps so that you can take care of your baby not only during the day. Insomnia in postpartum mothers is mostly due to changes in daily routines to take care of the baby, fatigue, psychological instability, and more sensitivity. Mothers can adjust their lifestyle, as well as use some herbs and foods to improve sleep.
If trying all methods is not good, the mother after giving birth should consult and guide the doctor for appropriate care.
20. Friend Tran Thi Minh Trang (30 years old, Thuy Nguyen, Hai Phong): Doctor, I've been having trouble sleeping lately. I have a light job, my life is quite comfortable, but I often have insomnia. Lately, I feel like my heart is beating faster, pounding, I'm a little nauseous. I'm so worried, is it dangerous to lose sleep so fast?
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Hello! Sleep is very important in regulating the rhythm of the body. When sleeping, the body's organs work actively to eliminate harmful toxins from the body, and at the same time provide energy for the coming working days.
When we suffer from chronic insomnia, have trouble sleeping, our sleep is not guaranteed, which means disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. The heart is the most affected organ.
Insomnia, fast heartbeat is a sign that our body is having problems and it warns of diseases as follows:
Tachycardia tired is a sign of low blood pressure: Low blood pressure is a symptom of low blood pressure. The body does not receive enough blood to supply motor processes in the body. Then the heart will start to respond by beating more and faster to be able to supply enough blood to the body. Heart palpitations, palpitations when sleeping, limb weakness is a sign of low blood sugar, often manifests as: dizziness, heart palpitations, weak limbs, making it difficult for the patient to sleep. . Besides insomnia, heart palpitations are also caused by many other reasons such as: due to anxiety, thinking a lot, using stimulants that make the body excited, heart beat faster, affecting sleep. Therefore, when there is a phenomenon of insomnia, heart palpitations, it is best to go to a medical facility for examination and timely treatment.

21. Uncle Hoang Van Duc (Le Loi Congress, Lam Son, Thanh Hoa): Hello doctor. I am 58 years old this year. Since three months now I have signs of insomnia, loss of appetite, mental fatigue. At night I only slept 3-4 hours, difficult to fall asleep. I went to bed early, supplemented with good food for sleep, but it didn't work. Besides, I always felt unappetizing, didn't want to eat. Please ask the doctor if insomnia is a sign of disease and what should I check? Thank you.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Frequent sleep disturbances with poor eating habits in adults can lead to rapid weakness, accelerate aging, weaken the immune system, slow recovery from disease and increase the risk of disease, rapid disease recurrence.
Some causes of insomnia and loss of appetite such as: Insomnia and loss of appetite due to physical weakness; Fatigue, anorexia, insomnia due to mental stress; Due to age, loss of sleep and loss of appetite...
In your case, insomnia anorexia may be a manifestation of a number of diseases such as:
Insomnia anorexia is a manifestation of high blood pressure Insomnia anorexia is a manifestation of high blood pressure. gastrointestinal disease, stomach pain Insomnia, loss of appetite, manifestations of kidney failure, Insomnia, anorexia, manifestations of neurological diseases. To have a good night's sleep, you should eat in moderation, stay away from stimulants ; Regular exercise and sports; Supplement vitamins for the body reasonably; General health examination, psychiatric examination... to be able to detect diseases early and treat them promptly.
22. Friend Nguyen Xuan Vinh (41 years old, Nam Tu Liem, Hanoi): Since entering my fifties, I often have insomnia, difficulty falling asleep, not sleeping well, or waking up. This situation has lasted for about four months now, making me feel very tired, irritable, and in poor health. Ask the doctor to advise what is the symptom of insomnia and where should I go to see a doctor? Thank you.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Hello. The average person has an average sleep time of about 7-8 hours per night, or can range from 4-11 hours. A quality sleep is to meet basic requirements such as: enough hours, deep enough and importantly, feeling healthy and awake when you wake up...
Regarding the question "is insomnia a symptom of What disease? ”: If you have long-term insomnia that doesn’t go away, it could be chronic insomnia. The cause of chronic insomnia can be because the patient has a health problem or has some of the following diseases:
Allergies: There are allergens in the air that cause inflammation of the nasal passages and irritation. production of substances that cause nasal congestion. These symptoms occur both during the day and at night and can severely disrupt sleep, causing insomnia.
Arthritis: People with arthritis have trouble sleeping. Arthritis and sleep create a vicious cycle, because the disease causes inflammation and anxiety, making it difficult for people to sleep... A lack of sleep can also increase arthritis symptoms and cause pain.
Heart disease: Coronary artery disease and other heart and lung related problems are also causes of insomnia.
Thyroid problems: An overactive thyroid gland speeds up the body's other metabolic functions, makes the person feel restless and energetic, and interferes with their ability to relax and sink. into sleep.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: This is one of the leading causes of insomnia for people between the ages of 45 and 64. Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease are heartburn, coughing and choking. when lying down. Other symptoms include gingivitis, sore throat, belching, and bad breath. It is these symptoms that cause insomnia.
Hormonal changes: The average age in postmenopausal women is 50 years old. At this stage, hormonal changes can prevent women from getting a good night's sleep.
In addition, chronic insomnia may be associated with a number of psychiatric conditions such as: depression, mania, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, addiction (alcohol and drug substances). opium) schizophrenia, dementia.
Other sleep-related diseases such as: sleep apnea, nightmares, sleepwalking, panic attacks in sleep ... also cause insomnia.
Treatment of insomnia is mainly about treating the symptoms. If the cause of insomnia can be identified, then add treatment to the cause. In order to make a definitive diagnosis and prescribe treatment, the patient needs a consultation and opinion of a doctor. The principles of treatment of insomnia are as follows: Eliminate the subjective causes of insomnia; Drug treatment; Treatment with psychotherapy...

23. Friend Nguyen Thi Ha Trang (32 years old, email address Hatrang109...@gmail.com) Doctor, is the dream due to poor and bad sleep? Since about four months now, I often have difficulty falling asleep (sometimes I lie in bed for more than 30 minutes before I can fall asleep) and I often wake up from dreams, so I wake up quite tired. Please ask the doctor that not sleeping deeply can be a symptom of what disease and how to fix it? Thank you.
Master, Doctor Nguyen Thanh Long (Psychiatric Clinic - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital): Hello! A good and quality sleep needs to meet the following factors: Sufficient quantity: 6-8 hours/day; Quality assurance: wake up feeling awake, refreshed, healthy no longer feeling tired, high work productivity, no nightmares while sleeping.
When there is a lack of quality and quantity of sleep, it is diagnosed as a sleep disorder, insomnia, or poor sleep. Inadequate sleep can be a manifestation of diseases such as:
General diseases: joint disease, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, stomach ... Due to mental illness: depression, mania, anxiety disorders anxiety, dementia... Declining hormones in the body can also cause sleepless nights. To overcome poor sleep, you can refer to the following planner:
Establish a daily sleep routine and maintain it Write down everything you need to do the next day to help you lighten your head and help mental relaxation Don't eat foods that make it difficult to sleep before going to bed Turn off the TV, phones and computers before bed Stop working at least 1 hour before bed to help the brain move sleep-ready mode Go to bed on time. Psychological examination, general health examination with a specialist. 24. Friend Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu (Email address: happyhmuhmuhmu@gmail.com): I have a history of insomnia. History: Having trouble sleeping since the age of 14, many times had to take sleeping pills (now 21 years old) reduced in 10th and 11th grade but in 12th grade again had insomnia, recently for about 2 months now, it has been very severe. I couldn't sleep at night, I was taking tomato medicine at 9pm, my condition improved, but I still slept very little for about 3 hours. Symptoms: Difficulty falling asleep, tired when waking up, sleepy but still unable to fall asleep.
Doctor CKII Pham Thi Son: When you are at the age of craving for food and sleep, you have insomnia. Did you experience any stress at that time? When you are in 12th grade, you still have trouble sleeping, are you under exam pressure?...... So you should go to the doctor, the direct communication between the doctor and the patient will help the doctor understand the problem. your problem and from there will create for you the most optimal treatment plan. With the current condition, you only have to take 1 medicine and sleep 3 hours a night, so your insomnia responds to treatment, you should not be too worried, the doctor will adjust your prescription so that you Sleep about 6-7 hours per night.
Readers' questions continue to be answered by the doctor in the next section.