HOW PAIN, STRESS AND MEDICATION AFFECT SLEEP

The sensation of pain is very powerful and affects the normal process of sleep. When you’re in pain, it can be difficult to sleep due to the constant stimulation of your nervous system. Billions of dollars have been spent trying to control pain to allow someone to receive a normal night’s sleep. Significant numbers of individuals attempt to self-medicate or mix medications in an attempt to achieve sleep, which can have dangerous consequences.

When we sleep, our body breaks down various chemicals and forms a major sleep chemical known as serotonin. The activity of serotonin can be blocked by high levels of cortisol. Our bodies produce cortisol in direct relationship to the amount of stress we are under. Cortisol works as a very slow adrenaline and its presence will elevate the heart rate and mental alertness at all times of the day and night.

Prozac is a commonly prescribed anti-depressant drug that works by making your nerves more sensitive to serotonin. Many doctors will prescribe antidepressants long-term, which can lead to a hypersensitivity to serotonin. This is scientifically called serotonin syndrome, symptoms of which include changes in mental status (confusion, agitation, mania, anxiety, coma), cardiovascular dysfunction (irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure), gastrointestinal problems (nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, excessive appetite, cravings), movement problems (muscle spasms, muscle rigidity, restlessness, tremors, shaking, lack of coordination, shivering, seizures), dry mouth, unusual sweating and flu symptoms, just to mention a few. These symptoms will definitely not help you sleep; in fact, they will likely do just the opposite.

Source: Dr. David Ryan