The Impact of Insomnia on Health and Memory - Literature review Example

The Impact of Insomnia on Health and Memory Affiliation The Impact of Insomnia on Health and Memory The effects of Insomnia on Memory The lack of adequate sleep minimizes the mental abilities of a person. Elongated cases of insomnia increase the inability of the normal functioning of the brain. For this reason, the ability of a person to retain information and knowledge is massively affected. Long or short-term memory loss is an effect of insomnia. The study In the study by Kelly (2013), the author tends to provide an understanding on the effect on insomnia on the ability of a person to retain stress. The purpose of the study is to provide an analysis on the extent at which insomnia affects the memory. The research hypothesis is that sleep deprivation exposes a person to memory loss. The participants of the study are veterans. 135 veterans took part in the research. 94% of the correspondents were male between the ages of 21 and 88. Majority of the participants are Caucasian with 63%. Other correspondents were African Americas, Hispanics and other races at an average of 3%. 28% declined to respond (Kelly, 2013). All the participants have at least 18years of education (Kelly, 2013). The selection of the participants is based on that veterans are required to be in top-form in regards to their mental abilities. In addition, veterans are not able to get enough sleep while on duty thus exposing them to sleep deprivation risks. The independent variable is the lack of total sleep or enough sleep which affect the dependent variable of poor memory or memory loss. The research was done by analyzing the sleep behavior of the veteran and then relating it to their cognitive behavior. Firstly, the sleep disturbance level of the veteran is analyzed. This includes sleep disturbance as caused by duty requirement, lack of sleep or other natural causes. The psychological distress of the veterans was then measured. This evaluated their interest in their work, depression level, mood and interest. The cognition of the correspondent was then measured. The evaluation was done on the executive abilities, language, attention, memory, orientation and abstraction. Specifically, the memory evaluation was done to understand the cognitive ability of the participant to recall information of knowledge. The veterans were required to remember five words they learned after a short period of time (Kelly, 2013). In regards to memory, results were compared to the distress levels of the veterans. Lack of sleep was highly associated with stress level in the veterans. Consequently, veterans with high stress levels showed the inability to recall the words provided within a short period time. However, veterans with insomnia and less stress levels did not depict significant or notable memory loss (Kelly, 2013). The research develops the conclusion that the lack of sleep increases the distress level in people. In addition, sleep deprivation increased the inability to recall information and knowledge provided to them. Consequently, insomnia affects the ability of a person to retain information provided to them within a short a period time (Kelly, 2013). This is majorly causes by the increased level of depression, abstraction and poor concentration. Discussion From the study it is accurate to assert that insomnia has a massive on the memory ability of a person. However, the condition is not directly linked to memory loss. In an argument by Krystal (2012) insomnia relation to memory loss to connected to its influence on depression, lack of interest, concentration and abstraction. The author further asserts that sleep deprivation affects the mental ability of a person to cope with their daily requirements (Krystal, 2012). Memory is a daily cognitive demand which requires the mental ability of a person to be exceptional. In addition, memory of a person is directly influenced by their motivation to recall a particular piece of information. For this reason, demotivation caused by lack of sleep increases the inability of a person to recall or sustain memory on a particular subject. The same argument is provided by Smith, Gildeh & Holmes (2007) who indirectly links insomnia to poor memory. The author cites memory as a cognitive ability dependent on concentration, motivation and interest (Smith, Gildeh & Holmes, 2007). The three highlighted factors are directly affected by the lack of sleep. Consequently, insomnia is able to affect the ability of a person to retain memory. Conclusively, the impact of insomnia on memory is significant. The condition indirectly causes memory loss due to its influence on motivation, concentration and interest. The Impact of Insomnia on Health In the study by Schutte-Rodin et.al (2008) insomnia is cited as major health risk. The purpose of the stud is to analyze the health effects of insomnia on those affected by the condition. The study also focuses on providing treatment specifications to nurses on how to effectively treat he conditions. The study is based on the research hypothesis that insomnia is major health problem with significant health effects on those affected. The study focuses on the use of any participants that have been affected by the condition. However, most participants are adults who constitute of 33%-50% of all participants (Schutte-Rodin et.al, 2008). A participant is selected after they complain of sleep deprivation. The selection of the participant is based on that insomnia affects people of any demography. The independent variable is lack of sleep and difficulties to maximization of the designated sleeping hours. The dependent variables are the health effects caused by insomnia. The study was done by monitoring the ability of a person to sleep all through an entire night. Participants are selected after citing sleeping depreciation. They were then required to record the pre-sleep activities. In addition, the sleeping time of the participant is recorded. After each result is provided, the mental and the physical condition of the patient are measured and the problems identified. To identify the problem, a patient is required to provide an evaluation on their daytime activities. This is also done to evaluate the activity level of the participant. From the study, the results depicted that people suffering from insomnia suffered from extreme daytime fatigue. In addition, almost 60% of participants suffered from stress and lack of concentration (Schutte-Rodin et.al, 2008). In extreme cases, insomnia causes psychotic and amnestic disorders. Mild effects on the participants included mood and anxiety disorders. In adolescents, attention deficit disorders are most rampant. In the same age group, personality disorders, bereavements, adjustment disorders and stress were rampant. In addition, the results also depicted the ability of the patient to sleep reverses these effects significantly. The authors develop the conclusion that sleep deprivation is a major health risk. Adults are the most affected with up to 50% of the participants. In numerous cases, lack of sleep is influenced by behavior of the patient prior to sleep. In addressing the problem, the behavior of the patient before they sleep should be analyzed. In an argument by Schutte-Rodin et.al (2008) the effects of insomnia are more mental or cognitive. Patients often suffer from psychological and metal disorders. These effects are mild in primary insomnia but escalation of the problem may have serious health risks on the affected. Discussion From the study it is accurate that insomnia has vast health effects. In an argument by Todd, Conroy & Aloia (2006) insomnia is a great cause of psychological and cognitive health risks. The authors further point out that this is based on the fact that the human body and mind greatly relies on sleep to increase its activity level (Todd, Conroy & Aloia, 2006). The ability of the mind to rest enables a person cope with daily challenges. This may explain the fact that insomnia affects cognitive abilities of the patient. Minus the cognitive ability of a person, the health is mostly affected since the body not enabled to cope with the cognitive requirements. For instance, most insomnia patients suffer from stress, personality disorders and the inability to make sound decisions. Waters & Bucks (2011) depict the indirect medical causes of insomnia as caused by cognitive health problems. The authors are of the assumption that the cognitive and psychological inability of a person increases their inability to make sound health decisions (Waters & Bucks, 2011). For instance, insomnia patients suffer from daytime fatigue which decreases their efficiency in normal body functioning. A person may not be able to operate machinery increasing their physical health risks when taking part in physical activities. In an example, an insomnia patient is mostly likely to be involved in a car accident than a healthy person. From the information provided and study conducted, it is accurate to assert that insomnia exposes patients to numerous health risks. The health risks associated of insomnia are mostly psychological and cognitive. This is based on that insomnia affects the activity level of the brain. Lack of sleep depletes the ability of the brain to function to support the body requirements. Conclusively, insomnia is a great health risk as the affected suffer from psychological and cognitive disorders. References Kelly, D. (2013). The Effects of Insomnia and Distress and Cognition. Pdf. Retrieved from http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/98921/danaak.pdf?sequence=1 Krystal, D. (2012). Psychiatric Disorders and Sleep. Neurologic Clinics, 30, (4): 1389-1413. http://www.neurologic.theclinics.com/article/S0733-8619%2812%2900059-X/abstract Schutte-Rodin, S., Broch, L., Buysse, D., Dorsey, C & Sateia, M. (2008). Clinical Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Insomnia in Adults. J Clin Sleep Med, 4, (5): 487-504. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2576317/ Smith, T., Gildeh, N., & Holmes, C. (2007). The Montreal Cognitive Assessment: Validity and utility in a memory clinic setting. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 52 (5), 329-332. http://www.stvincents.ie/dynamic/File/Montreal_reference.pdf Todd, A., Conroy, D. & Aloia, M. (2006). Evaluation of Insomnia Patients. Sleep Med Clin, 1, 319-332. http://www.sleep.theclinics.com/article/S1556-407X%2806%2900059-2/abstract Waters, F., & Bucks, S. (2011). Neuropsychological effects of sleep loss: Implication for neuropsychologists. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 17 (4), 571-586. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB4QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fprofile%2FRomola_Bucks2%2Fpublication%2F51110003_Neuropsychological_Effects_of_Sleep_Loss_Implication_for_Neuropsychologists%2Flinks%2F0912f50b2b525645e5000000.pdf&ei=P60qVfD5FcL8ygPGnYG4CA&usg=AFQjCNG1pPigcaIvhkDfOGDGDOthotXC2Q&sig2=WMcUNm9qyR3kZFUhqmB7MA&bvm=bv.90491159,d.bGQ Read More