Scientists identify a group of people who is much harder to fall asleep: what's the reason
Scientists named a disease that can cause sleep problems (photo: freepik.com)
Many people around the world have trouble sleeping. Often it is related to weather conditions or stress. Sometimes insomnia comes on sporadically, and some people have sleep problems that last for months or years. Scientists in a new study have identified a group of people who find it much harder to fall asleep than others. The details are described in an article on Science.
What the new study is about
According to scientists, a new study has shown that sleep problems can occur more often in people with cardiovascular disease due to damage to a group of nerves that regulate the heart and brain.
It turned out that heart disease disrupts the production of the sleep hormone melatonin in the brain by damaging a group of nerves that innervate or connect to the upper cervical node.
These nerves are part of the autonomic system that regulates involuntary processes in the body, such as breathing and heart rate.
And since the nerves from the node connect to both the heart and the pineal gland (a small structure in the brain responsible for melatonin production), heart problems may explain why melatonin production in the body aggravates.
In addition, insomnia is one of the most common side effects of heart disease. Up to 73% of patients with heart failure suffer from various sleep disorders.
How the study was conducted
Biologists analyzed brain tissue samples from dead people and patients with or without heart disease.
The analysis showed a decrease in the number of nerve fibers or axons in the node in people with heart disease compared to the control group of healthy hearts.
This material is for informational purposes only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or self-treatment. Our goal is to provide readers with accurate information about symptoms, causes, and methods of detecting diseases. RBС-Ukraine is not responsible for any diagnoses that readers may make based on materials from the resource. We do not recommend self-treatment and advise consulting a doctor in case of any health concerns.
