Beware! There are multiple disease signals hidden behind these three major sleep problems!

In my sleep, I was awakened by the pain of calf cramps; sometimes, I was even woken up by my own snoring; even if I fell asleep peacefully, I always woke up inexplicably in the middle of the night...

Sleep is the time for our bodies to repair themselves. When these "sleep episodes" last for a long time, the body cannot get enough rest, and problems such as poor energy and memory, and emotional instability arise.

In addition to these common consequences, there are actually more disease signals hidden behind sleep problems...

01

Leg cramps while sleeping

Not necessarily calcium deficiency

Many people have experienced calf cramps while sleeping, and the first reaction is usually that the body lacks calcium.

Especially as we age, calcium is lost and the absorption capacity weakens. When the calcium ion concentration in the blood remains at a low level, slight stimulation such as fatigue or cold can easily cause leg cramps.

However, calcium deficiency is not the only factor causing calf cramps. It may also be related to blood vessel blockage and lesions.

Cramps while sleeping are also called nocturnal leg cramps. When you stay in the same sleeping position for a long time, the veins in the legs are compressed, affecting blood return, and muscle cramps may occur in the calves, feet or thighs.

The Vascular Surgery Group of the Chinese Medical Association's Surgery Branch pointed out that when venous return is severely obstructed, severe deep vein thrombosis of the lower extremities may occur, which may lead to lower extremity swelling and pain, accompanied by elevated body temperature and heart rate. If not treated promptly, shock and venous gangrene may occur. [1]

In addition, leg cramps may also be related to lower extremity arteriosclerosis obliterans, a disease that can easily cause lower extremity pain and coldness, and its incidence in the middle-aged and elderly population is increasing year by year. [2]

If you only have occasional calf cramps, you can take temporary measures to relieve the pain.

1. Perform calf stretches in place

Stand with your feet flat on the ground, bend your front knee forward while keeping your back knee straight, hold this position for 30 seconds, feel the stretch in your calf muscles, and repeat;

Image source: Reference [3]

Sit on the bed with your legs straight, wrap a towel or resistance band around the soles of your feet and hold both ends, bend your toes toward your torso, straighten your knees and feel the stretch in your calf muscles, hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat.

Image source: Reference [3]

2. Use hot water to rinse the cramped area to relieve the muscles

If conditions permit, you can perform a simple massage on your calf muscles with the help of your family. This will last for a few minutes to relieve the pain caused by cramps.

Image source: Reference [4]

3. When you fall asleep again, you can put a pillow under your feet to help blood circulation

After excluding other underlying diseases, if leg cramps still occur frequently during sleep at night, you can go to the hospital to check whether calcium supplements are needed and whether there are any lesions in the blood circulation or blood vessels.

02

Snoring while sleeping

Doesn't necessarily mean a good sleep

The fundamental reason for snoring while sleeping is that the relaxation of muscles throughout the body causes the respiratory tract to narrow, making the originally smooth airflow become agitated, thereby causing vibrations at both ends of the throat.

The snoring sounds of different people are also varied, some are weak and gentle, and some are deafening, but there is a kind of snoring sound that is called "fatal snoring": interrupted snoring. That is, breathing stops for a few seconds or even tens of seconds during sleep, which is medically called obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome, referred to as OSAHS.

In one study of the global prevalence of OSAHS, 936 million adults aged 30 to 69 years had mild to severe OSAHS. [5]

If not detected early, it may cause damage to various organs in the body and induce a variety of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, arrhythmia, and atherosclerosis.[6]

In addition to some people who are naturally narrow in the nose, oropharynx and laryngeal cavity and are prone to snoring, if obese people snore frequently, special attention should be paid.

Because fat deposits narrow the throat and shift the tongue upward and backward, reducing the space for air to flow through the upper airway, sleep apnea events are more likely to occur, especially if you sleep in a supine position.

Studies have shown that for every 10% increase in body weight, the risk of developing moderate to severe OSAHS increases sixfold.[7]

Changes in upper airway space for the same man at different weights. Image source: Reference [7]

If sleep apnea events occur more and more frequently, and you often experience repeated cycles of being forced to wake up and fall asleep again during the night, do not take it lightly. You should go to an ENT department or sleep center for a check-up in time.

03

Always "wake up naturally" in the middle of the night

Not necessarily enough sleep

In medical research, "early awakening insomnia" is often closely related to depression and may even be a precursor to depression.

When depression strikes, plasma melatonin levels drop. [8] The excitement that is suppressed during the day is released at night, resulting in symptoms such as shortened sleep time and frequent awakenings at night, which directly affects sleep quality. [9]

In addition, in today's increasingly stressful life, many people are troubled by excessive dreams when sleeping. The common causes of excessive dreams are usually the following.

1. The nervous fatigue and tension caused by a lot of mental work are difficult to dissipate at night.

2. Incorrect sleeping posture causes compression of the heart or local muscles, causing the muscles to be in a state of tension and spasm, affecting breathing.

3. Some unexpected events in life trigger the body's stress state, leading to insomnia and nightmares.

4. Consumption of stimulant substances such as alcohol, tobacco, coffee, etc.

Whether it is caused by mental illness or external environmental disturbances, if these sleep problems persist for more than a month and are not relieved, they may become a major problem. [10]

If the body does not get enough rest, the more sleep one gets, the more tired one becomes. This leads to problems such as fatigue, anxiety, memory loss, and strained interpersonal relationships, which enter a vicious cycle. [7]

Sleeping at night should be the most relaxing thing in the day. Any sleep disorder that lasts for a long time will cause great harm to physical health and quality of life.

Therefore, do not ignore these "small problems" that affect sleep quality, and pay attention to the sleep health of yourself and your family from now on!

References:

[1] Vascular Surgery Group, Chinese Medical Association, Surgery Branch. Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of deep vein thrombosis (2nd edition) [J]. Chinese Journal of Medical Frontiers, 2013, 5(3): 53-57.

[2] Yang Min. Leg cramps may also be caused by these diseases [J]. Jiangsu Health Care, 2022, 11: 23.

[3]Walking Mobility Clinics - How To Strengthen & Stretch Calf Muscles

https://walkingmobilitycl‍inics.com/foot-health/how-to-strengthen-and-stretch-calf-muscles/

[4]Petersfield Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic Ltd - How to Massage a Calf Muscle

[5]Benjafield AV, Ayas NT, Eastwood PR, et al. Estimation of the global prevalence and burden of obstructive sleep apnoea: a literature-based analysis[J]. Lancet Respir Med, 2019, 7(8): 687-698.

[6] Li Yingying, Gao Xiaoling. Research progress on the correlation between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease[J]. International Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 2022, 49(6): 356-362.

[7]Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Evaluation and Treatment

[8] Wang Xinyou, Li Hengfen, Dai Juan, Xiao Weixia, Yang Shichang. Relationship between plasma melatonin level and depressive episodes in depression[J]. Journal of Xinxiang Medical College, 2009, 26(2): 162-164.

[9]Xu Jie, Zhao Peng, Zhang Xinbao, et al. Relationship between early awakening and sleep electroencephalogram in depression[J]. Journal of Physician Continuing Education, 2005, 28(7): 26-28.

[10] Cheng Guoliang, Qian Yanfang, Li Jing, Song Kangkang, Jiang Xingwei. Research progress on the mechanism of insomnia[J]. World Journal of Sleep Medicine, 2016, 3(3): 174-179.

Author｜jting Popular Science Creator

Review | Peng Zhiping Director of the Information Science Department of the China Sleep Research Society