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Schizophrenia comes with a range of negative and cognitive symptoms, along with which sleep disturbances are often observed. By itself, this disorder is treatable, but in combination with other complex symptoms, it can greatly slow down the healing of a schizophrenic. In addition, sleep problems affect the quality of life of the patient, can greatly worsen it. Against this background, it is not uncommon for patients to develop sleepwalking, depression, apathy, metabolic disorders due to nutritional problems, refusal to eat. And if hallucinations also appeared, then most likely the patient’s perception of reality began to change, and this, in turn, affects the lack of sleep, which, as a result, can cause accumulation in the brain of the same “hormone of misfortune” substance.
Insomnia and schizophrenia
Insomnia usually appears in recipients in the prodromal phase of the disease. Experts even conducted experiments on humans and animals. In the process, it was possible to find out that a violation of dopamine receptors is closely related to this disease and sleep disorders. The study found that 20 physically and mentally healthy men tested had 1% higher sleep phase 48 than baseline patients who received a dopamine receptor antagonist drug at bedtime. It was used to increase the frequency, duration and number of sigma rhythms with delta waves.
Antipsychotic drugs are essentially the same dopamine receptor antagonists, which prevents their hyperactivity.
Other pathologies of schizophrenia with sleep disorders
Schizophrenics have different symptoms associated with the period of sleep. According to what kind of symptoms are observed in the patient, the doctors make the appropriate diagnosis. The following pathological conditions are also known in psychiatric practice:
- Restless legs syndrome — during treatment, antipsychotropic substances block dopamine receptors, which leads to the development of this pathology or disorder of leg movements with a periodic phenomenon. In schizophrenics, such symptoms were observed much more often than in the control group of recipients with whom scientists work — the ratio of the first to the second is 21-48% to 9-20%.
- Apnea — there is a delay in breathing in a dream in people not only with mental disorders, but also with physiological ones. According to the results of the research, it was possible to find out that the percentage of schizophrenics is almost 15.5% of patients. It is not uncommon for the appearance of such a symptom to be overweight. Obesity, in turn, may be a consequence of the antipsychotic course of treatment.
Each of the conditions must be established in the patient and confirmed by accompanying signs. This is important to find the most effective treatment.
Treatment options for sleep disorders in schizophrenia
One of the best healing methods available today is cognitive behavioral therapy. With its help, it is possible to get rid of hallucinations, obsessive thoughts, hyperreactivity during the day, feelings of preoccupation, anxiety before bedtime.
If the patient has the initial stage of schizophrenia, then insomnia can be effectively eliminated by taking medications. They are prescribed to the patient by doctors. All prescribed drugs often normalize sleep, reduce arousal, improve sleep. True medicines help only a certain period of time 6-7 weeks.
Doctors say schizophrenics with sleep problems are more likely to commit suicide and have a shorter lifespan than patients with normal sleep-wake patterns.