Poor sleep? Beware of endocrine problems! Experts give you tips on how to deal with it scientifically!

Sleep is a basic physiological need of the human body and an important guarantee for maintaining physical and mental health. However, with the accelerated pace of modern life and the increase in stress, more and more people are facing sleep problems. Do you often toss and turn and have difficulty falling asleep, or feel exhausted after waking up? These sleep problems may not be as simple as "poor sleep", they may also be closely related to the endocrine system.

1. The close relationship between the endocrine system and sleep

Zhang Haitao, director of the Endocrinology Department of Hunan Provincial Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital) , introduced that the endocrine system is one of the important regulatory systems of the human body. It regulates the body's growth, development, metabolism, immunity, etc. by secreting various hormones through the pituitary gland, thyroid gland, adrenal gland, pancreas, etc.

There is a complex interaction between sleep and the endocrine system. On the one hand, endocrine hormones affect the body's normal sleep rhythm; on the other hand, many hormones are produced and secreted during sleep, and sleep problems can interfere with the normal secretion of these hormones, leading to endocrine disorders.

2. Endocrine problems caused by poor sleep

1. Abnormal thyroid function

Thyroid hormones have an important impact on the body's metabolism, growth and development, etc. Insufficient sleep or poor sleep quality may lead to abnormally high or low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), which in turn may cause hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism.

Patients with hyperthyroidism may experience symptoms such as palpitations, sweating, irritability, and insomnia; while hypothyroidism may cause fatigue, fear of cold, weight gain, increased sleep, and other problems.

2. Blood sugar regulation disorder

Lack of sleep can interfere with the body's sugar metabolism process. Long-term lack of sleep can lead to insulin resistance, which prevents blood sugar from entering cells and being used normally, causing blood sugar to rise and increasing the risk of diabetes.

In addition, lack of sleep can lead to an imbalance in appetite-regulating hormones, making people more likely to feel hungry, which in turn increases the amount of food eaten, further increasing the burden on blood sugar regulation.

3. Fluctuations in sex hormone levels

Sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone play an important role in the reproductive system, bone health, cardiovascular system, etc. Sleep problems may affect the normal secretion of sex hormones.

For example, the testosterone level of adult men will increase during sleep at night, and lack of sleep will lead to reduced testosterone secretion, which may affect sexual function and reproductive ability. Women's menstrual cycle is also related to sleep quality, and long-term lack of sleep may lead to problems such as irregular menstruation.

4. Impaired cortisol secretion

Cortisol is an important stress hormone that plays a key role in the body's stress response, immune regulation, metabolic balance, etc. Under normal circumstances, the secretion of cortisol shows a circadian rhythm, reaching a peak in the early morning and gradually decreasing at night.

However, lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can disrupt this rhythm and lead to increased cortisol levels. Long-term imbalance in cortisol secretion can cause a variety of health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, decreased immunity, and emotional problems.

3. Sleep disorders caused by endocrine problems

Zhang Haitao, director of the Endocrinology Department of Hunan Provincial Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital) , said that endocrine disorders may also affect sleep quality in turn.

For example, diabetic patients may experience symptoms such as polyuria and thirst due to increased blood sugar, which may cause frequent waking up at night and affect sleep. Patients with hyperthyroidism may experience symptoms such as palpitations, anxiety, and insomnia due to sympathetic nerve excitement. In addition, some endocrine diseases such as polycystic ovary syndrome and hyperfunction of the adrenal cortex can also cause sleep disorders.

4. Tips for improving sleep and endocrine health

1. Maintain a regular schedule: go to bed and get up at fixed times every day.

2. Create a good sleeping environment: a quiet, dark and cool bedroom.

3. Pay attention to dietary adjustments: avoid consuming caffeine and alcohol before going to bed, and maintain a balanced diet.

4. Appropriate exercise: Do aerobic exercise during the day and avoid strenuous exercise before going to bed.

5. Learn to relax: relieve stress through deep breathing, meditation, etc.

6. Regular physical examinations: timely detection and treatment of endocrine problems.

Director Zhang Haitao reminds that if you have long-term sleep problems or suspect endocrine disorders, you should seek medical attention and undergo relevant examinations in a timely manner. By testing blood hormone levels, blood sugar, thyroid function and other indicators, it can be determined whether there are endocrine problems, and targeted treatment can be carried out under the guidance of a doctor.

Sleep and the endocrine system influence and restrict each other. Good sleep helps maintain the stability of the endocrine system, and the normal function of the endocrine system is also the basis for ensuring good sleep. Therefore, we should pay attention to sleep health, actively improve sleep quality, and pay attention to the balance of the endocrine system to maintain overall physical and mental health.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Zhang Yu, Department of Metabolic Endocrinology, Hunan Second People's Hospital (Provincial Brain Hospital)

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(Edited by YT)