In this week’s episode, sleep specialists Dr Stella Lacovides and Dr Karine Scheuermaier join us from the University of the Witwatersrand’s faculty of physiology. They take us through the signs and symptoms of sleep disorders, sleep paralysis and what may be done to reduce the likelihood of it occurring.
When a person has sleep paralysis, their senses and awareness are awake and active, but they are unable to move. This is because their body is motionless. It is the consequence of the body and mind being out of sync and happening exactly when a person is falling asleep or waking up.
During sleep paralysis, a person may have auditory and visual hallucinations, which may be quite distressing, explain the experts.
Sleep paralysis and mental conditions
According to Scheuermaie, poor sleep may trigger depression.
“Sometimes you may have depression which can affect your ability to sleep. They’re feeding into each other; you need to treat the depression on one side, so you have medication.”
She notes that the two conditions are inextricably linked. “Most mental health disorders are associated with sleep problems.”
Negative behaviours to look out for
“All of these major psychiatric and neurological disorders, when we study them, we find that sleep is at the basis of them because of how important sleep is for brain health,” says Lacovides.
Lacovides reiterates the connection between bipolar disorder and sleep deprivation.
“Sleep deprivation is not only asscociated with negative crankiness, and depression and violence, it’s also associated with periods of mania. It basically also mimics bipolar disorder, and you think extreme positive emotions can’t be dangerous. But it can be when you start taking risks,” she explains.
On the podcast, they also touch on the following topics:
- Alzheimer’s issues are linked to sleep challenges.
- Toxic proteins in the brain, and
- Bipolar and manias.
Listen to the full interview on Sisters Without Shame
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