Jelena Jevtović, April 2022
Sleep is equally important for both physical and mental health. Therefore, lack of sleep increases the risk of heart problems, type 2 diabetes, problems with concentration, memory, learning, mood, etc. Sleep problems are most often associated with depression, anxiety, stress, abuse of drugs and psychoactive substances. Some studies have shown that many people with HIV have sleep problems, as many as 70% more compared to 30% in the general population. This leads to lower adherence to treatment, HIV progression, lower CD4 cell counts, metabolic changes, lower quality of life, greater mood swings and depression.
The most common sleep problems are insomnia, sleep apnea and restless legs syndrome. Insomnia, i.e. sleeplessness, is difficulty falling asleep. It occurs in different forms. While some people have a hard time falling asleep, others wake up after a few hours of sleep and cannot sleep anymore, others wake up very early in the morning whenever they go to bed, and some, no matter how much they sleep, do not feel like they have really slept and feel exhausted. Most often, people cannot sleep because of worries, stress, so when they solve the problem, the insomnia disappears. But there are also more serious problems such as depression (which require professional support) or abuse of psychoactive substances. Even some drugs used to treat HIV can lead to insomnia. In most cases, the side effects of these drugs will decrease or disappear after a few weeks. If insomnia occurs, you should discuss with your doctor taking the medication in the morning instead of in the evening.
Another sleep problem is sleep apnea, i.e. interruption of breathing or extremely shallow breathing during sleep. What indicate sleep apnea are difficulty breathing, coughing, choking, loud snoring, frequent awakening, fatigue, distractedness, mood swings and headache after waking up. It is very important to recognize the problem and consult a doctor, because it increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
We will also mention restless legs syndrome, which causes an overwhelming feeling of moving the legs. It occurs more often in women, especially middle aged. People with HIV are more likely to experience restless legs syndrome compared to the general population. Good sleeping habits are very effective in eliminating it. One of the ways to create good habits is to create a routine of going to bed at the same time every night, so that the body learns when it is time to sleep. Going to bed when we are not sleepy can only make things worse. If we cannot fall asleep even after half an hour, we should get up, because lying down any further could make us even more tired. It can be helpful to keep a diary, record your sleep, consult a doctor or psychologist when we suspect that the cause of insomnia is depression, side effects of therapy, etc.
Here are some recommendations that may be helpful for sleep-related problems:
- make sure you sleep on a comfortable pillow and bed
- the room should be ventilated and dark
- the ideal temperature for the sleeping area is between 18 and 24 degrees
- ensure peace and quiet or use earplugs if needed
- do not eat heavy food a few hours before going to bed
- take a warm bath and some warm decaffeinated drink
- try aromatherapy and breathing exercises
- it is very important to avoid mobile devices, TV, computer at least half an hour before going to bed
- if overwhelming thoughts and worries occur, writing them down can help, as can making a list of where you are going
- write a plan for tomorrow
Source
www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/sleep-and-hiv