If you are suffering from dry eyes, you may also have some issues with sleep. Though it requires more research to establish the relationship between dry eyes and sleep, a segment of people with dry eyes reports this issue. Depending on your age, you need to sleep for a certain number of hours, without any interruption. Insufficient sleep can cause a number of chronic conditions and diseases such as obesity, depression, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
If you are taking medications for a certain condition, you need to get adequate sleep to make your medicine work. However, people with dry eyes may find it difficult to sleep. You can use a dry eye sleep mask to get relief from dry eyes and sleep well.
Compromised Sleep
According to research, poor quality sleep leads to the development of dry eyes. This disease influences tear secretion and stability of tear film. Poor quality sleep also aggravates depression and anxiety. Another research on rats reveals that lack of sleep decreases aqueous tear secretion. This also increases corneal sensitivity and apoptosis, corneal epithelial cell defects and induces squamous metaplasia.
Sleep Quality
Review and analysis of sleep outcomes in patients with dry eyes disease reveal that they get poor quality sleep at night. They also experience greater sleepiness during the day. They experience more sleep disturbance. Dry eyes increase the incidence, severity and prevalence of sleep disorders. A person with dry eyes disease is also likely to suffer from the following conditions:
- Dyssomnias (hypersomnia, insomnia, sleep apnea)
- Parasomnias
- Circadian rhythm sleep disorders
- Sleep bruxism
According to a 2009 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults sleeping less than 7 to 9 hours per night find it difficult to perform daily tasks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has increased the surveillance of sleep-related behaviors. It also recognizes poor sleep quality and quantity as a public health problem. This health problem leads to depression, obesity and other chronic conditions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention works to increase sleep health and sleep disorders awareness. It also increases the awareness of the impact of sleep disorders on public health. The CDC has a team to develop and implement new sleep questions for its public health surveillance systems. This includes the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. It is the largest telephone health survey system in the world. This system has been tracking risk behaviors and health conditions annually since 1984.
The National Sleep Foundation has provided suggestions to enhance sleep patterns of patients. These suggestions are about healthy sleep habits or sleep hygiene.
Should a validated sleep survey be included in dry eyes examination? Similar to dry eye disease, there are global and targeted patient insomnia/sleepiness/sleep questionnaires available.
Healthcare professionals can select questionnaires to identify sleep disorders in patients. New discoveries and technologies are now accessible to healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals can accurately evaluate and diagnose most eye conditions. They can get more information to use the right therapeutic intervention.
Healthy sleep is important for healthy eyes. Dry eyes disease and other eyes conditions can affect your sleep. A patient suffering from dry eyes should use a dry eye sleep mask to get quality sleep and relief from dry eyes. These masks are very effective and safe. However, make sure that you buy a lab tested product.