Aged Eyes May Lead to Insomnia Symptoms
For years experts have been conducting research on conditions that seem to develop as result of natural aging, such as slowed reaction times, depression, memory loss and insomnia. Studies of high cholesterol levels, heart disease, obesity and inactive lifestyles have contributed to our general understanding about major degenerative diseases. But recent studies have brought to light another possible factor. Last month John Henahan, M.D. from Spectrum Eyecare announced breakthrough findings that suggested that aging of the eye may be linked to many age-related conditions, including insomnia.
As we age, the lens of our eyes naturally yellow and the pupils experience significant narrowing. Dr. Henahan said that these natural processes can affect a person’s circadian rhythm and thereby contribute to a wealth of other medical issues. Older people’s eyes are less likely to receive adequate amounts of sunlight through the lenses. In younger eyes, regular exposure of the retina cells to natural sunlight serves to regulate the body’s internal clock, which sets our sleeping patterns.
Dr. Patricia Turner from Leawood, Kansas confirmed that results of the study may have major implications for future research. According to Turner, the relationship between eye degeneration and insomnia is a relatively untapped research topic.
Essentially, the body’s internal clock monitors our entire sleep-wake cycle. It lets us know when to turns “on” and when to turn “off.” Normally “on” occurs during the daylight hours and we begin to slow down and turn “off” eventually when we lie down to sleep. The clock stays regulated using external signals from our senses, such as the amount of light there is outside. If external signals become irregular, it can disturb natural circadian rhythm. According to Dr. David Berson, a specialist to studies functionality between the eyes and the brain, regulation of circadian rhythm relies of stimulation of photoreceptive cells in the retina. The cells receive sunlight and transmit this signal to the brain, which controls the body’s internal clock.
Insomnia, or difficulty falling asleep at night and staying asleep throughout the night, is only one symptom that can develop when circadian rhythm breaks. Dr. Benson’s team was the first to discover the retina cells directly linked to synchronization of the circadian rhythm. Benson’s research found that as people age, the photoreceptor cells are much less sensitive, especially to blue light, which results in consequences for the synchronization of the circadian rhythm and, moreover, many other physiological processes.
Sleep experts in Sweden conducted a study that looked at people who had undergone cataract removal and had had their clear lenses restored. Researchers involves with this study concluded that insomnia and other sleep disorders were less likely to occur in those who had gotten their eye lenses cleared. They found that cataract surgery correlated with high levels of melatonin production, a hormone that allows people to sleep better at night and stay more alert during the day.
Older patients who are concerned with how much light exposure they need to be healthy can visit a sleep clinic listed in our medical directory that offers monitored bright light therapy as a treatment for insomnia and other sleep-related disorders.
