Sleep Deprivation
The positive symptoms of schizophrenia, such as paranoia, hallucinations, and delusions, often lead to sleep deprivation and disorders among patients. A disruption to a person’s usual sleep schedule is one of the earliest signs of schizophrenia. Experts are still unsure how the two factors are connected, but they theorized that the same gene mutations might cause schizophrenia and sleep deprivation.
Patients may suddenly have difficulty falling asleep at night even if there are no significant changes in their morning routine or schedule. Some may even stay awake for 48 hours or more, while others only sleep for two hours daily. This condition is called circadian rhythm disruption. Research shows that 80 percent of patients with schizophrenia suffer from CRD.
Sleep deprivation triggers the symptoms of schizophrenia. Lack of sleep heightened memory difficulties, hallucinations, delusions, disorganized thoughts, and difficulty expressing thoughts, paying attention, and concentrating. This can also impact the patient’s physical health, leading to a weakened immune system, abnormal blood pressure, and weight gain.
