Norwegian researchers have found that energy drinks are creating a generation of insomniacs, as consuming a small amount of them can lead to poor sleep quality and insomnia among university students.
Insomnia was defined as having difficulties falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up early at least three nights a week, in addition to being tired during the day at least three days a week, for a minimum of three months.
The team from universities across Norway, including the universities of Bergen and Oslo, found that those aged 18 to 35 who drank daily slept about half an hour less than those who drank occasionally or not at all.
The more a person drinks energy drinks, the less hours he sleeps at night, which leads to fatigue during the day, according to the study.
Even just occasional consumption of these drinks - one to three times a month - is associated with an increased risk of disturbed sleep, the results indicate.
The study relied on data from 53,266 Norwegian students, and the researchers asked the study participants to answer questions about the number of times they consumed energy drinks. They were also questioned about their sleep patterns, such as what time they went to bed and woke up, how long it took them to fall asleep, and whether they woke up in the night.
The results suggest that among men, having two or three drinks a week means they are 35% more likely to fall asleep after midnight, 52% more likely to sleep less than six hours, and 60% more likely to wake up in the night than those who did not. They did not drink energy drinks or rarely drank them.
As for women, they were 20% more likely to sleep after midnight, 58% more likely to sleep less than six hours, and 24% more likely to wake up during the night.
This comes after a study published last week said that energy drinks are linked to anxiety, stress, and suicidal thoughts in children and teenagers.
Energy drinks usually contain high levels of caffeine, amounting to 150 mg per liter, in addition to sugar, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids in varying quantities. They are marketed as mental and physical stimulants, and are popular with college students and young people in general.
It is worth noting that this study is observational, and as such, no firm conclusions can be drawn about how energy drinks cause sleep disturbances and restlessness. The researchers acknowledge that reverse causality, where energy drink consumption may be a result of poor sleep rather than the other way around, may explain the associations found.
The study was published in the journal BMJ Open.
What are the complications of otitis media?
Almost all people experience symptoms of otitis media, at least once in their lives. This disease can have serious consequences if it is ignored and not treated in a timely manner.
Dr. Olga Olankina, an otolaryngologist, points out in an interview with the newspaper "Izvestia" that middle ear infection can develop into meningitis, inflammation of the facial nerve, rupture of the eardrum, brain abscess, hearing impairment, and even hearing loss.
According to her, otitis media is an infection of one part of the ear, which is often caused by viruses and bacteria. The disease usually develops as a complication of infectious diseases (tonsillitis, measles, respiratory infection, influenza), in which pathogens enter the ear from the nasopharynx and cause inflammation. In rare cases, the disease is caused by injury, such as damage to the eardrum during diving.
She says: “There is a common misconception that otitis media occurs due to the cold and not wearing a hat in the winter. But this is not completely true. Because exposure of the ear area to the cold does not directly cause otitis media. However, walking without a hat in the cold negatively affects the system.” "The body becomes more sensitive to viruses and bacteria - causative agents of respiratory infections, and can lead to the development of otitis media and other infections such as meningitis."
The outer, middle, or inner ear can become inflamed. But the most common is otitis media. Children suffer from otitis media more than others due to the structural features of their ear.
The doctor points out that in the case of middle ear infection, serous fluid and pus accumulate in the middle ear cavity, causing a feeling of fullness and poor hearing. As the disease progresses, the eardrum may be perforated and fluid may leak out. The mucous membrane of the inner cavity of the middle ear swells and puts pressure on the nerves, causing sharp pain that can radiate to the temple or eye. The person may suffer from fever, headache, and dizziness.
She says: “External otitis is usually treated without the use of antibiotics, while treatment for middle and inner otitis depends on the severity of the disease and the general condition of the patient. If there are signs of pus accumulation in the ear cavity, or the patient’s temperature rises, or there is a risk of complications, or If an inflammatory process occurs in a child under two years of age, treatment with antibiotics cannot be avoided. The doctor may also prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce fever and pain. After a course of antibiotics, physical therapy can be prescribed, which speeds up the patient’s recovery and prevents the disease from developing into a chronic one. If The course of the disease was mild and was caused by viruses, so it was not treated with antibiotics.”
The doctor warns of the consequences of middle ear infection, which can cause serious health damage.
She says: “There is no way to guarantee 100 percent protection from otitis media, but the risk of infection can be reduced by treating respiratory infections in a timely manner, wearing a hat during the cold season to prevent coldness in the ear area and decreased immunity, and following a healthy lifestyle.”