What happens if a person is lying down for a long time?

2023-04-17 18:17:16

While it is true that staying in bed is a relaxing activity, overdoing it can also bring more problems than solutions. whatWhat happens if a person is lying down for a long time? We tell you below.

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What happens if I spend a long time at rest?

An article published in the specialized journal of nursing in the United States devoted an investigation to observing the harmful effects of lying down for a long time, either for mental health reasons or for reasons of force majeure such as coma states or recovery from surgical interventions.

Some of the negative consequences that the body has when spending a lot of time lying down are:

• Altered breathing: The lungs need to remain in a position that allows them to expand and when a person is lying down, it causes the lungs to contract, which makes it difficult for the body to oxygenate, causing a feeling of fatigue and problems such as headaches due to the same.
• Poor blood circulation: Lying down for a long time does not allow blood to circulate properly through the body, which facilitates the appearance of varicose veins and increases the risk of thrombosis due to obstruction in the veins.
• Appearance of ulcers or sores: By lying down for a long time, the skin of the body can weaken and thus crack more easily with the friction of the sheets, causing painful sores on the skin. Even those who remain in bed for a long time due to recovery or illness should move them as much as possible and apply special creams to avoid aggravation or the appearance of body sores.
• Muscle loss: Leaving the body motionless for a long time causes the muscles to become flaccid and weak, which prolongs the general feeling of fatigue and heaviness throughout the body.
• Loss of bones and teeth: The general weakening that occurs when a person spends a lot of time lying down also affects the bone system, which is affected by lack of activity, making the bones weaker and more likely to wear and fall in the case of teeth.

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Why do I want to lie down all the time?

The explanations for why someone wants to spend a lot of time lying down can be diverse, from conditions such as depression or anxiety, to sleep disorders such as hypersomnia, dysania or clinomania, also called clinophilia.

The US National Library of Medicine defines hypersomnia as a sleep disorder in which a person is excessively sleepy during the day and has great difficulty awakening from sleep. In this condition, the person can take naps but they are not restful.

On the other hand, dysania or clinomania usually refers to the obsession or deep desire to stay in bed. The American Sleep Foundation clarifies that although these terms are not widely accepted within the medical community, they have been used to identify some sleep disorders.

How do I know if I have clinomania or clinophilia?

People who suffer from these disorders are usually extremely tired regardless of whether it is day or night, their fatigue is chronic despite the fact that they have slept excessively.

Another red flag is not wanting to do anything other than get out of bed or being extremely desperate to get back into it. In the worst cases, people are unable to get out of bed even though they are not sleeping.

Clinomania or clinophilia does not necessarily imply hours of sleep, but rather staying in bed.

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What to do if I have trouble getting up?

According to the American Sleep Association, it is recommended to follow a clean sleep routine:

• Do not use the bed to eat, work or study. It should only be used to sleep or have sexual intercourse.
• Do not use the cell phone or use it as little as possible during the time in bed.
• Prepare the mind for sleep: This includes doing relaxing activities before going to bed (reading, meditating or taking a bath)
• Do exercise or physical activity during the day to level energy
• Have a proper sleep environment: The room should be quiet, dark, and the bed should be adequate and comfortable.

now that you know what happens if a person is lying down for a long timewe remind you that if you have constant problems falling asleep, it is best to go to a professional review.

Whether for mental health or other reasons, it is best to have an accurate diagnosis that can avoid complications and adapts to your case.

To complement the recommendations and have a restful night’s sleep, we leave you a video with simple yoga postures to help the body relax and prepare to rest.