在失眠症患者中,许多生理指标提示亢进或代谢亢进状态。根据氧耗量评估确定全身代谢率。失眠症患者的全天 24 小时代谢率显著高于健康对照人群。[28]Bonnet MH, Arand DL. 24-Hour metabolic rate in insomniacs and matched normal sleepers. Sleep. 1995;18:581-588.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8552929?tool=bestpractice.com[29]Bonnet MH, Arand DL. Physiological activation in patients with sleep state misperception. Psychosom Med. 1997;59:533-540.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9316187?tool=bestpractice.com心率变异性为交感和副交感神经系统活动提供了一个衡量标准;与健康的正常睡眠者相比,失眠症患者在各睡眠阶段的平均心率增加且心率变异性降低。[30]Bonnet MH, Arand DL. Heart rate variability in insomniacs and matched normal sleepers. Psychosom Med. 1998;60:610-615.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9773766?tool=bestpractice.com
失眠症患者应激反应系统的慢性激活是过度觉醒的额外证据。多项研究已经发现,睡眠不佳者 24 小时尿游离皮质醇水平较高。[31]Vgontzas AN, Bixler EO, Lin HM, et al. Chronic insomnia is associated with nyctohemeral activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: clinical implications. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:3787-3794.http://press.endocrine.org/doi/full/10.1210/jcem.86.8.7778http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11502812?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Vgontzas AN, Tsigos C, Bixler EO, et al. Chronic insomnia and activity of the stress system: a preliminary study. J Psychosom Res. 1998;45(1 spec no):21-31.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9720852?tool=bestpractice.com此外,尿游离皮质醇水平与总觉醒时间呈正相关,且尿儿茶酚胺类与入眠及第 1 阶段睡眠后觉醒时间相关。对健康的正常睡眠者和失眠症患者的皮质醇和肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)血浆测量指标进行评估。[31]Vgontzas AN, Bixler EO, Lin HM, et al. Chronic insomnia is associated with nyctohemeral activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis: clinical implications. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:3787-3794.http://press.endocrine.org/doi/full/10.1210/jcem.86.8.7778http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11502812?tool=bestpractice.com[32]Vgontzas AN, Tsigos C, Bixler EO, et al. Chronic insomnia and activity of the stress system: a preliminary study. J Psychosom Res. 1998;45(1 spec no):21-31.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9720852?tool=bestpractice.com[33]Riemann D, Klein T, Rodenbeck A, et al. Nocturnal cortisol and melatonin secretion in primary insomnia. Psychiatry Res. 2002;113:17-27.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12467942?tool=bestpractice.com这些研究得到的结果不一致,但总体而言,睡眠不佳者的血浆皮质醇和 ACTH 水平更高,提示下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴与慢性失眠症的病理学相关。
另一种假设提示睡眠觉醒系统可塑性受损。在正常情况下,由于睡眠不足,一夜短暂且不连贯的睡眠之后是一夜安稳且较长的睡眠。在由另一种潜在疾病引起的失眠(以往称为“继发性失眠症”)中,这一机制得以维持,但在“原发性失眠症”中这一机制似乎受损。[34]Sánchez-Ortuño MM, Carney CE, Edinger JD, et al. Moving beyond average values: assessing the night-to-night instability of sleep and arousal in DSM-IV-TR insomnia subtypes. Sleep. 2011;34:531-539.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21461332?tool=bestpractice.com