Table of contents:
- Things that affect consciousness
- 1. Food and drink
- 2. Certain drugs
- 3. Glucose levels in the body
- 4. Certain conditions
- Decreased level of medical awareness
- How to measure the level of consciousness
Mindfulness is a condition when you are able to feel, know, and understand about yourself. Based on the medical definition, a normal level of consciousness is defined as when a person is awake and responsive to stimuli. Whether it's touch, light, or sound stimuli. A person is also said to be aware if they know where he is, who he is, and what time it is.
Things that affect consciousness
Basically anything that can interfere with the functioning of the brain will have a significant effect on your level of consciousness. This is because your brain has a function to maintain awareness.
Well, brain function itself can be affected by many things. Some of them include:
1. Food and drink
In fact, there are many substances in food or drink that can affect chemical compounds in the brain. These substances can help maintain or even lower your consciousness.
For example, caffeine. Beverages such as coffee, tea, soda, chocolate, and energy drinks contain caffeine which can increase brain activity. As a result, these drinks can make you more awake.
While the type of drink that can reduce awareness is alcohol. Alcohol is a substance that can affect the central nervous system, which is the nerves responsible for carrying out various important body functions. Drinking alcohol to excess has been linked to symptoms of difficulty thinking such as confusion, illogical thoughts, and inability to make decisions.
In the long run, the effects of alcohol can also be more serious to the health and function of the brain.
2. Certain drugs
Apparently, a person's consciousness is also influenced by the drugs consumed. Yes, drugs like pain killer and sedatives can lower your consciousness and make you sleepy. No wonder the doctor forbids them to drive or run machinery for a while after the patient takes the drug
3. Glucose levels in the body
One of the effective keys to keeping your level of consciousness at a normal level is to meet adequate oxygen and glucose intake. Why should it be oxygen and glucose?
The answer is because your brain needs oxygen for glucose (blood sugar) metabolism. Both processes provide energy to the cells in your body, so you are more alert and awake.
4. Certain conditions
Certain conditions that damage brain cells can also affect your consciousness. Yes, some conditions such as a stroke or severe head injury can cause your level of consciousness to decrease.
In addition, the presence of swelling or bleeding in the brain tissue can also cause your consciousness to decrease. If this condition is not treated properly, a person can cause a coma. Coma itself is the most severe loss of consciousness.
Decreased level of medical awareness
An abnormal level of consciousness describes a state in which a person has decreased cognitive function or is unresponsive to stimuli. Most serious or even life-threatening medical conditions can damage the brain and affect the patient's level of consciousness.
Often, changing levels of consciousness can deteriorate rapidly from one stage to the next. As a result, a person needs a timely diagnosis as well as prompt treatment.
Here are some of the steps that a person will go through before he or she is completely unconscious.
- Confusion. This condition occurs when a person has difficulty thinking clearly and making decisions. People who experience this condition usually talk in rambunctious ways or don't connect.
- Delirium. Delirium is a term used to describe a state of acute confusion accompanied by impaired behavior. This condition can cause a person to have difficulty thinking, sleeping, hyperactivity (agitation), hypoactivity (apathy), hallucinations, and delusions.
- Lethargy. Lethargy is a decrease in consciousness characterized by severe drowsiness, weakness, lethargy, and lack of energy, making it difficult to carry out activities. This condition affects a person's thinking and emotional abilities.
- Stupor. This condition occurs when a person cannot respond to any stimuli, except for pain. At this stage, a person is considered unconscious, but can still give a little response when pinched his hand or shining his eyes.
- Coma. Coma is a condition when a person is no longer able to respond to any stimuli, including pain. Coma is not the same as dying. People who are in a coma are still alive, but they cannot move, think, or respond to environmental conditions.
How to measure the level of consciousness
The Glasgow Coma Scale or better known as the GCS is one of the most commonly used assessment methods doctors use to measure a person's level of consciousness. GCS has a fairly simple assessment method.
However, make no mistake. From the time it was first discovered until now, this method is still considered effective and objective in assessing a person's level of consciousness. Usually doctors use GCS assessments on people who have recently experienced acute head injuries or are affected by various medical emergency conditions, such as ischemic stroke, brain abscess, poisoning, generalized physical injury, to non-traumatic coma.
The GCS assessment method examines the eye response, speech, and body movements of people with these conditions. Although it can be used to determine a person's level of consciousness, the CGS assessment cannot be used to find out why someone has decreased consciousness or even a coma.
