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The untimely death of the well renowned, "king of pop", Michael Jackson has caused shock waves around the world. Since his rise to fame as the cute and extraordinarily talented lead singer of the Jackson 5, Michael Jackson captivated millions, spanning several generations. Early on, his role and contributions were seen as the rocket fuel that propelled this once obscure group of brothers to the top of the charts.
As a solo artist, his talent was unmistakable and unforgettable. A legend in his own right, Michael transformed the music and video industry with his original and creative style, energy and vision. Reaching the status of super star at such a young age began to take its toll as Michael developed from a child prodigy to the phenomenal legend he would become.
The spotlight revealed Michael's talent for singing, dancing and creating music that was embraced on a global scale. However, the media focus, strain of fame, continuous pressure to be better than the standard he had previously set and tendencies of self-loathing, which manifested in numerous surgical changes to his face, were all signs that the stress of his life style weighed heavy on him.
Imagine the countless times that Michael performed; the overwhelming exposure to scrutiny from fans and media, from whom he often sought approval; the scandals and legal battles. Each instance, his body was inundated with adrenaline and cortisol, the natural hormones designed to increase reaction time and allow the individual to perform optimally when presented with stimuli, or what may be perceived as danger. These hormones invariably place the body in a state of readiness: quickened breathing, racing heart and a rise in blood pressure. Long term exposure to stress triggers that cause these reactions produce harmful effects, among which is insomnia.
Many people have trouble sleeping and don't realize that the stress in their lives disrupts the natural production of serotonin, which controls the body's sleep cycles. This results in a disrupted sleep pattern, such as unproductive sleep, an excessive need to sleep or in Michael Jackson's case, an inability to sleep.
Often, insomniacs overlook the underlying causes of their sleep disturbances and seek to treat only the symptoms. According to many reports, it is probable that the king of pop opted to use drug assisted methods to get a good night's rest. This is unfortunately a very common practice. Over the last decade, the pharmaceutical industry has seen an increase in sales of drugs that help to induce sleep; though many inherent risks are present, such as addiction and in most extreme cases, death. By choosing to simply treat the symptoms of a stress related problem instead of dealing with the root cause, the individual continually allows exposure to high levels of stress to remain unchecked.
As the nation and the world mourn the loss of one of the greatest musical and creative legends of our time, this tragedy begs the question, "could this have been prevented?" The answer is yes. Each of us experience unique and varying levels of stress, stress triggers and stress vulnerabilities. We may not have the same burdens that Michael Jackson endured as one of the most famous and recognizable figures to walk amongst us. However, we can all fall victim, as Michael did, to the harmful and dangerous effects stress can have on our lives. If we choose to ignore the signs of stress, medicate the symptoms or seek immediate gratification through unhealthy choices, then we set ourselves up to lose the battle and possibly our lives.
