World Sleep Day - Rest Well, Keep Health Risks at Bay

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Mar 16: Here is a day dedicated to that most cherished human activity - sleep, specially for all those who love to sleep but cannot, and all those who sleep when they shouldn't.

World Association of Sleep Medicine’s World Sleep Day Committee has declared third Friday of each March as World Sleep Day. The day is planned to draw the attention of the world towards the increasing problem of sleep deprivation, sleeplessness and sleepiness, identified as a global epidemic by the committee.

The committee notes that countries, especially developing ones, have not been tackling this problem with the seriousness it demands. Creating professional and public awareness about the seriousness of the problem, taking steps to heal the sleep disorders that are preventable or treatable, are some of the steps suggested.

Sleep happens to be a very basic need of every human being, just like breathing and consuming food. The problem is becoming grave because of the newly learned habits created because of modern ways of life. People who are busy during the day tend to compromise on the extent of sleep, duly ending up as drowsy individuals who are late to work, un-attentive at educational institutions, and inefficient at workplace.

The phenomenon is more pronounced in urban areas where work hours tend to be erratic and bright lights which create an environment of day even at night. Many, who postpone body’s demand for rest and sleep, get sleep-deprived and accumulate sleep debt. This problem aggravates in course of time and gives rise to several other complications, which are of serious nature. The problem has been particularly acute among people who work in night shifts, who fail to sleep comfortably during the day, as the world around them is awake, and makes various sounds.

The body produces a chemical called melatonin at nightfall. The chemical production tapers off with the advent of sunlight in the morning. Because of bright lights everywhere at night, the body fails to generate enough of melatonin, resulting in sleep starvation. Various sleep-related disorders like sleepwalking, sleep apnea, insomnia, eating in sleep, etc are given rise predominantly because of the habit of people to overlook their sleep requirements. In many cases this develops into depression, lack of concentration, heart failure etc. People deprived of sleep are more prone to health disorders like high blood pressure, diabetes, and paralysis.

Our ancestors used to sleep at dusk and get up at sunrise. Now, we have failed to follow this habit. Sleep deprivation and disorders are noticed among all age groups. Among younger generation, this problem is increasing alarmingly because of their over-dependence of electronic gadgets like televisions,  computers, mobile phones etc which they even operate by getting up several times at night. Night life, parties, etc also contribute to this problem.

People need to cultivate healthy eating habits, look after their general wellbeing through sticking to sleep hours of seven to eight hours every day at regular time, exercising, by getting spiritually inclined to address emotional upheavals and worries caused by financial problems, and getting diseases which tend to cause shortness of sleep properly treated. In India, shortage of sleep is not being given enough attention, experts feel. The government needs to wake up and take notice before sleeplessness and sleepiness grow into serious phenomenons, adversely affecting emotional health, gross output, and thereby giving rise to serious emotional and physical disorders.