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Are you sleeping enough?

Your Health DR GITA MATHAI

Sleeping away one third of our life may seem like a waste of time. But it is essential for growth as during this time our body rejuvenates and maintains and repairs itself. In the long run, insufficient sleep has a negative impact on health. The hours of sleep we need varies with age and the individual. Infants may sleep up to 14 hours a day, growing children nine to ten hours and adults an average of seven to eight hours. Teenagers, who are still growing actively, need their sleep. More than 70 per cent in this age group suffer from chronic sleep deprivation owing to schoolwork, tuitions, television, and social media. As we grow older, our sleep requirement may decrease and be broken up into shorter segments with daytime naps. Some people seem to manage efficiently on four to six hours sleep. Long standing sleep deprivation occurs as an occupational hazard in shift workers. Sleep deprivation can be due to medical conditions such as obstructive sleep apnoea (when a sensation of choking repeatedly wakes the person) or restless legs. Inadequate sleep causes a “tired look”, stress, irritability (short fuse), forgetfulness and a tendency to repeat sentences. Academic performance can deteriorate. Burning the midnight oil may result in an inability to recall what was learnt the night before. Any repetitive task or dark environment (movies, lectures, conferences) may bring on an overwhelming desire to sleep. Driving or operating machinery becomes dangerous as “nodding off” can cause fatal accidents. Lack of sleep causes the weight to climb up slowly and inexorably. This is because the balance between sleep and appetite hormones gets reset. The feeling of fatigue is ineffectually combated by eating more. Obesity sets in, closely followed by lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. Strokes and heart attacks are more common in the sleep deprived. Sleep can be elusive if there have been changes in schedule, venue or if there are unresolved tensions. Eating too much or too little food close to bedtime is also disruptive. Drinking too much fluid means nighttime trips to the toilet. Smoking stimulates the body, as does caffeine (coffee, tea, cola), making us awake and alert. Alcohol may initially help sleep to set in but the wearing off of the effect later leads to nighttime awakening. To ensure adequate sleep, try to go to sleep at the same time every night. Sleep in a darkened room with the television and computer switched off. If you do not fall asleep after half an hour, get up and drink some warm milk or water and try again. Awakening from sleep should be natural and will occur spontaneously when the duration of sleep has been sufficient. If an alarm is used, try to set it to the latest possible time, giving your body time to wake spontaneously before it goes off. Daytime naps interfere with nighttime sleep. It is better to avoid naps. If inevitable, sleep mid afternoon and not more than 30 minutes. You may get caught in a vicious cycle of daytime naps, sleeping later at night, leading to longer naps in the daytime and finally, insomnia. Physical and mental fatigue has to set in for proper sleep. Exercising aerobically for 40 minutes a day by walking, jogging, running, swimming or cycling will tire the muscles. After the exercise they need to be stretched for 10 minutes for relaxation to set in. Exercise must be completed at least an hour before bedtime. Otherwise the chemicals released will jolt you awake. One of the proven ways to overcome sleep is to jump up and down or skip! Dr Gita Mathai is a paediatrician with a family practice at Vellore. Questions on health issues may be emailed to her at yourhealthgm@yahoo.co.in