Sleep

Adult humans have a biological need to sleep at least seven to eight hours. Out of these, the 'core sleep' which usually is of 4 hours is of utmost importance. You may have often been advised to take 'one day at a time'. This could be further extended and modified into 'take one night at a time' so that sleep can be respected and honored for charging our systems after a hard day's work.

 

Sleep is a metabolic regulator and sleep disorders affect metabolism. Sleep loss or sleep deprivation acute or chronic, partial or total has adverse effects on the body's systems causing ill health and disease. Prolonged sleep loss in animals is fatal. Mumbai is a city that never sleeps but it may not a matter of pride.

 

Sleep deprivation

 

The common causes of sleep deprivation in society are (a) lack of time to sleep, (b) sleep disorders like sleep apnea (c) anxiety or worry (d) mental depression (e) associated diseases like diabetes and heart problems where there are frequent arousals like passing urine) and (f) travel across time zones. It must also be noted, that in residential flats, if one subject suffers from sleep deprivation the other members may also be affected (rebound effect).

 

The subjects prone to sleep deprivation are school children due to burden of education (early morning coaching classes, watching television,) office goers (who have to travel long distances to place of work coupled with late night work), shift workers, nursing mothers, professionals like doctors and nurses, working women, call center employees, and the elderly facing rebound effects from their loved ones who're latecomers.

 

Symptoms of sleep deprivation

 

Subjects of sleep deprivation or insufficient sleep syndrome do not show normal alertness and wakefulness. (One may be awake but not alert). Only recovery sleep can revert sleep deprivation. Secondary symptoms include irritability, fatigue, inability to concentrate, disorientation, attention deficits, anergia, dysphoria, restlessness, incordination, malaise, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal disturbances. When the secondary symptoms develop, the focus shifts from sleep deprivation and subjects attribute the symptoms to changing metabolism and ageing. Very often such subjects seek medical attention for these complaints not recognising that what they need is only sleep.

 

Patients of chronic sleep deprivation are prone to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) which is a common sleep disorder. The disorder is chiefly manifested by snoring and daytime sleepiness and the disease itself affects several systems of the body adversely. OSA can cause hypertension, ischemic heart disease, strokes, diabetes mellitus, loss of memory, eye disorders and others.

 

Sleep deprivation also affects immunity adversely. Repeated infections are common. Chronically sleep deprived patients run the risk of developing obesity, hypertension, glucose intolerance and diabetes.

 

Rapid eye movement sleep (REM sleep) which is a component of normal architecture of sleep can be deprived in some individuals particularly in patients of sleep apnea. Such subjects can develop anxiety, excessive eating, poor memory and hypersexual behaviour.

 

Food facts

 

Foods that make you sleep better:

1. Rice
2. Beans
3. Soy milk
4. Soyabean nuts
5. Meat
6. Eggs
7. Whole grains
8. Peanuts
9. Poultry
10. Hazel nuts
11. Sea food

 

Best bedtime snacks:

1. Whole grain cereal with milk
2. Apple pie and ice cream
3. Peanut butter sandwich
4. Oatmeal and raisin cookies and a glass of milk

 

Foods which can keep you awake:

1. Caffeine (And chocolates do contain caffeine)
2. Potato chips
3. Doughnuts
4. Greasy foods
5. Spicy food which causes heartburn in sleeping times.