SLEEP HEALTH

A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM (Part 1)

            Sleeping time takes up one third of our lives. It is not a luxury; it is a powerful natural body urge like thirst or hunger; it is a real need for survival, like air and water. Sleep is not a period of inactivity for the body; it is a crucial period when the body’s faulty cells do their repair and every system and segment of our body recover and rejuvenate from  the many hours of physical and mental activities the body just went through. Sleep is important for our brain, it establishes new memory and learning processes. Health professionals have been increasingly recognizing that sleep is critical for the proper functioning of the body and that by getting sufficient sleep every single body system can be improved. They even describe sleep as one of our own personal riches; either invest in it and be richer or give it away and lose it! So we must count quality sleep as a positive health behavior. Healthcare professionals now eagerly recommend that sleep be considered a vital sign (like temperature, pulse, body weight etc.) because it can give insight into the status of health and how the body is functioning at any given time. 

            Sleep disturbances are occurring in  almost all industrialized societies and America is in the forefront. As such, America’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deem insufficient sleep as a public heath problem. One of Plato’s sayings: “The cure of the part should not be attempted without treatment of the whole,” takes on greater significance now more than ever before. 

The Gravity of the Problem: Prevalence and Consequences

            Sleep deprivations in varying degrees occur throughout our life span. About 50 to 70 million people in the US suffer from sleep disturbances; 62% experience a sleep problem several nights per week; 90% of sleep issues remain undiagnosed and untreated. 

            The human toll associated with insomnia, the most prevalent sleep disorder is estimated to be over $100 billion per year. It causes many health issues and accidents on and off the road; the resultant ill health, increased functional disabilities and decreased productivity add up the total costs. By screening, identifying and by instituting remedial measures, we can successfully address this problem. Physicians and physical therapists are emerging as the caretakers. The results are very encouraging, occasionally “miraculous!”

Health Implications.

            As pointed out earlier and confirmed by several recent researchers, given below is a summary of significant health benefits or ill effects attributed to sleep.

Health Benefits.

           Proper functioning of the body, notably its immune system, tissue healing, cardiovascular and brain health and pain modulation, is influenced, to a great extent, by the quality of sleep.

Ill effects are of two kinds, acute or immediate, and chronic or long term. 

Lack of sleep causes drowsiness and irritation during the day; it impairs concentration and ability for physical performances.

Chronic, insufficient sleep contributes to several lifestyle or noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCAs). Common examples are diabetes, depression, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.   

            Combining the results of several researchers, Dr. Siengukon, a leading researcher in this field, wrote: “Without adequate sleep people can experience increased pain perception, loss of function and reduced quality of life, depression, increased anxiety, attention deficits, information processing disruption, impaired memory, and reduced ability to learn new motor skills and are at an increased risk for accidents, injuries and falls.”   

            Several mechanisms are active contributing to the onset of the above-mentioned problems. These include modulation of neurotransmitters, gene expression, metabolism, and immune, endocrine, nervous and cardiovascular systems.    

            By now you have come to know that sleep health has multiple ramifications on our health and well-being. There is more to learn. In part two we will deal with contemporary approaches to proper care. Let us learn how we can confidently say “good night, sleep tight” and get a good night’s rest without taking a pill.