Don’t sleep on it

A sleeping disorder is not as harmless as it seems

With daily stress levels on the rise, sleeping disorders have also become routine for most people. According to a press release on March 14, 2014 by the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), sleep-related problems constitute a global epidemic affecting up to 45% of the world’s population. Moreover, women may be prone to greater sleep deprivation than men. This is especially true for working mothers, who have to deal with the pressure of balancing work and family commitments, says Dr Amal Khalid, a Karachi-based general physician.

A healthy adult requires between seven and a half to eight hours of sleep to be able to function normally throughout the day. “Weddings, familial expectations to spend time together after work and a long commute home are some of the reasons why most patients suffer from sleep deprivation,” says Khalid, adding that issues such as load shedding and deteriorating law and order situation further worsen the situation for urban residents.

After-effects of a sleeping disorder

The most common sleeping disorder is insomnia, where people find it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep long enough to wake up fresh the next morning. Dr Ali Rizvi, a US-based cardiologist, points out that insomnia can often lead to stomach problems, hypertension and heart diseases. This is in addition to psychological pressures such as social ostracisation and the failure of their condition being taken seriously by peers. “Despite being diagnosed [with insomnia], my friends are unsupportive. They don’t consider it a real problem and only think of it as something I have made up,” says Saleem*, a salesman who suffers from mild insomnia and can only manage to sleep for three hours at a stretch.

Insomnia, however, is just one of the 50 types of medically recognised sleeping disorders. Other conditions such as the Restless legs syndrome (RLS), sleep deprivation and sleep-related respiratory disturbances also result in loss of quality sleep that can lead to numerous health problems, such as hypertension, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Furthermore, insufficient sleep may lead to poor alertness, lack of attention, reduced concentration, decreased work and academic productivity and accidents on the road.

Understanding the problem

Sleep requirements vary from person to person. So while one individual can get through the day having slept seven hours the preceding night and not feel groggy, another might feel the need to sleep no less than 10 hours to be alert and productive. Psychological factors, such as a fear of incontinence or other phobias, could keep people from falling asleep easily. However, it is vital to understand if and what kind of sleeping disorder you are suffering from in order to be able to treat it effectively.

The following symptoms indicate a strong possibility that you are suffering from sleep deprivation:

•  Requiring an alarm to wake up on time.

•  The snooze button is your best morning mate.

•  Having difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.

•  Feeling sluggish in the afternoon.

•  Feeling sleepy in meetings, lectures, or warm rooms.

•  Getting drowsy after heavy meals or when driving.

•  Needing a nap just to get through the day.

•  Falling asleep watching TV or while relaxing in the evening.

•  Feeling that you need to only sleep on weekends.

•  Falling asleep almost immediately after going to bed.

In case you are facing any of the above stated conditions, Khalid suggests including regular exercise in your daily routine. This automatically tires the body physically and it begins to crave sleep. She also warns against too soft or too hard a mattress, “The surface you sleep on should be comfortable. Avoid overly fluffy pillows and cushions.” Similarly, Rizvi suggests avoiding high-caffeine drinks in the evening, and keeping away from electronic gadgets before trying to sleep. Studies have found that TV, laptop and cell-phones emit waves which slow down melatonin production, a hormone in your body that regulates sleep and waking up cycles.

Reach out for help

Even though home remedies are of great help in combating sleeping disorders, Saleem suggests consulting a doctor in case of serious sleeplessness. “You can try drugs that they’ve prescribed as they are quite effective,” says Saleem. He adds that there are also a few online support groups that have benefitted him. Sleepstarved.org and Sleep Research Foundation of Pakistan are a great resource to find good medical advice and safe options to tackle the problem. The former has accounts by fellow sufferers which can be of great help and reassurance that you aren’t suffering alone.

*Names have been changed to protect privacy.

Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, August 24^th, 2014.