Indore: Sleeping is the best thing which everyone loves to do and wish to continue whenever they want. Much to a surprise for many, there is a dedicated day for sleeping and is observed every year on March 16. The day was launched aimed at spreading awareness about sleeping disorders which further put adverse effect on people’s health. Sleep problems constitute a global epidemic that threatens health and quality of life for up to 45 per cent of the world’s population.
Talking on the eve of World Sleep Day, senior pulmonologist Dr Salil Bhargava said that sleeping disorders, including snoring, put adverse effect of people’s health and it can also prove fatal if ignored for a long time. Most sleep disorders are preventable or treatable, yet less than one-third of sufferers seek professional help.
One of the major sleeping disorders include Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) due to which more than 7 per cent of population in Indore is suffering and the number is increasing. “Reason for increasing number of patients of OSA is the changing life style as inactivity leads to obesity which is the main cause of the disorder. The prevalence of disease is high in the people above 40 but the increasing number is a cause of concern,” he said.
The number is even high among the patients suffering from diabetes as about 7 out of 10 diabetic patients suffer from OSA. Highlighting the symptoms of OSA, he said, “Excessive daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, episodes of breathing cessation during sleep, abrupt awakenings accompanied by gasping or choking, awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat, high blood pressure and night-time sweating are the major symptoms but people use to ignore them excusing fatigue and tension.”
Dr Bhargava said that the World Sleep Day is an annual event organised by the ‘World Sleep Day Committee of World Sleep Society,’ formerly World Association of Sleep Medicine, since 2008. It is aimed to celebrate the benefits of good and healthy sleep and to draw society’s attention to the burden of sleep problems and their medicine, education and social aspects; to promote the prevention and management of sleep disorders.
He will also organise an awareness program for the sleeping disorders to spread awareness among people at MY Hospital on Friday, he said.