Hyderabad: In a disturbing finding, at least 47 per cent of the Indian population has been found to suffer from lack of sleep that has an impact on their quality of life.
The findings are part of a survey conducted by Hyderabad-based AIG Hospitals on sleep-related disorders that are a matter of concern since 47 per cent of the respondents reported that they are not getting enough sleep.
Sharing the survey findings with the media on the eve of ‘World Sleep Day’ on Friday, Dr. Srinivas Kishore, Director – ENT, AIG Hospitals, said: “Sleep is not a luxury. It is a biological requirement of human life alongside food, water, and air. Not getting enough sleep results in impaired physical and mental health. Also important is the quality of sleep and not just the duration.”
Elaborating on the importance of sleep, Dr Kishore said there are three elements of good quality sleep – depth, duration and continuity. “Depth pertains to how deep your sleep is to make it restorative for your body and duration and continuity is about sleep without fragmentation or disturbances. Understanding sleep health is important because sleep disorders can lead to heart issues, neurological issues, memory loss, behavioral problems, weight gain, among other diseases,” he said.
“Of the 38 sleep disorders, the most concerning one is Obstructive Sleep Disorder (OSA). Apart from causing multiple health problems, Sleep Apnea can be fatal if not treated. It also significantly accelerates the body’s ageing process,” Dr. Kishore said.
Dr. Vishwanath Gella, Director, Pulmonology, AIG Hospitals, quoting recent news reports, pointed out that 40 per cent of the highway accidents are due to drivers dozing off. “India with just one per cent of vehicular population in the world accounts for more than 11 per cent of all road accidents. Sleep testing can reduce sleep related road accidents in India,” Dr. Gella said.
The findings, he said, indicate that there are almost 11-12 per cent people in our population who are at a high-risk of Sleep Apnea. These people often complain about headache after sleeping, tiredness throughout the day, feeling irritated, and losing concentration at work, Dr Gella said.
“We need to spread more awareness about sleep disorders especially Obstructive Sleep Apnea because the prevalence is rapidly increasing and is leading to severe health disorders,” he added.
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