Sleep is a biological need that we no longer manage to satisfy, the consequence being the degradation of health. Between 10-20% of the population has chronic insomnia. There are about 80 sleep disorders, but the good news is that there are doctors who specialize in treating them.
Our health depends enormously on the duration and quality of sleep, doctors warn us. Sleep plays an important role in improving memory and learning ability, strengthening the immune system, regulating blood pressure and reducing cardiovascular risk, controlling weight and metabolism, emotional balance and reducing anxiety, increasing concentration and productivity, reducing the risk of diabetes, balancing hormones and body recovery, muscle recovery and tissue healing. When there are no longer conditions for quality sleep, problems also appear.
Sleep disorders have become extremely common, with experts estimating that there are more than 80 sleep diseases. According to global statistics, approximately 30–40% of adults report symptoms of insomnia, and between 10% and 20% of people meet the criteria for a diagnosis of chronic insomnia.
Problems such as obstructive sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome or circadian rhythm disorders are increasingly common, with obstructive sleep apnea alone affecting, for example, between 9% and 38% of adults.
Sleep disorders can occur both separately and together, further complicating the situation. For example, over 50% of patients with insomnia may also have sleep apnea – a situation in which insomnia may persist if breathing during sleep is not also investigated. Sleep-related problems are investigated and treated by specialized doctors, the simple act of contacting the specialist can prevent many health problems.
It’s been almost 20 years since, every year, on the Friday before the spring equinox, specialists all over the world mark World Sleep Day, reminding the population how important it is to be concerned about having quality sleep.
“Sleep pathology – with its extremes from hypersomnolence to insomnia – is closely related to the adopted lifestyle and interference with modern life. We sleep less and have many more aggressive factors in this modern life, and they already act from a young age. Sleep is important in terms of duration, depth, regularity, and let’s not forget that it represents a third of our life.” explained university prof. Dr. Florin Dumitru Mihălțan – President of the Romanian Society of Pneumology, during the event held at the end of the week and dedicated to raising awareness of the importance of sleep for health.
Sleep problems, treated with a ticket from the family doctor
Although few patients are aware of this aspect, in Romania there are currently somnology specialists trained through national complementary training programs. Patients can also contact them with a ticket from the family doctor, the investigations being carried out in continuous or day hospitalization mode.
Sleep problems in children can also be investigated, with services dedicated to pediatric somnology. On the other hand, a minus is the fact that many patients do not recognize the symptoms of sleep disorders or consider them to be minor problems, although their health consequences are important.
“There are somnology societies on all continents and in all countries of the European Union, and we are currently working on the European curriculum for the recognition of somnology by the competent bodies (UEMS – European Union of Medical Specialists) as a “horizontal” subspecialty under several other related specialties. We are also involved in other projects with partners from all over Europe”, stated Dr. Oana Claudia Deleanu, president of the Section of Somnology and Non-Invasive Ventilation within the Romanian Society of Pneumology.
Blue light has “stolen” us, in the last 10 years, about an hour of sleep
Dr. Florin Mihălțan explained that the siege of blue light – we are talking about the screens of phones, laptops, televisions, other electronic devices – is today the main disturbing factor of sleep. In the last 10 years, sleep duration has been shortened by about an hour due to the use of devices before bed.
“On this, in fact, pathology is built. Regarding the effects of sleep, I have to mention two important things here: not only the duration of sleep is important, but also the depth of sleep. There are some sleep cycles that are 4-5 in a night and culminate in a few minutes of deep sleep. If they are missing, it is a clear sleep disturbance that requires recovery over time,” the doctor explained.
Disturbance of the regular sleep rhythm is a problem, and from here real vicious circles are created, reaching insomnia or, at the other extreme, hypersomnolence.
“Everyone asks what is the normal length of sleep. This duration is adapted to age. Generally in a young adult it is 7 hours. It is known, however, that the elderly sleep less, and children need a prolonged sleep. And this sleep must also have some characteristics related to the lifestyle”Dr. Mihălțan also specified.
“There are over 80 sleep diseases, the best known being insomnia and sleep apnea.” World Sleep Day
Failure to observe the sleeping hours is equivalent to violating some “holy rules”, the doctor also says. To maintain this balance of sleep, we must have fixed bedtimes and wake-up times and suitable conditions in the bedroom: the room should be soundproof as much as possible, the humidity 40-60%, the temperature up to 21 degrees. “Do not sleep with animals in the bed – animals are the facilitators of a good sleep, but not accepted in the bed; also, there should be no source of blue light, it would be good in that room not to have a TV, telephone”the doctor added. The evening meal, on the other hand, should be light, and should be followed by a walk or exercise in the open air, to facilitate sleep at a regular hour.
Often things don’t happen as the doctors tell us, because we prolong the evening watching TV. “This is generally called binge-watching, i.e. binge-watching all the shows, series, and it unfortunately leads to a late bedtime. It’s an unwanted step towards restless sleep”the doctor also showed.
“He sleeps better towards the second part of the night”
Respecting the bedtime is the ingredient for a good sleep. However, the doctor does not confirm the myth that sleep before midnight is better than sleep after midnight. “This is also a word. Because if we look at the percentage, he sleeps better towards the second part of the night, and this is how the sleep records describe it, then the deep sleep is much more visible”, the doctor mentioned. It is vital, on the other hand, to sleep a sufficient number of hours, otherwise the negative consequences appear.
“For example, with sleep apnea syndrome, the first severe consequence is drowsiness during the day, and if the driver is in traffic, especially on the highway, falling asleep at the wheel generates serious accidents”, the doctor indicated.
In an attempt to manage sleep problems we also started using adjuncts. Melatonin, administered to induce sleep, has become almost a fad. The doctor states that “she induces sleep but does not maintain it” therefore, melatonin does not help in the case of insomnia that causes waking up during the night with difficulty in getting back to sleep.
The doctor Florin Mihălțan also launched an advice for young people, recommending them not to fall into the trap of devices. “It’s that blue light that strongly disrupts sleep”the doctor pointed out, stating that failure to observe fixed hours of sleep in adolescence leads to multiple pathologies in adulthood.
How do you rate your sleep quality? Questions to ask
When we talk about the quality of sleep, explained Dr. Oana Claudia Deleanu, we can make our own assessment by asking ourselves a few questions: Did we sleep enough (ie between 7-9 hours)?; Did I fall asleep fast enough (less than half an hour)?; Did I sleep without interruption? Do I feel rested, satisfied from the night’s sleep? Am I good at getting down to business?
“It’s normal to wake up once or twice during the night, but theoretically we should be back to sleep within minutes,” stated Dr. Deleanu. Also within the scope of normal is the situation where we can wake up not exactly in shape, but recover in a short time.
If, however, we give mostly unsatisfactory answers to the questions above, it is time to consult a specialist, to find out what is hidden behind the problems we identify.
Many of us are affected, perhaps without realizing it, by social jetlag, a phenomenon that can cause chronic fatigue, daytime sleepiness, decreased cognitive performance, plus an increased risk of metabolic or mood problems. This is what happens when we have a certain sleep schedule during the week and a completely different one at the weekend, the gap can generate the problems mentioned above.
Repeated cessation of breathing during sleep increases the risk of cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Apnea treatments
Because there are over 80 sleep disorders, the problems we report need to be investigated.
“For example, 50% of insomnia cases associate sleep apnea. Sleeping sicknesses, in a proportion of 30%, are associated at least two by two. I explain to the patients that we are going for the phenomenon
Using devices to monitor our sleep, on the other hand, can turn from a good thing into a bad thing if we exaggerate and end up with “device insomnia” while analyzing the app and realizing that we didn’t sleep well.
The fact that we don’t sleep well for a night or two at a time or for a short period of time is not a cause for great concern. Instead, we can think of a pathology if the problem lasts for months.
Dr. Deleanu also referred to the myth that “counting sheep” helps us fall asleep. “On the contrary, know that the rules of sleep say that the worst thing we can do is count sheep. Normally, someone who doesn’t sleep at night, that is, has insomnia, needs to get out of bed and have an enjoyable but non-stressful activity.” indicated the doctor Oana Deleanu.
10 simple rules for healthy sleep
Specialists also have some recommendations that can significantly improve the quality of sleep:
1. Set a fixed time for going to bed and waking up.
2. Limit daytime naps to a maximum of 45 minutes.
3. Avoid alcohol and smoking before bed.
4. Do not consume caffeine at least 6 hours before sleep.
5. Avoid heavy meals before bed.
6. Exercise regularly, but not late at night.
7. Provide a comfortable bed and mattress.
8. Maintain an optimal temperature in the bedroom (around 21°C).
9. Reduce noise and light in the bedroom.
10. Use the bed only for sleep and relaxation.
