Sleep problems: 4 out of 10 people in the world sleep badly

Little or bad sleep can lead to health problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) already considers sleep problems as a public health epidemic, which can lead to neurological and cardiovascular disorders.

Sleep problems affect 40% of the world's population, although only 5% of people see doctors for these disorders, according to WHO data. In many cases, poor rest worsened with the coronavirus pandemic. A recent study conducted by the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) in Spain showed that 41.9% of people had sleep problems, 51.9% said they felt tired or have little energy, and 23.4% have felt very or quite afraid of dying from the coronavirus.

To raise awareness, for 15 years, the Friday before the March equinox has been celebrated World Sleep Day, a date that aims to give visibility to the causes and symptoms of lack of sleep, a problem that, if not treated in time, can cause serious health problems.

“Biologically, people are prepared to sleep a third of their lives, and sleep deprivation can have important consequences,” said Dr. Stella Maris Valiensi, neurologist at the Italian Hospital and author of the book “The Sleep Route”.

To highlight the importance of a good rest, the expert stressed that “during the state of sleep several homeostatic or self-regulatory processes are generated: parasympathetic activity increases (allowing energy to be recovered), blood pressure decreases, and anorexigenic hormones are increased ”.

9 Keys to a Healthy Sleep Routine:

1 - Set a fixed time for bedtime and getting up. Constant changes in sleep schedules increase the likelihood of severe and chronic sleep difficulties.

2 - Stay in bed long enough. After 30 minutes of being in bed without being able to sleep, it is recommended to move to another room and do another activity that requires little energy, such as reading a magazine or watching television. When the dream comes back, go back to the bedroom. The goal is to associate bed with falling asleep as soon as possible.

3 - Avoid siesta and the situations that favor it. In specific cases, a nap may be allowed after eating, lasting no more than 30 minutes.

4 - Avoid doing activities in bed that make it difficult to fall asleep. Among them, watching TV, reading, listening to the radio, eating, talking on the phone, discussing... The brain needs to associate the bedroom and bed with the activity of sleeping.

5 - Perform gentle exercise for at least one hour a day, with sunlight, preferably in the afternoon and always at least three hours before going to sleep. If vigorous exercise is performed within 3 or 4 hours before bedtime, the nervous system may become active and the feeling of drowsiness may be lost.

6 - Incorporate every night a routine of actions that help you prepare mentally and physically for going to bed. Brush your teeth, put on your pajamas, prepare the next day's clothes and incorporate relaxation exercises. It is also beneficial to take a bath at body temperature as it has a relaxing effect, so it is an activity that promotes sleep.

7 - Avoid beverages that contain caffeine, such as colas and coffee, and alcohol and tobacco, since in addition to harming health, they harm sleep.

8 - Keep the bedroom at a comfortable temperature and minimum levels of light and noise.

9 -Try not to go to bed until two hours have passed since dinner. Hunger and heavy meals can disrupt sleep. Try not to drink excess fluids in the late afternoon and at night. With this you can avoid having to get out of bed to go to the bathroom.

“I recommend keeping a sleep-wake diary to my patients, as it is a tool that can be used to gather information about their sleep schedules; but it can also help them to see the progress they make by putting into practice the advice proposed above,” says Dr. Stella Maris Valiensi, a specialist of the Instituto Universitario Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, adding “It records the time you go to bed, the time it takes to fall asleep, how often you wake up during the night and the time you get up in the morning.”

In conclusion, the doctor reinforces that it is important not to self-medicate to sleep, avoiding the use of drugs such as benzodiazepines. In the case of prolonged insomnia, it is advisable to consult professionals who are experts in the subject.

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