Rock-a-bye BABY
Published in GURLZ, June 2006
Do you go to bed early and believe the best way to start the day is early? Do you feel lethargic despite getting your stipulated eight hours of rest? How does this happen?
According to Dr N.Ramkrishnan,
Director, Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences, Chennai
this could be the sign of some kind of sleep disorders—a common malady, yet
relatively unknown. The 2005 ‘Sleep in
Today, demanding lifestyles take up so much of our time and energy that sleep eludes us. Not enough sleep leaves us feeling out of sorts, which, in turn, affects our efficiency. But what about those days when we feel tired and irritable despite our eight-hour snooze?
One might chalk it up to stress and forget about it. Yet, research indicates that most sleeping problems have an underlying cause and will persist unless treated. Dr Ramakrishnan Explains that there is no magic number. “Firstly, the number of hours is variable. Whatever each person needs to be awake, alert and functional the next day is the amount of sleep he or she needs. The average is between six to eight hours.” Secondly, non-refreshing sleep has to do with poor quality of sleep leading to tiredness. Being in bed for eight hours does not literally translate in to good quality sleep, so if someone feels fatigued during the day despite so called appropriate amount of sleep, it is important to seek medical attention. Common reason for non-refreshing sleep are sleep apnea, which is most important. Other include limb movements during sleep, also known as Restless Legs Syndrome, some medications, any cause for pain (arthritis, back pain) that can lead to frequent awakenings. Prostate problems in men can also lead to frequent visits to the bathroom at night. Some women also experience poor quality sleep during the pre-menopausal period.
Can this be remedied with a little rest? Dr Ramakrishnan disagrees. “Sleep is not a simple process. It is an active process of many parts of the brain controlling it and influencing its different stages.”
Sleep is the time taken to rejuvenate our mental, physical and emotional being. “The brain performs several important roles, including cognition, speech control, control of other motor functions (muscles/movement) and other vital functions such as hormone secretion and breathing and functioning of heart. Although some of these tasks may be somewhat inhibited during sleep (like speech/movement), the vital functions carry on at all times. In fact there is a description of a very interesting condition called Ondyne’s Curse where a person can breathe only when awake and therefore ‘cannot sleep.’ Although several hormones may be secreted during sleep, it is particularly important to remember that the growth hormone is secreted stage three and four of sleep (deep sleep or slow wave sleep). This is why children need adequate sleep during their formative years.”
“Although several debates exist as to the exact purpose behind sleeping, research has confirmed that prolonged sleep deprivation can even cause death after a few weeks.’ Sleep problems are often a result of some health problem, mental or physical. The root cause need to studied in order to treat the condition.
People often experience sleepiness and fatigue due to disturbed sleep. Sleepiness or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) prevents a person from staying awake during the day. It is symptom of inadequate sleep or sleep disorder. “Whereas, fatigue literally means ‘tiredness’ but does not necessarily translate to an ‘irresistible desire to sleep’, which is what sleepiness is. Sometimes it may be difficult to distinguish the two just based on patient’s description. Multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) or maintenance wake fullness test at a sleep center can aid in accurate diagnosis.”
Sleep Apnea, mentioned earlier, is a condition that involves snoring in your sleep. Snoring often associated with sound sleep when it is, in fact, a sign of some kind of breathing problem. People with sleep apnea also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness. They are also likely to suffer from hypertension, high blood pressure and increased risk for heart attacks and strokes.” As for leg syndrome, it creates a feeling of discomfort in the legs. This can cause twitching of your limbs that could wake both you and your spouse.
Dr Ramakrishnan believes that sleep should not be taken for granted. Sleep loss has been found to impair the ability to perform the tasks involving memory, learning and logical reasoning. “Sleep hygiene needs to be adopted to rest our body and enjoy refreshing sleep.” He has number of tips to offer that, he thinks, should help.
Maintain regular bedtimes: Our body likes consistent routines. Walking up at particular times, eating at fixed hours and going to bed at the same time daily may not be exciting, but it is comfortable. Avoid changing this routine on holiday or weekends.
Make your sleep environment appropriate and comfortable: The room should be quiet, dark and well ventilated. It should be comforting and invite you to relax. A good firm bed will give your entire body the support it needs to really relax. Use the bedroom only for sleep and sex: Avoid working, watching television, reading or any activities that occupies your time in the evening.
Avoid caffeine, alcohol and tobacco four to five hours before bedtime: preferably, avoid them completely. Alcohol may feel like soothing you, but all its doing is stupefying you. Research has shown that alcohol upsets sleep; preventing deep rest Caffeine and tobacco are stimulants and only keep you awake.
Avoid sleeping on full stomach: Eating dinner at least two to three hours before bedtime will help you avoid a heavy stomach and prevent heartburn.
Be active during the day: Some form of physical exercise on a regular basis, preferably in the morning, is known to improve restful sleep. Never exercise just before going to bed. If you are having trouble sleeping and you are not a senior citizen, avoid daytime naps.
Use relaxation techniques: Undertake any activity that will lull you to sleep such as listening to music, taking a warm bath, having a massage or meditation. Do not overdo it, though, as you simply want to relax your body, not exhaust it.
Nevertheless, the doctor advises,
“If you continue to experience non-refreshing sleep or daytime fatigue in spite
of this, it would be best to consult a doctor. Sleep medicine is at its infancy
stage in