Good night’s sleep harder to get
Sleep is essential for good physical and mental health and plays a vital part in how effective and lively we are during our waking hours. Around one in four adults suffers from sleep disturbances that persist if left untreated. Speaking on March 21, World Sleep Day, Constantinos Soldatos, director of the Sleep Research Unit at Athens University’s Psychiatric Department and president of the Hellenic Sleep Research Society, said insomnia was one of the most common sleep disturbances, permanently affecting 9-10 percent of adults. Another 27 percent occasionally suffer from insomnia, which should be treated promptly, he explained, as 32 percent of such cases that are left untreated (either by lifestyle changes or special medication) may become permanent. Insomnia is marked by the inability to fall asleep promptly or at all, interrupted sleep and waking up too early. The causes of insomnia are not always easy to determine as it can be either a symptom, as in the case of depression, or the cause of an ailment. What is certain is that the modern lifestyle, with irregular working hours, increased demands at work and the anxiety they provoke all intensify the problem of insomnia and sleep disturbances in general, and are constantly increasing the number of sufferers. For these basic reasons, the average nightly sleeping time fell by 20 percent in the past century. Though the average adult needs seven to eight hours sleep a night for maximum health and productivity, individual requirements differ, Soldatos explained. When someone does not get enough sleep, they gradually build up a sleep deficit and the more that deficit accumulates, the harder it becomes to «pay off.» Sleep deprivation has been linked to problems such as obesity, hypertension, bad moods and behavior, reduced productivity and an increased risk of accidents. In fact, it has been calculated that 25 percent of accidents are due to insufficient sleep. Since last year, the Hellenic Sleep Research Society has been running a website which provides information about sleep disturbances online at www.hsrs.gr What the experts say The experts say you’ll sleep better in a safe, comfortable, quiet environment and well-chosen and maintained bed. If you want a long, refreshing snooze, you should shut yourself off from light and noise, avoid smoking and drinking tea, coffee or alcohol at night. Skip that late afternoon nap and exercise daily, but not late at night. Don’t eat meals that are either too heavy or too light and stick to a strict sleep timetable. And if you still have difficulty falling asleep, keep your mind on pleasant thoughts.
