Don’t ignore that yawn. Sleep deprivation could affect you more than you know
We all wish we could do with as little sleep as possible. Especially in today’s hurried society, sleep seems like a luxury and not a necessity. But no matter what the argument, the fact is that for good health one needs quality sleep. Dr Zarir Udwadia, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai says, “The sleep pattern requirement differs from person to person. There is no fixed amount though most people make do with 7 and a half hours of sleep. The correct amount may vary from 5-6 hours, which is enough for most people.” Though that would be an ideal time spent sleeping, with chaotic lifestyles, people are sleeping far less especially in the cities. Infact, doctors say we are running a ‘sleep debt.’ “We are sleeping two hours less than what our grandparents used to. In the earlier generation they followed their biological clock, and woke up when the sun rose and slept when the sun went down.We are all running a sleep debt,” says Dr Udwadia.

This sleep debt, has its adverse effects as sleep deprivation affects both the body and the mind. “One has to follow their body’s rhythm, this is known as circadian rhythm. This rhythm tells you when you need to rest. But with the new lifestyles that we lead, where coffee and alcohol consumption is high,or where we watch TV late into the night, these sleep patterns are affected. This leads to drowsiness, poor concentration, irritability, increased risk of falls and accidents, and lower productivity,”says Dr A K Bali, internal medicine, Moolchand Medcity, Delhi.

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