Sleep Better
Sleep Better
Sleep Better
– Menachem Begin
Former PM of Israel
(White Nights : the Story of a Prisoner in Russia)
Why should I care about Sleep now?
Quiz Time!
Insufficient Sleep Epidemic
• Problem Statement: The prevalence of sleep disorders in India is high.
A study has pegged the percentage of insomnia to be as high as 33%
among adults in India. (Silent Sleep Epidemic)
Assessing:
• Your sleep quality
• Consequences of poor sleep
The Need for……..Sleep
Need for Sleep- a physiological drive
• Physical: restorative functions, repair, metabolism, immunity, waste
clearance
• Psychological: stability of mood, better mood, lower anxiety
• Social: improved interactions
• Cognitive: brain development, ability to learn, making new memories,
and make logical decisions and choices
• Professional and Academic
• Economical
How Sleep works?
The Biological Clock
How sleep works?
• Body and the Environment
• The Biological Clock (Circadian Rhythm): SCN
• Sleep Homeostasis (sleep/wake balance)
Light: Cortisol
Dark: Melatonin
Adenosine (Sleep pressure)
• Dreams
Your Biological Clock
Source: nobelprize.org
Stages of Sleep- what I need to know
What factors determine a healthy sleep
pattern
Light and Dark • Stimulants- caffeine, nicotine
• Pineal Gland and Melatonin • Depressants- Alcohol, Cannabis
• Adenosine • Anxiety/Stress
Physical Activity • Artificial lights/Screens
Food- what, when and how much
What does science recommend?
How can I assess my sleep pattern? Questionnaires, Devices/Sensors,
Polysomnography and Home Sleep Tests, Sleep Labs…….
Also…..
Genetics, daily schedule, and activity level determines the right duration
Morning or Evening person
Napper/non-napper
2) Quality: continuous, uninterrupted sleep is desirable
Regularity
Latency: 10-20 minutes
Sleep efficiency: 85 percent or above
Awakenings:
-Observable: 2 to 3 per night
-All: up to 20 per hour (<10 percent of sleeping time)
Common Sleep Issues
• Sleep Deprivation- Quantitative and Qualitative loss
• Snoring and OSA
• Daytime sleepiness
• Insomnia
• Others: Restless Leg Syndrome, Somnambulism, Bruxism
Consequences of an unhealthy sleep pattern
• Health related
a) Physical- hypertension, diabetes, heart attack, stroke, poor sexual health,
Alzheimer’s, Cancers (shift work-probable carcinogen), reduced life span
b) Psychological (Trouble staying alert, Feelings of irritation, Memory
problems, Trouble focusing, Difficulty retaining new concepts, Difficulty
making decisions, Slower reaction times, Risk-taking
behaviors)/sexual/lifespan)
• Familial- discord, common sleep issues in other members
• Professional: errors at work, accidents, irritability, diminished empathy,
poor leadership
Short Sleep=Short Life
Sleep related myths
A) Sleep duration:
• Your Body Gets Used To Getting Less Sleep
• Many Adults Need Five or Less Hours of Sleep
• How Long You Sleep Is All That Matters
• More Sleep Is Always Better
• It Doesn’t Matter When You Sleep as Long as You Sleep Enough Hours