- How important is getting enough sleep for our general health?
Sleep is a condition of body and mind which leads to natural periodic suspension of consciousness, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes are closed and the postural muscles are relaxed. In terms of computer language, sleep acts like update and shutdown option for the body. Sleep offers the following health benefits;
- Improves the memory
- Increases life expectancy
- Reduces the incidence of diseases related to inflammation like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis etc.
- Improves cognition and creativity
- Improves stamina and fitness
- Improves the learning of new tasks
- Improves attention
- Helps keep a healthy appetite and weight
- Reduces the level of stress hormones
- Improves decision making and reaction time specially while doing critical tasks like driving
- It helps for a better emotional stability and taking care of anxiety and depression
- What kind of consequences will the lack of sleep have on brain and body?
- Memory disturbances
- Reduced life expectancy
- Increased incidence of inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis etc.
- Decline of stamina and fitness
- Impaired learning of new tasks
- Attention disorders
- Impaired decision making and reaction time specially while doing critical tasks like driving. Lack of sleep is one of the common cause of road traffic accidents.
- Worsening of anxiety and depression
- What are the common mistakes people do in Ramadan and what are some of your tips that can help them?
Tips;
Limiting daytime naps to 30 minutes: Napping does not make up for inadequate sleep at night. However, a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help improve mood, alertness and performance.
Avoiding stimulants such as caffeine and nicotine close to bedtime.
Exercising to promote good quality sleep. As little as 10 minutes of aerobic exercise, such as walking or cycling, can drastically improve nighttime sleep quality. For the best night’s sleep, most people should avoid strenuous workouts close to bedtime. However, the effect of intense nighttime exercise on sleep differs from person to person, so find out what works best for you.
Steering clear of food that can be disruptive right before sleep. Heavy or rich foods, fatty or fried meals, spicy dishes, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion for some people. When this occurs close to bedtime, it can lead to painful heartburn that disrupts sleep.
Specialist Neurologist,
Aster Specialty Clinic, International City
