World Sleep Day special: The importance of a good sleep cycle and how can it be achieved

Modern life can rob you of precious sleep but timely diagnostic tests will be able to reverse this problem. Read on to know all about it on this World Sleep Day.

It has been well demonstrated by various research that a good night's sleep paves the way for a healthy life. Sound sleep not only helps you wake up fresh the next day but also saves you from the risk of various chronic diseases such as type II diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular issues, and stroke. To value the importance of sleep and spread awareness about an unhealthy sleep cycle's repercussion, the World Sleep Society observes March 19 every year as the World Sleep Day. This year's theme - Regular sleep, healthier life, significantly implies that adhering to a regular and consistent sleep cycle can help us lead a healthier and more fuelled life.

Importance of sleep

Firstly, sleep deprivation has affects everyone. Sleep issues differ from other health conditions because the signs and symptoms occur while you are asleep (or as the result of how you sleep). This makes it difficult to witness and understand the extent of the sleep disorder symptoms and seek a diagnosis. Secondly, sleep is vital to have better cognitive skills, be more productive at work and have optimal health. Additionally, our physiological processes, such as the heart rate slowing down when we sleep, giving them adequate rest to function properly the next day. When your body gets the sleep it needs, your immune system gets optimized and they gain adequate capacity to respond to pathogens. According to various clinical studies, good sleep can also make vaccines more effective.

Modern life can rob you of sleep

However, in today's fast-paced life, not everyone has the luxury of a good night's sleep. Millions of people have made it known that they do not get enough sleep due to professional commitments and the urge to stay one step ahead of everybody, furthering the silent sleep attackers, such as sleep apnea.

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Sleep apnea or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a disorder in which the muscles in the neck muscles relax to the point of collapse, restricting airflow. This causes breathing to become shallow and even cease for few seconds, depriving the body and brain of oxygen (hypoxia). This leads to the patient waking up suddenly at night, gasping for air (arousals). It is also one of the symptom, as to why people snore while sleeping. So, if you ever associated snoring with a good night's sleep, you may want to think again!

Seek timely medical help

Sleep expert suggests talking to your doctor whenever you are experiencing fatigue, snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, even if you have felt that way for a long time and have learned to cope with it. When left untreated, sleep apnea can cause serious health problems in long term. Current estimates suggest that over 28 million Indians have moderate to severe sleep apnea, and most of them remain undiagnosed.

Sleep diagnostic tests

Sleep diagnostic tests can be efficiently conducted at home with new-age home sleep tests such as onesleeptest by Ectosense, which is distributed by ResMed. Post-test diagnosis, your doctor will speak with you about the various treatment solutions for sleep apnea.

CPAP therapy: This solution involves a mask that is fitted over the nose and/or mouth and worn during sleep. A machine delivers air through the mask to keep your airway open and assist breathing.
Oral appliances (OA): These devices are typically prescribed to patients with mild to moderate sleep apnea or who resist CPAP therapy.

Surgery: Surgery for sleep apnea involves corrective surgeries of the airway to remove obstruction.
Weight loss: Losing weight is also advocated as a lifestyle corrective measure.

While the idea of having sleep apnea may be scary, the good news is that it is manageable, and you can live a healthy, active life.

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