Sleep deprivation a growing problem

Pank Jit Sin, CIMS, Jun 2014: People are becoming increasingly sleep deprived and this can result in serious consequences, warns a US expert.

Speaking at a media interview in conjunction with the 12th International Congress on Obesity, Dr. Teofilo Lee-Chiong, a professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, said sufficient sleep is important for growth and restoration; metabolic and energy balance; immune function; brain development; and learning.

“Many people under-appreciate the importance of sleep.” This is especially evident in the modern world, with its 24-hour connectivity. Teofilo noted that over the last 40 years, nightly sleep duration has decreased by an average of 1 to 2 hours, and that one-third of young adults sleep less than 6 to 7 hours every night.

While sleep deprivation has many causes – shift work, late night television shows, side effects of coffee and tea – sleep and medical disorders play an important role in sleep deprivation, with the most common being obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

OSA is estimated to affect 1-in-6 middle-aged men and up to 1-in-10 women. The condition is more prevalent in those with comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, asthma and stroke. Based on these estimates, almost three million Malaysians could have sleep apnea, with many still undiagnosed.  

The lay person may not be aware that many diseases can be linked to OSA, including hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, depression, memory loss and learning impairment, said Teofilo. In light of this, it is important that OSA is diagnosed and treated.

In the GP setting, patients with straightforward OSA can be effectively managed by those with adequate knowledge of the disorder. Properly trained GPs can initiate screening, conduct clinical history, perform the necessary examinations and testing, prescribe treatments (including proper sleep hygiene, maintenance of optimal weight and positive airway pressure therapy) and monitor responses to therapy, said Teofilo. 

“Referral to a sleep specialist (including sleep physicians, surgeons and dentists) should be considered in patients with complicated medical histories, who have major medical comorbidities or who have failed to respond to positive airway pressure therapy.”

Sleep deprivation consequences
Some of the world’s most devastating accidents have been associated with inadequate sleep, noted Teofilo. For instance, the Chernobyl nuclear accident, Exxon Valdez oil tanker accident and the space shuttle Challenger explosion were all attributable to sleep deprivation. [Sleep, Performance and Public Safety. Available at:http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-performance-and-public-safety Accessed on 1 April]

Sleep deprivation is associated with up to 10 percent of motor vehicle crashes and over 50 percent of work-related accidents, while about 20 percent of pilots admit to making serious errors due to sleepiness.

In order to improve the situation, Teofilo called for improved visibility of the problem related to sleep deprivation and to affirm society’s role to “protect sleep.”