Thursday, 31 March 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
Recent studies have highlighted the need for a good night’s sleep as it ensures good physical, mental and emotional well-being. Recently, ResMed conducted a sleep study where they questioned over 5,000 people from across India. Most Indians surveyed believed that a good night’s sleep was essential for all while 81 per cent of those surveyed believed that the sleep cycle affected their quality of life. However, the study also revealed that Indians take the longest to fall asleep (the average time is around 90 minutes). In addition, 59 per cent regarded snoring as a sign of a good night’s sleep, which shows the lack of knowledge when it comes to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Furthermore, 72 per cent of those surveyed attributed a poor sleep cycle to poor emotional well-being. However, despite acknowledging the problem, only 53 percent have tried to address their sleep problems using devices that can help them.
OSA is a condition where the throat muscles relax and the airway narrows or closes while inhaling- the most common symptoms are loud snoring, gasping for air during sleep, a morning headache, difficulty staying asleep, difficulty paying attention when awake and irritability.
Lack of sleep makes the body work more and also results in an increase in blood sugar levels, further resulting in diabetes. Insomnia levels have seen a global rise in the past two years. In India alone, there was a 57 per cent increase in people experiencing poor sleep quality.
Considering these factors, ResMed recently introduced sleep health products that can help in tackling sleep-related issues. While this won’t be an overnight solution, it will be the path towards a good night’s sleep and in the process better health. These include eye masks (silk and contoured) to block white light, Dreampad – a pillow to induce relaxing sleep, Dodow – a device emitting blue light to help soothe a racing mind, a sound machine that blocks background noises and CPAP Wipes for a fast and easy way to clean CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) masks. Though these products have all been developed to improve the sleep cycle, it is advisable to speak to a sleep expert to see which one works best for the individual.
