CHENNAI: Changing lifestyles are cutting into the amount and quality of sleep across age groups, resulting in an increase in disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnoea.

Persistent sleep deprivation can cause a host of problems ranging from excessive daytime sleepiness, drowsy driving habit and a slump in workplace efficiency.

The problem of sleepless nights mainly afflicts elderly people who are lonely, have anxiety and depression, and workers alternating between night and day shifts. Youth on night rosters in the BPO sector constitute a relatively new group, which is feeling the health impact of an upset Circadian rhythm.

Another important concern addressed by a sleep medicine specialist these days is sleep apnoea, where breathing pattern variations in those who snore produce a medical problem. Sleep apnoea, if untreated, can lead on to high blood pressure, heart attacks andstrokes.

"There is a strong link between sleep apnoea and hypertension," N. Ramakrishnan, director, Critical Care Services, Apollo Hospitals and Director Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences, told a press conference on Tuesday, ahead of a two-day meet on sleep medicine starting July 8 that will pan critical issues in the speciality.

It is estimated that one-third of patients with hypertension have sleep problems and vice versa. This is only one of the reasons why sleep medicine specialists are urging physicians to factor in quality of sleep during clinical evaluation of several disorders, including heart problems.

Globally, insomnia affects about two-thirds of the population who have experienced sleepless nights at some point of their lives, though only around 30 per cent who have suffered the problem for two weeks qualify for treatment.

Sleep apnoea affects between 2 and 4 per cent of the population in the world, and for some reason is prevalent more in men than women. Awareness on the health impact of sleep deprivation is low both among public and medical fraternity, Dr. Ramakrishnan said. Insurance firms are still reluctant to extend cover for patients claiming expenses for treating sleep disorders. The Government is yet to wake up to the significance of classifying imported sleep medicine equipment as life-saving, which would reduce the cost of a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure device used for apnoea from the prohibitive bracket of Rs. 40,000-80,000, he pointed out.

In children, sleep disorders manifest as "parasomnias" such as "sleep terrors" where the child wakes up in a state of panic, sleep-talking and sleep-walking. Bed-wetting too is classified as a sleep disorder.

"Sleep Medicine 2006" organised by Nithra Association of Professionals in Sleep Medicine is designed to meet the needs of physicians in clinical practice and increase their ability to recognise sleep problems.

For details, contact 43502252/28343456.

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