Ways to get a good nights sleep
Posted on: 20/Apr/2016 5:19:09 PM
There has been an alarming increase in sleep disorders in India. This indicates that Indians are struggling to reap the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
Says a senior ENT surgeon and sleep apnoea specialist in Mumbai, We seem to be content to sacrifice our sleep for success. The problem is even more apparent in metropolitan cities where younger generations are working harder than ever to keep their heads afloat. Ten years ago, we didn`t have as much work as we do now, and we did sleep better.
Here are a few things that are messing with out sleep, and why its important to take care of them right away.
Many Indians have a habit of staying up late. Says a senior neurologist in New Delhi, This is especially noticeable on weekends, when one sleeps late and wakes up early on Monday, feeling tired even though there is an entire week of work stretching out in front of them. The best time to sleep is between 10 and 11pm, judging, of course, on the time you wake up.
According to surveys covering approximately 350 families in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Mumbai had the most number of people who slept after midnight. 32 percent of Bengalureans slept by 10 pm.
Another problem that Indians face is eating late. Says an official from the Indian Association of Surgeons for Sleep Apnoea (IASSA), The Maharajas of Rajasthan knew what they were doing by consuming their meals right before sunset (between 5:30-6:30pm). Keep a gap of an hour and a half between bedtime and your meals. As Indians, we cannot sacrifice the luxury of a meal eaten in the comfort of our home to signal that the day is finally over.
Not enough relaxation is another reason. Many feel that television, laptops, comfort foods and drinking are not a way to unwind. Many also feel drowsy and sleep after work or after dinner. Instead, it is better to wait for bedtime. Sure fire ways of unwinding are exercise and reading books. Experts advise deep breathing and meditation. They say, Simply lie down and close your eyes if you cannot sleep - the idea is to adopt a pattern that your body recognises so it will get accustomed to falling asleep. But none of this is possible if you insist working once home, or stressing yourself out.
