Sleep deprivation has become a ‘silent epidemic’ in India. According to a survey, 46% of adults are suffering from this, due to which diseases like anxiety and depression are increasing. This is a major threat to both health and economy.
Health News: India is currently facing a serious ‘silent sleep epidemic’. New studies show that about 46 percent of the adults in the country are suffering from lack of sleep for a long time. The reality is that professionals working in cities are not able to sleep properly even for six hours at night. Lack of sleep has become like a silent enemy which is gradually ruining the health of Indians. On the occasion of World Sleep Day, ‘LocalCircles’ has released a survey. According to this, almost half of the adults in the country are victims of chronic lack of sleep. Researchers have warned that not getting proper sleep at night is not only the beginning of fatigue but also the beginning of deterioration in physical and mental health.
This survey was conducted on 89,000 people from 393 districts. It was found that a large part of the people working in cities do not sleep even six hours at night. In the survey, 72% people said that getting up to go to the bathroom is the biggest reason for them losing sleep. Apart from this, mosquitoes, outside noise and using mobile or laptop till late night are also disturbing the sleep of Indians.
Due to lack of sleep for a long time, diseases like anxiety, depression and high blood pressure are increasing among Indians. Due to lack of deep sleep, the process of clearing toxic proteins present in the brain slows down. This also increases the risk of memory related diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Its worst effect is visible on teenagers and youth.
Lack of sleep is harming not only our health but also the economy of the country. According to a study by ‘RAND Corporation’, lack of sleep among employees reduces their productivity. This causes a loss of 680 billion dollars every year to the world’s major economies. In developing countries like India, increasing use of smartphones and work stress can further increase this economic loss.
However, the report also shows a ray of hope. This crisis can be dealt with by making some easy changes in lifestyle. The people involved in the survey also believed that it is most important to develop the habit of sleeping and waking up at the right time. Eating light at night, listening to quiet music before sleeping and avoiding screens help in good sleep. Apart from this, taking morning sunlight and natural diet can also prove helpful in improving sleep.
Health experts have warned that if this sleeping epidemic is not taken seriously, India may face a major health crisis in the coming years.