If you don’t get enough sleep, your health will be compromised.

It’s been a year since the pandemic blockade and telecommuting disrupted our daily schedule. For many, the line between work and break time has been reduced. And that’s causing havoc in our sleep cycle. Most of us feel that pulling occasionally all night is perfectly fine, but long periods of sleep deprivation have a negative impact on our health. During World Sleep Day (March 19th) Lounge We talked to practitioners and fitness professionals about why they need to sleep more.

“Most of us have no awareness of lack of sleep, or how lack of sleep affects our lives, but lack of sleep affects many aspects of our lives. “It does,” said Dr. Shibasish Day, Head of Healthcare at ResMed’s Asia and Latin America, a provider of digital health and connected sleep and breathing care devices.

A study published a few years ago demonstrated that many Indians suffer from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA, a condition in which short-term breathing stops abruptly during sleep). According to this study Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome-Indian scenario, Published in the journal Prospects for medical research In 2013, 4.4% to 13.7% of Indians suffered from OSA. The figures by gender range from 4.4% to 19.7% for Indian men and 2.5% to 7.4% for women. This involves a variety of factors, including chronic stuffy nose, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even a family history of OSA.

“People who suffer from sleep apnea often snore and the upper airways collapse. This makes breathing difficult and the brain awakens you and reminds you of breathing. This type of sleep disorder is very common. It’s a target and has many consequences, including leading to type II diabetes, “says Dey.

There is also a correlation between sleep and productivity. Day adds that people suffering from sleep apnea and sleep disorders wake up feeling tired from headaches and body aches. They cannot be productive or creative because they do not feel fresh and will find social communication difficult.

Another study published in National Library of Medicine We found that loss of sleep resulted in elevated cortisol levels the next night. Cortisol hormones have many benefits, including controlling blood sugar levels, regulating metabolism, reducing inflammation, and helping memory formation, but too much can lead to imbalances in the body. Too much cortisol is known to lead to rapid weight gain, high blood pressure, mood swings, osteoporosis, and muscle weakness.

“Sleep is also essential for your fitness, especially if you’re actively trying to build strength and lose weight. In the case of sleep deprivation, more cortisol is released and testosterone and partial muscle synthesis are increased. And if your body doesn’t produce enough testosterone, it doesn’t produce enough muscle, “said Jitendra Chouksey, founder and CEO of Fittr, an online health and fitness platform. I will explain.

As a matter of fact, Effect of Weekly Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men Since 2015, “daytime testosterone levels have decreased by 10% to 15% in a small expedient sample of young healthy men who received a weekly sleep restriction of 5 hours per night. Population. By comparison. Normal aging is associated with a 1% to 2% reduction in testosterone levels per year. There is also an important link between low testosterone and the risk of obesity.

According to Chouksey, many people who don’t get enough sleep try to make up for it with caffeine. But this catches up with us for a period of time, and we can’t do the same activities we do with proper sleep and rest. “But it’s also a vicious circle. People who can’t sleep well can’t play during peak hours, while they can’t sleep well if they’re not active enough,” he adds.

But there are ways to manage your sleep. Seek medical attention if the problem is serious. But Day believes that some good sleep habits should become a habit for everyone. He proposes to follow sleep hygiene for everyone, not just those who suffer from sleep apnea. “Follow the same sleep schedule every day. Therefore, if you sleep at 10 pm, make sure you sleep at the same time each night. During the day, you will be exposed to the sun and exercise moderately, but at bedtime. Do not increase activity level at least 2 hours before. Similarly, reduce caffeine intake after 7 pm. Most importantly, the bed is just for sleeping, chatting, Remember, it’s not about watching TV, relaxing, or working. This helps to show your brain that you’re ready to sleep every night when you go to bed. ” Says.