Sleep is not taken much into consideration by people when they think of maintaining their health. But this is as important as all the other facts you consider when you want to think about maintaining good health. On the occasion of World Sleep Day, CMRI organized a session for addressing issues related to sleep disorders.

The session was graced by Dr. Raja Dhar, Director and HOD, Department of Pulmonology, CMRI, and Dr. Arjun Dasgupta, Department of ENT-Otolaryngology, CMRI.

The number of people suffering from Diabetes is 1.8 percent of the total Indian population. However, the number of people who suffer from sleep disorders is just double. 8 percent of the total population from different age groups suffer from this problem. Sleep-related problems have been found to be one of the commonest problems for patients visiting the doctors.

According to Dr. Dhar, Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a huge risk factor for the development of different medical conditions like high blood pressure, pulmonary hypertension, insulin resistance, and even death in some cases.

Many people do not take snoring seriously. They think it is a metabolic issue. However, that is not the case. OSA leads to collapsing of the airways during nighttime. To counteract this problem, one can put a mask on the face, especially over the nose. This pushes in air and then splits open the airway throughout the night. The dropping of oxygen levels is stabilized, breathing is normal, and people sleep better than before. Over time, the snoring goes away and the associated health issues also come under control.

Sleep is an important factor to consider when you want to remain fit and healthy. Do not ignore snoring and other sleep-related issues. Contact your doctor at the earliest and take good care of your health!!

Priyanka Dutta