CAN LACK OF SLEEP SERIOUSLY AFFECT YOUR HEALTH?
BY DR ARI MANUAL, SPIRE MURRAYFIELD, WIRRAL
Dr Ari Manuel is a Sleep and Ventilation Consultant at Spire
Murrayfield Hospital, Wirral. With most of us experiencing
disturbed sleep at some time, here Dr Manuel explains one of
the most common causes, the potential health consequences
and treatments available.
Poor sleep is a modern epidemic, with an estimated third of
people in the UK suffering from insomnia at some point in their
lives. We live in a sleep-deprived nation, with the finger of blame
being pointed at a range of issues from social media to longer
working hours and the blurring of boundaries between work and
home life.
What's not in dispute though is that a lack of sleep can be bad
for your health, it could even contribute to a stroke or a heart
attack if ignored for long enough. Addressing sleep complaints
is as important as keeping your cholesterol or blood pressure
in check and there is always help available to ensure you get a
healthy night's sleep.
Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), for example, one of the most
common causes of insomnia, can be tackled in a variety of ways.
As many as 700,000 people in the North West have clinically
significant sleep apnoea, a condition that momentarily stops you
breathing when you’re sleeping. It happens when your throat
closes partially (hypopnoea) or completely (apnoea) during sleep,
obstructing your airways for about ten seconds.
This will rouse you from a deep sleep or can, very briefly, wake
you up. As sleep apnoea usually happens repeatedly, OSA can lead
to poor quality sleep which in turn can affect your daily life, your
health and the sleep of your partner.
If left untreated, OSA could also increase your risk of high blood
pressure, heart attack, stroke, an abnormal heartbeat and type 2
diabetes, so it is important to seek help.
The first step is to see your GP who will assess your symptoms and
try to discover the leading cause for your sleep problems. You may
be referred to a specialist sleep clinic where tests will be carried
out to determine if you have OSA.
78 wirrallife.com
If you do not have OSA, simple things such as a face mask or
ear plugs, could make a big difference or you may be prescribed
medication in the short-term to help you fall asleep or maintain
sleep.
If you are diagnosed with OSA you may be recommended to try
a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine whereby
you wear a mask which pumps pressurised air into your airways,
expanding the nose, mouth and throat as you sleep.
Sixty to 70 per cent of people who try a CPAP machine are
still using it after a year because of the improvement they have
experienced to their sleep.
The machine does not work in isolation, however, changes may
also need to be made to your lifestyle – like reducing caffeine and
alcohol intake, for instance. OSA can affect anyone of any age and
any size but traditionally it is overweight, middle-aged men who
are more susceptible to developing it. However, if your nose is
very narrow or you have a family history of OSA, you may be at
higher risk.
Whatever the cause, it is important to seek help if you don’t sleep
well. Sleep is as essential to your well-being as exercise and a
healthy diet.
Poor quality sleep will result in you feeling tired all of the time
and can lead to depression, low energy levels and low libido - so
can affect all aspects of your life.
Whether you sleep too little, too much or are not refreshed, you
should seek an expert’s advice - sooner rather than later. You
could soon be on the path to a restful night's sleep.
Dr Manuel offers a sleep disordered breathing (SDB) clinic
weekly at Spire Murrayfield Hospital. Dr Manuel utilises the
latest technology to enable a home based sleep study to confirm
diagnosis and discuss treatment options for sleep apnoea. He will
be presenting a free patient information evening on the subject on
23rd Jan at 6.30pm. To book a place please email wirralevents@
spirehealthcare.com. For more details, search ‘Spire Wirral’.