2024-03-15 07:30:05
Raise awareness about its importance for public health. That is the main objective of World Sleep Daywhich this year aims to focus on the differences between people and the impact of bad habits in the different related disorders. According to data from the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), the latter affect 22-30% of the Spanish population.
“Healthy sleep is sleep that adapts to the needs of each individual and their environment, is satisfactory, has an adequate duration and schedule, is efficient without periods of waking up during the night, and allows sustained alertness during waking hours,” Explain Ana Fernández Arcoscoordinator of the SEN Sleep and Wakefulness Disorders Study Group.
According to Fernández Arcos, achieving this does not depend solely on greater education and awareness of sleep habits: “There are impediments, in a large part of the population, mainly due to work, social and lifestyle needs that take hours away from a night’s rest, being inadequate below 7 hours in adults.”
Poor rest has consequences on individual health and society in general and is associated with mental, emotional and physical health problems.
Ana Fernández-Arcos (SEN)
“A bad rest has consequences on individual health and on society in general. and is associated with mental, emotional and physical health problems. Additionally, people with chronic illnesses, members of minorities, and people in precarious situations may have great difficulty maintaining optimal sleep routines,” he adds.
What the data makes clear is that the Spanish population does not rest adequately. The SEN estimates that 48% of the Spanish adult population and 25% of the child population do not have quality sleep. Furthermore, the latest studies carried out in this regard indicate that at least 50% have problems falling asleep and 32% wake up with the feeling of not having had a restful sleep.
“Sleep is essential for health. Mainly for brain health, because poor sleep influences memory and learning and increases the risk of developing neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s or cerebrovascular disease. But it has also been related to a greater risk of metabolic disorders, infections or premature mortality,” continues the specialist.
Insomnia and apnea, the most common
There are nearly 100 classified sleep disorders and, in addition, there are many individuals who live with diseases that, due to their symptoms, interfere with rest. He insomnia It is the most prevalent in Spain; It affects approximately 20% of the population and has consequences that go beyond nighttime discomfort, as it impacts the physical and emotional health of those who suffer from it.
At least 32% of Spaniards wake up with the feeling of not having had a restful sleep and 50% have problems falling asleep.
Another common condition in our country is obstructive sleep apneawhich affects 5-7% of the population and is characterized by causing pauses in breathing during sleep, interfering with rest and increasing the long-term risk of vascular diseases (such as stroke), diabetes and other serious health problems.
On the other hand, between 5-10% of Spaniards suffer from Restless Leg Syndromewhich is manifested by unpleasant sensations in the extremities that appear in the evening or during the night and at rest and cause an irresistible urge to move them during rest, which hinders the ability to fall asleep and maintain it adequately.
“Although problems such as insomnia, sleep apnea or restless legs syndrome are the most common sleep disorders in Spain, there are many others that not only affect the quality of life of people who suffer from them, but can also have consequences on the development of diseases in the future,” says Fernández Arcos.
Although sleep disorders are common, they are not always properly diagnosed or treated. / Pixabay
The figures in Spain
According to data from the SEN, More than 4 million Spaniards have some type of chronic and serious sleep disorder, and the World Sleep Society estimates that at least 45% of the world’s population will suffer from a serious sleep disorder at some point. Despite these data, less than a third of individuals who suffer from them consult their doctor.
The World Sleep Society estimates that at least 45% of the world’s population will suffer from a serious sleep disorder at some point.
In Spain, only 10% of total cases have been diagnosed, calculates the SEN. “Although sleep disorders are common, they are not always properly diagnosed or treated. There are many people who suffer from them who consider that they should settle and do not seek medical attention, even though they experience persistent problems,” highlights the expert.
Factors that affect sleep
Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder in Spain; affects approximately 20% of the population
There are six elements that affect sleep health and, therefore, overall health and well-being: duration (how much we sleep throughout the day), efficiency (how long it takes us to fall asleep and whether we stay asleep without waking up), the timing (when we sleep), the regularity (maintaining stable sleeping and waking times), the degree of alertness (if we are able to focus and maintain attention during waking hours) and the quality (if our sleep is restful).
“We must remember that, although experiencing specific changes in sleep is normal, anyone who cannot have a restful sleep despite improving their habits should consult their doctor,” concludes Fernández Arcos.
Fuente:
Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN)
Rights: Creative Commons.
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