80 per cent Indians are sleep deprived, says a new study

The study by global sleep brand ResMed, also revealed that only 21 per cent wake up feeling refreshed in the morning

Sleep brand ResMed conducted a survey last month, in keeping with World Sleep Day on the sleeping habits across Asia and Latin America. The study aimed to find out the impact of sleep of last there of, on the well-being of the respondents.

Surprisingly, all the 5004 Indian respondents surveyed suffered from insufficient sleep and/or poor sleep quality. Only 21 per cent of the respondents said they wake up fresh and happy.

The survey also delved into the reasons for this, and found that the primary cause of poor sleep quality among Indians is a lack of knowledge of sleep hygiene.

Many Indians do not consider sleeping an important part of our body functions, and sometimes feel proud that they can function without sleep. They follow erratic schedules, irregular working hours, and lead unhealthy lifestyles.

The ResMed found out that most Indians have dinner, or eat something, scroll through mobile phones, and play video games right before sleeping. All these lifestyle habits interfere with sleep quality.

Over 55 per cent of Indians said they have trouble sleeping for at least three nights a week, and 67 per cent believe that snoring is a sign of good sleep. These beliefs show that there is a huge gap up in sleep education in India. 

Another cause of poor sleep quality is sleep disorders such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), and Narcolepsy, to name a few. Disorders such as OSA disrupt sleep at night, causing the patient to wake up tired the next day.

Incidentally, the long-term side effects of sleep deprivation include motor accidents, decreased cognitive functioning, and increased cardiovascular diseases. 

The study also found that the biggest culprit hampering indians’ quality of sleep is a deep rooted ignorance about good sleep habits.