Over 5% of Indians Struggle With Sleep Problems

Over five percent of Indians suffer from sleep problems with women outnumbering men, a new study involving nearly 45,000 people in Asia and Africa reveals.

Researchers at Warwick Medical School observed the sleeping habits of 24,434 women and 19,501 men over 50 years of age. The participants from rural areas in Asian and African countries including Ghana, Tanzania, South Africa, India, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Indonesia and Kenya.

According to the study over 16 percent of those who were observed suffered from insomnia compared to an average of 20 percent in the western world. The study also revealed that a large population of Indians also struggled with sleeping disorders with women outnumbering men at 6.5 percent compared to 4.3 percent.

The researchers estimated that over 150 million people in Asia and Africa could be suffering from some form of sleeping disorders. "Therefore, these estimates suggest that sleep disturbances may represent a significant and unrecognized problem among older people in low-income settings. These findings further emphasize the global dimension of sleep problems as an emerging public health issue", the researchers wrote in their report.

Source: Medindia

Sleep Disorder

Sleep disorders can either be having difficulty in getting sleep or dozing off at inappropriate time.

Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders

Circadian rhythm (also known as sleep/wake cycle or the body clock) is a biological process that follows an internal cycle of roughly 24 hours.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea should be suspected in overweight middle aged adults who snore loudly and which can cause interruption of breathing for 10 seconds or more and this results in reduced blood o

Obstructive Sleep Apnea - Animation

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses completely blocking the airway. Obstructive sleep apnea is treated using continuous positive airway pressure.

Insomnia

Difficulty in initiating and maintaining sleep is known as insomnia. It is a symptom that occurs due to other disorders and can cause daytime sleepiness.

Periodic Limb Movement Disorder

Periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) is a sleep disorder which causes repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs, resulting in disturbance of sleep.

REM Behavior Disorder

REM Behavior Disorder (RBD) is a sleep disorder in which the person acts out dramatic or violent dreams during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep.

Sleep

Sleep is a behavioral state of restricted physical activity. It is controlled by our internal biological clock.

Sleep Disorder : Restless Legs Syndrome

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) causes - An urge to move, usually due to uncomfortable sensations that occur primarily in the legs.

Sleep Disorder: Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking or “Somnambulism,” is a type of parasomnia and has medico-legal implications

Sleep Disorders: A Prelude

Sleep disorders include difficulty falling/staying asleep, falling asleep at inappropriate times, excessive sleep or abnormal behaviors associated with sleep.

Sleep Disturbances In Women

The physical, emotional and hormonal changes that occur in women during puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause can cause Sleep Disturbances