A consultant Family & Lifestyle Medicine Physician, Dr Titilayo Bamidele, on Friday said that sleep deprivation could have social, economic and health implications, advising Nigerians to prioritise their sleep.
Bamidele, who works with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), gave the assertion in an interview in Lagos.
She said that over 700 genes in the body could be affected when an individual fails to sleep as at when due.
According to her, sleep deprivation is usually caused by intentional human behaviour such as watching TV or movies at night, viewing social media on phones, night shifts, night study, night travel, night vigils and even mental health conditions.
“All these activities can disrupt the circadian rhythm, which is the body’s biological clock.
“Sleep helps to control the secretions from various body tissues and organs such as the growth hormone, the stress hormone and the hunger hormones.
“It also plays important roles in respiration, blood pressure and immunity.
“Sleep is so important that if an individual doesn’t sleep as at when due, over 700 genes in the body can be affected,” Bamidele said.
The physician, who described poor sleep as gateway to most mental illnesses, explained that poor sleep health has been linked to a myriad of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease and cognitive impairment.
She said that sleep was not merely a luxury but a fundamental pillar of health, comparable to nutrition and physical activity.
Bamidele explained that the normal duration expected of an individual to sleep varies based on the age of the individual.
She said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended at least 7 to 8 hours of restorative sleep for adults above 18 years, saying that infants and children require more hours of sleep compared to adults.
The Physician advised that people should make out time for sleep, rest and relaxation.
She said, “Infants require up to 16 hours of sleep, while pre-school and school age children need up to 13 hours and 12 hours of sleep respectively. This is important for the development of their brains.
“Sleep is as important as the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.
“It is a natural state of rest as well as a period dedicated to helping the body repair itself physiologically or naturally.
“Amidst the hustle and bustle of work, study, business and pleasure-seeking activities, Nigerians need to prioritise their sleep. In so doing we will be prioritising our health.”
NAN
