How do you catch some zzzzs?

From newindianexpress.com

It’s World Sleep day on March 17, and CE  finds that sleep disorders are common among millennials. Erratic work hours, spending a lot of time on social media at night, food consumption and drinking alcohol are some of the reasons given by experts.

Waking up early, going for a quick jog to kick up that adrenaline, a healthy breakfast, and then head to work. And by the end of the day, when it’s all done, tuck under the quilt before the clock strikes 10 pm. Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? Yes, it is, to many! Welcome to the world of sleep disorders. At a time when ‘binge TV watching’, late work shifts and several ‘night owls’ lurking behind their computer screens increase in number, City Express finds out how millennials are coping with sleep disorders, how quality sleep helps in having a proper ‘sleep hygiene’and more…
Among people with healthy biological clocks, there are ‘larks’ or ‘morning people’, who prefer to sleep and wake up early, as well as ‘owls’ or ‘night people’, who prefer to sleep and wake up late. “Whether you are a lark or an owl, you must be able to wake up in time in the morning, and fall asleep at night, again, in time so that you get enough sleep to go through the cycle every day,” opines Dr Gauthamadas Udipi, senior consultant in Neuro Behavioural Medicine.
With insomnia being the most common sleep disorder, experts say that it can be found frequently in adolescents, and also people working in media, IT and banking fields, who have irregular work timings. “I used to go to bed early. Unfortunately, I have a job that demanded night shifts. My whole biological clock and behaviour were affected. Some days, I used to sleep the whole day and other times, I used to be awake for two to three days straight. Either way, I started becoming cranky and had abnormal weight loss,” rues Malavika (21).

Though some struggle to cope with demanding work shifts like Malavika, many youngsters suffer from sleep disorders, which they “brought it upon themselves,” points psychologist Lakshmi Vijayakumar. “Most youngsters are awake till 3 am, using social media or WhatsApp. This in turn affects their day time work and they are unable to concentrate in school/college,” she says.
Also, cyber bullying, sexting and other practices have become the norm during night hours, which in turn affect both sleeping cycle and psychology, she adds. “Just like how dental hygiene is important, having good sleep hygiene is mandatory. One can have a small routine before going bed — taking a shower, drinking milk or listening to good music helps. Switching off all electronic gadgets before sleeping goes a long way in normalising sleep cycle,” she informs.
From leading a quality life, better sex, and healthier breathing rates to regulated metabolism, a good night’s sleep can seamlessly alter one’s life. The hours of sleep you require varies from person to person, but on an average, teenagers need around eight to 10 hours and most adults need seven to eight hours a night.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/mar/15/how-do-you-catch-some-zzzzs-1581729--1.html