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The myriad myths about sleep
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The myriad myths about sleep

Can a person make up for lost sleep? Should you be able to doze off anywhere and at anytime?

Sleep is one of the most essential activities responsible to re-energise ourselves. Sleep also has a lot of myths around it which are addressed below

Sleep is important for all bodily functions. Research has shown that sleep has, for instance, a positive effect on cardiovascular health and the immune system. 

Sleep science has drastically evolved in the last decade or so. Still, despite so much more information, it is difficult to confirm the credibility of all the data. So, we try to bust some myths about sleep.

Myth 1: Alcohol gives you quality sleep

People who drink alcohol often notice that they quickly start feeling tired or sleepy. Many (wrongly) believe that drinking can guarantee a good night’s sleep. But while drinking alcohol may help some people fall asleep quickly, it doesn’t improve sleep quality.

According to a 2013 paper,Alcohol and Sleep I: Effects on Normal Sleep’, alcohol reduces rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which is the most important phase of deep sleep.

Myth 2: Obstructive sleep apnea is the same as insomnia

In obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a person doesn’t get sleep because there is an obstruction in the nose or throat which doesn’t allow them to sleep. Misconceptions about OSA usually lead to a delay in treatment. One study reported that the participants’ responses reflected the misconception that OSA was synonymous with insomnia — which may lead a person to assume that the only problem is “falling or staying asleep”, and a more definitive diagnosis or treatment may not be sought or delayed. 

Myth 3: OSA is a natural process of ageing

OSA does not happen to people when they grow old — it is not a natural process of ageing. This myth has severely affected the treatment process, like encouraging non-helping-seeking behaviours.

Statistics show that the prevalence of OSA increases with age regardless of the presence or non-presence of risk factors like obesity. 

“Another misconception was that OSA was a natural process of ageing,” says the above-mentioned study. “It may also have implications on treatment outcomes by delaying or preventing help-seeking behaviours. The clinical relevance of these beliefs is reinforced by the fact that older adults are more likely to have sleep disturbances, more likely to have sleep apnea, and have higher levels of comorbid conditions that could exacerbate OSA.”

Myth 4: You can make up for lost sleep

Sleep is not a Netflix series that can be paused and played later. Getting eight to nine hours of sleep daily is important. The damage caused due to long-term sleep deprivation cannot be fixed by sleeping more. “Sleep is essential for every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental functioning, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk,” says Dr Sachin D, consultant, interventional pulmonology, critical care and sleep medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Bengaluru. “Sleep, being truly interdisciplinary, touches every aspect of health and well-being.”

Myth 5: You should be able to fall asleep anywhere, anytime

According to a 2019 research article, a healthy sleep system doesn’t allow you to doze off anywhere and at any time. Lack of sleep can cause excessive daytime sleepiness or the ability to fall asleep “anywhere, anytime”. In other words, this may be indicative of a chronically sleep-deprived state rather than of being “a good sleeper”.

Myth 6: It’s best to stay in bed when having trouble falling asleep

Sometimes people who have trouble falling asleep are wrongly advised to practise “stimulus control therapy”. Although it seems counter-intuitive, this therapy suggests people who have trouble falling asleep should get out of bed, stay away from blue light and return to bed when they are exhausted. But evidence has helped debunk this myth too.

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