The health ministry is yet to recognise the importance of sleep in human life despite the fact that sleep disorders may cause serious health problems including hypertension, diabetes, brain stroke and heart disease, experts said.
There is criticism from the patients that no Bangladeshi doctors even talk about sleep disorders or are able to detect any sleep related problems due to their ignorance.
The USA has the third generation of sleep specialists while developed countries like Australia and Singapore have the second generation of sleep experts.
But health ministry people of Bangladesh are not keen on setting up of a separate sleep unit even at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) nor incorporate the subject in the academic curriculum for MBBS students.
They are even not interested to conduct a survey to know the situation about the country's sleep related issues and diseases.
According to a data, about 100 million people across the world don't have adequate sleep while 8.0 per cent people have sleep related diseases and snoring problem.
As many as 22 million Americans are sleep deprived, and 35 per cent of Americans don't get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. Roughly 20 per cent of Americans have a sleep disorder.
About 97 per cent of teenagers get less than the recommended amount of sleep. Sleep deprivation costs the US $411 billion annually. Nearly 20 per cent of all car crashes are linked to some sort of sleep disorders.
Prof Dr Mani Lal Aich Litu, general secretary of Association of Surgeons for Sleep Apnoea, said sound sleep is required for good cognitive function & social processing.
A sleep-deprived person can't learn efficiently because they are unable to focus their attention. They face difficulties in concentrating. People who don't get enough sleep have memory problems, he said.
"Healthy sleep can help your body better regulate blood sugar levels, keep your immune system functioning properly and even improve your heart health by decreasing stress," he added.
Mr Mani Lal, also head of ENT and neck and head surgery at Sir Salimullah Medical College, said when a person goes to sleep, skin is repaired and replenished and made ready for another day. Sleeping too few hours predisposes you to obesity.
Most common sleep disorders include insomnia, sleep apnoea, narcolepsy, restless legs syndrome, REM sleep behaviour disorders.
In replying what is good sleep, Mr Mani Lal said it takes no more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, waking up not more than once. If anyone wakes up at night for no more than 20 minutes and when a person remains asleep at least 85 per cent of the bedtime, it is called good sleep.
Another sleep consultant Dr Fatema Yasmin said sleep deprivation can cause hypertension, ischemic heart disease, 15 per cent of sudden death, decreasing work place performance and alertness, poor memory, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, irritability and depression and so on.
According to a data, 50-70 million US adults have sleep disorder, 48 per cent reports snoring, 38 per cent falling asleep unintentionally during day, 5.0 per cent also falling asleep unintentionally during driving.
Among Indians, 93 per cent are sleep deprived, 33 per cent snores, 2.0 per cent discuss to doctors due to lack of sleep.
Dr Fatema suggested maintaining a regular sleep/wake schedule whenever possible, even on weekends and vacations, avoid napping during the day, especially after 3:00 pm. Limit naps to less than one hour and establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine.
World Sleep Day intended to be a celebration of sleep and a call to action on important issues related to sleep, including medicine, education and social aspects is being observed in Bangladesh too since 2014 by Association of Surgeons for Sleep Apnoea.
This year 'World Sleep Day' was observed on March 15 with the theme 'Healthy Sleep Healthy Aging'.
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