Sleep deprivation: Is the modern world the cause or could evolution have something to do with it?

Picture for representation only. — AFP SOME people fall asleep the moment their head touches the pillow. Others drift to sleep after a bout of tossing and turning. For an increasing number of us, sleep only arrives after hours of intense wakefulness. If not, we wake up suddenly, after only a few hours of shut eye and struggle to return to sleep. Sleep deprivation is a growing concern in the modern world with many reporting to find it difficult to fall and stay asleep for a solid stretch. The problem may last just a day or two (acute sleep deprivation) for some, while is a routine for others (chronic sleep deprivation). According to World Sleep Society, sleep deprivation is a global epidemic that threatens the health and quality of life of up to 45% of the world population. In Malaysia, a staggering nine out of 10 people report having trouble sleeping reveals a Nielsen study. But, why? One reason we can all relate to is stress. When we are stressed about something, getting a good night’s rest is certainly a challenge. Still, these kinds of stress are not regular or long-term and likely to only cause acute or short-term loss of sleep. Long-term sleep deprivation may be more complicated, depending on the reason. Chronic sleep problem can be due to depression, chronic stress, pain/discomfort due to serious illness or a sleep disorder, which interrupts the sleep cycle. But it can also stem from behaviours that develop sleep problems like sleeping in (more than required), napping or pondering in bed, which makes it difficult to fall asleep. Another reason is that we are ill-informed about how much sleep we actually need and don’t realise that we are seriously lacking sleep. Do you have chronic sleep deprivation? (You could and not […]

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