A study finds that India is the fourth most sleep-deprived nation in the world. To keep several diseases and COVID-19 away, quality sleep is key, says ARCHANA JYOTI
A near-constant stream of news reports about Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is enough for anybody to feel anxious or distressed. Some might lose sleep or sleep less as well.
However, they should not. Health experts are of the opinion that it is not only important to follow basic precautions such as washing hands, maintaining good hygiene and social distancing, but one should also take proper sleep which will help further bolster defences against the deadly pathogens.
Incidentally, as one tries to make efforts to get good sleep what one should also simultaneously know about coronavirus — the disease that has reached pandemic proportions — is that one of the times we are most vulnerable to contracting it is during sleep.
Hence, in other words, while sleep is essential for our health and boosts natural, built-in defense system against harmful, disease-causing germs known as pathogens, it is also equally important to take steps to limit our exposure to the bug during sleep.
A study released on the World Sleep Day on March 13 this year found that people are not getting quality sleep as the collectively average hours of sleep have come down in most of the surveyed cities. The study was conducted in 10 cities across India including Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Pune, Kochi, Ahmedabad, Indore, Vishakhapatnam and Raipur.
In 2018, people slept 7.66 hours on weekends and 7.48 hours on weekdays which has come down to 6.85 hours on weekends and 6.76 hours on weekdays in 2019. It means, majority of the people are not able to sleep for the required 8 hours, as per the survey.
Looking at the gender-wise sleep duration, the findings are more worrying with the younger women (25-35 years) sleeping for 6.60 hours on weekends and 6.97 hours on weekdays in 2019 which was 7.70 hours and 7.43 hours respectively in the year 2018. Compared to them, the younger male slept for 6.73 hours on weekdays and 6.58 hours on weekends in 2019 as compared to 7.66 Hours on weekdays and 7.50 hours on weekdays in 2018, as per the survey “In Search of Better Sleep 2020” conducted by Centuary Mattresses and Wavemaker.
Uttam Malani, Executive Director of Centuary Mattresses, says that the data suggests that while people are waking up to the reality that sleep is fundamentally important, for most people, achieving quality sleep is still out of reach.
“Various factors are depriving the people of the quality and duration of their sleep. If we want to take sleep seriously and address the social and emotional aspects of poor sleep, we must begin to demonstrate that we can address these problems in both easy and meaningful ways,” says Malani.
Kamlesh Patel affectionately called as Daaji, the guide of Heartfulness, adds, “How well we sleep and how deeply we sleep determines our state of mind throughout the day. Disciplining our sleep cycle changes our life. Increasing number on sleep studies are all pointing to far reaching benefits of sleep on physical, mental, emotional and recently on spiritual wellbeing of a person.
“Adequate and appropriate sleep ensures alround development of an individual, and meditation is proving to be an enabler of sleep even for chronic conditions,” he said.
Patrick McNamara, an associate professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine, says: “Getting enough sleep can help protect you against all kinds of common infections and viruses. Sleep strengthens your body’s capacity to fight off pathogens of all kinds. We need all the help we can get in fghting this coronavirus outbreak.”
However, Seattle-based Dr Bruce L Davidson, an expert in respiratory transmission of infections, cautions that as people are particularly vulnerable to getting the coronavirus while sleeping, it is important to follow certain do’s and don’ts to keep the COVID-19 at bay. “Around half of people are prone to aspiration — or breathing in foreign objects to the airways, which can allow the virus in.
“Coronavirus infects cells below the voice box, in the airways and deep in the lungs, unlike flu viruses which start with your nose and throat,” he wrote.
“Other than via tiny particles inhaled in air, coronavirus reaches those cells via fluid in the nose or throat that sneaks past your voice box (this is called aspiration) and slides down your windpipe, or trachea,” he said as per a report.
There are several steps that people can take to limit their exposure to the bug as they sleep. First, he advises to thoroughly wash your hands and face well with soap and warm water, including — on a finger — a quarter-inch into each nostril. “Then gently blow your nose.”
The doctor also suggested that people limit any sedatives, such as alcohol, before they sleep since it can increase aspiration. Also, people should make sure that any devices they use to sleep are clean.
“The key is to minimise the virus burden around and inside your face before you go to sleep. If you use a device at night for sleep apnea, make sure it remains away from where people could cough, sneeze and breathe on it, and clean it regularly,” he wrote.
Coronavirus, a respiratory illness that spreads through droplets launched when an infected person sneezes or coughs has infected over 152,000 people in at least 144 countries.
Foods to eat
- Ginger and garlic: It is a powerful anti-viral and is a fantastic way to boost immune system
- Star anise: This flower-shaped spice contains shikimic acid that is used as a base material for the production of Tamiflu, which is used for influenza virus.
- Herbs like oregano, tulsi (Basil leaves), dried thyme, turmeric are are great for immunity.
- Coconut oil: Lauric acid and caprylic acid present in it are essential for boosting immunity
- Resveratrol: Foods like peanuts, pistachios, grapes, blueberries, cranberries, strawberries and even cocoa are helpful to fight fungal infection, ultraviolet radiation, stress and injury
- Raw vegetables. Don’t eat them.
— Dr Pramod Tripathi founder of Freedom from Diabetes
