Considering the problem of not having a sound sleep alarming, neurologist Dr Manvir Bhatia has authored The Sleeping Solutions. She talks about sleeping disorders and suggests workable solutions. By Jigyasu Joshi
Everybody desires for a sound sleep, but it remains elusive for many. In India people do not tend to think much about how to prepare for a restful sleep or so believes Dr. Manvir Bhatia, a senior neurologist and sleep specialist. “Sleep is one thing that everyone shares, regardless of age, class or status. But people take sleeping for granted which I believe is the root cause for most of our problems,” says Dr. Manvir. Realising that not having a sound sleep is alarming, she came up with a book titled, The Sleeping Solutions.
The book not just talks about the sleep related issues but also the easy, visible yet ignored solutions for a peaceful rest. “In past few years I have come across many patients who in some way or the other suffer from sleeping disorders. So each patient for me was like a big story. It was then I thought to write a sort of a medical book on sleeping. But again I thought that more than explaining sleep in medical terms, there is a need to put it in front of people in general sense as to how they can overcome the sleeping disorders. So this book happened,” shares the neurologist. Throwing light on the complexities of sleep, the book has been acclaimed by many.
Talking about sleep having a multidimensional role to play in our lives, she says, “A proper sleep has a direct relationship with our physical and mental self. In the physical aspect, we can further divide its important role to all the organs. It’s related with heart health, endocrine, food habits and almost everything. Also the mental easiness is adversely affected by bad sleep. Most of us have experienced this atleast once ,that they had a bad night rest so the day was bad too. We should place equal emphasis on sleep like we do on other daily activities.”
She agrees that the hectic lifestyle is also responsible for the sleeping disorders. “But after all it’s people who at times willingly opt for that lifestyle. “We don’t even bother to pay slightest of importance to this aspect. There was a boy who came to me saying that for a year and half he used to sleep around four in the morning and woke up at three in the afternoon next day and was doing pretty well. But now when he started trying to sleep early, he is unable to do it and it disturbs him a lot. So the point here is that once you mess with your sleeping habits, it might throw your body clock off-balance, making it difficult for you to maintain a healthy sleep routine later.”
There has been a growing demand for gyms and places where people can work out. This implies the increasing concern of people about keeping themselves fit. “I wish there were places where people can go and peacefully rest and get away from all the worries for a few hours atleast, like the gyms which help us to remain physically fit,” she wonders. Adding to it, she says, “Sleep is regarded as a pleasurable activity but never a necessity.”
With all the partying and celebrations, people tend to toss their sleep many times. Dr. Manvir says that it is incredible to what a single night of blissful, uninterrupted sleep can earn you. “A good rest for some 7-8 hours can not just relax the body but also the memory consolidation, learning and storage of new things happen to a great extent,” she suggests.
Trying to create awareness among people regarding proper rest for both the the body and mind, the neurologist is active on the social media platforms. She frequently uploads videos of patients talking about their sleep related problems and giving solutions to them. “I also do regular patient related and small group related event in my vicinity. I have been organising events in connection with the International Sleep Day. For next year I’m planning something bigger on the occasion. Also, I have been doing everything possible in my capacity to address the problem of sleep disorder. I hope I can do that,” she concludes.