Sleep loss poses major health risks, warns neurologist

Lack of sufficient sleep directly affects a person's mental health and wellbeing adversely, and the opinion existing in society that 6 hours of sleep a day is sufficient is a complete myth, said Galle National Hospital Clinical Neurologist Dr. Janaka Vaidyasekara.

He mentioned this delivering a lecture at a special awareness programme held at the Labuduwa Dakhshinapaya Auditorium marking the occasion of World Brain Day.

Citing research data from the US-based National Sleep Foundation, the leading sleep research institution in America, the specialist doctor pointed out that a minimum of 7 hours of sleep is essential for a young person and adult to maintain a healthy brain and body.

Due to not getting proper sleep, the ability of the brain to stably store positive emotions and good experiences occurring in daily life gets hindered, and the doctor explained that due to positive memories slipping away in this manner, only adverse experiences are stored in a person's mind, causing mental breakdowns.

Furthermore, he mentioned that long-term reduction in sleep carries a severe risk of causing severe mental disorders such as depression, extreme anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

How a person unknowingly gets caught in an adverse cycle of falling into a severe mental and physical decline due to lack of sleep was also analysed here.

Due to insufficient sleep, extreme fatigue feeling, and thereafter becoming unable to focus attention on any task, the specialist doctor pointed out adding that the extreme mental pressure and undue fear arising as a result lead again to a severe crisis of sleeplessness at night.

However, he mentioned that the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) stage existing in sleep develops a person's learning ability, memory, and mental wellbeing, and after getting suitable sleep, waking up in the morning can be done with a very refreshed and active mind.

Explaining recommended amounts of sleep according to age groups, the doctor mentioned that adolescents between 14 and 17 years require 8 to 10 hours of sleep a day.

7 to 9 hours of sleep is essential for young people and adults belonging to productive age groups, whilst 6 hours of sleep is sufficient only for senior people over 65 years of age, he further mentioned.

Therefore, the specialist further emphasised at the event that all young people and adults engaged in employment and leading active lives should get a minimum of 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep to protect their mental and physical health.