Are you still worried about the changeover to summer time these days? The lost hour disrupts the sleep-wake cycle for many people. Getting up in the morning is difficult, you feel exhausted and irritable – the time change leads to “mini jet lag”. For people who already sleep poorly, it represents an additional burden.
In Germany the proportion of rough sleepers is relatively high. In a survey from 2023, more than a fifth said they slept poorly or very poorly. This feeling is particularly pronounced in the 18 to 24 year old age group. Here, 27 percent said they had problems falling asleep or staying asleep. It is therefore not unlikely that some of those affected have a pronounced sleep disorder.
The World Health Organization (WHO) distinguishes around 100 forms of sleep-wake disorders. In addition to problems falling asleep and staying asleep as well as sleep-related breathing disorders, these also include so-called parasomnias, which include sleepwalking. The frequency of occurrence is also important for medical diagnosis. If insomnia symptoms occur several times a week over a period of three months, chronic insomnia may be present. Long-term lack of sleep is dangerous and is linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity.
To stay healthy, sleep doctors recommend at least seven hours of sleep per night. A survey showed that around half of those surveyed in Germany sleep a healthy amount of seven to eight hours. However, 43 percent sleep less. According to the German Society for Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine (DGSM), the time requirement of seven hours of minimum sleep should not be overinterpreted. The optimal duration of sleep varies from person to person. However, it shouldn’t be lasting less than four hours.
Although short sleepers, who often include leading politicians and managers, like to portray themselves as particularly productive and full of energy, scientific studies show a different picture: lack of sleep leads to a reduction in cognitive performance. People who don’t have enough sleep have difficulty concentrating, are less creative – and also less productive. A lack of sleep also causes measurable economic damage. The American think tank RAND has calculated that the consequences of chronic insomnia led to an economic loss of 29.1 billion euros in Germany in 2019, which corresponds to almost 1 percent of gross domestic product. Per capita, Germany is in the lower midfield. The leader in this study is Switzerland with more than 1,000 euros per capita.
In the period from 2018 to 2021, almost a third of German employees reported unusual sleeping behavior or even severe sleep disorders, with women being affected more often. According to the Barmer health insurance company, sleep disorders have noticeably increased as a reason for absenteeism from work.
In 2021, non-organic sleep disorders, which are considered a mental disorder, accounted for almost two days of incapacity for work per 100 employed people. Four in ten people believe that stress is the main reason for their sleepless nights. For many people, financial worries and relationship problems don’t stop their nightly thoughts.
Almost half of those surveyed said they also use their smartphone or tablet in bed. In the group of 18 to 24 year olds who sleep poorly, the figure is almost 60 percent. Evening screen time in particular is said to disrupt sleep because the light from the screen suppresses the production of the sleep hormone melatonin. However, how long blue light in particular delays the time it takes to fall asleep is scientifically controversial.
But what do those affected do about their insomnia? Two-thirds of those surveyed stated that they completely forgo using aids. Only about 15 percent use over-the-counter sleeping pills. There is a large selection, especially when it comes to herbal remedies. Valerian, St. John’s wort and the like are viewed as calming and beneficial for sleep. They are available both as a tea and in tablet form in pharmacies and drugstores. The sleep hormone melatonin is now also available in gummy bear form.
But although pharmaceutical companies advertise their products through targeted campaigns on evening television programs, the average per capita sales of over-the-counter sleeping pills in Germany have only increased by just under one euro since 2016. The increase in neighboring France was significantly higher. However, doctors advise against long-term use of sleeping pills. It is more important to address the causes of the sleep disorder, particularly to reduce stress. Some health insurance companies now offer their members online courses for stress management or sleep coaching. Based on data from an app-controlled sleep analysis, tips and exercises for improving sleep are given. In this country, however, only around 12 percent recently used sleep monitoring apps.
Sleep researcher Salome Kurth doesn’t think much of sleep trackers. As she recently said in a conversation with the FAZ, the quality of the data collected on fitness bands and finger rings has not yet been sufficiently proven by studies. In addition, the data would only create additional stress for insomniacs. It is very important to develop a positive mood before going to bed. A personal sleep ritual is also important. If you still can’t fall asleep, the DGSM recommends getting up again and only lying down again when you’re really tired. From a sleep medicine perspective, sex before falling asleep is also definitely recommended.
–>
Quelle: FAZ
Published: April 2, 2024 11:33 p.m
#sleeping #problems #cost #billions