According to a local study, nearly one third (30.2%) of South Africans struggle with nocturnal sleep problems, with far-reaching implications for mood, concentration, productivity and long-term cardiovascular health.
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According to a local study, nearly one third (30.2%) of South Africans struggle with nocturnal sleep problems, with far-reaching implications for mood, concentration, productivity and long-term cardiovascular health.
While many people dismiss poor sleep as a normal part of modern life, Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, Psychiatrist at Mediclinic Constantiaberg, cautions that chronic sleep disruption can be more serious than it appears.
“We are all allowed to have a couple of nights per week where we don’t sleep enough,” he explains. “However, a medical diagnosis of insomnia may be applicable for those suffering more than two nights a week, resulting in daytime symptoms such as fatigue, sleepiness, and an impact on day-to-day life.”
Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, psychiatrist at Mediclinic Constantiaberg, warns that chronic sleep disruption can have a significant impact on daily functioning and overall health, including increasing the risk of depression, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.
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He adds that, according to international diagnostic criteria, these symptoms must persist for at least one month before insomnia can be formally diagnosed.
“A reduced quantity or decreased quality of sleep impacts day-to-day functioning in various ways,” explains Dr Ebrahim. “This includes an impact on the ability to concentrate, commence and complete tasks, as well as feelings of irritability during the day.”
Over time, however, he warns that these consequences can deepen. “If prolonged, it can negatively impact mood, with increased rates of depression reported in patients who have chronic sleep deprivation.
“Chronic insomnia also has a demonstrable and proven negative impact on one’s cardiovascular health,” he adds. “Sleep fragmentation and disruption can impact our metabolism, resulting in unexplained weight gain and increased overall stress, elevating the risk for stroke and other cardiovascular conditions.”
Encouragingly, Dr Ebrahim says there are practical steps that can be taken to improve sleep quality. “You can practice good sleep hygiene by maintaining a regular sleep-wake routine, adjusting environmental factors to promote sleep, and avoiding elements that negatively impact your health, such as smoking, drinking excessive alcohol, and having a poor diet.”
That said, recognising when to seek medical advice is equally important. “The criteria to medicalise insomnia requires at least three nights a week of poor sleep, coupled with significant impact in daytime functioning,” he explains. “When the impact of poor nightly sleep on one’s daytime functioning is obvious, that is the time to seek medical help.”
In some cases, disrupted sleep may signal an underlying condition, says Dr Ebrahim. Sleep apnoea, for example, is characterised by a history of snoring, interrupted breathing and sleep, often gasping whilst asleep, and is more common in individuals with a raised body mass index. “The risk of sleep apnoea in men is three times that of women,” he adds.
While sleep tracking apps and wearables are growing in popularity, Dr Ebrahim urges a balanced approach. “Sleep tracking devices give you a broad picture of your day and night activity and functioning,” he says. “However, the risk of becoming over-involved with your sleep patterns can in fact lead to sleep disruption and sleep deprivation. When one becomes overly focused on sleep, you tend to promote being awake by actively thinking about it, when in fact the opposite is needed,” he concludes.