Thursday, October 8, 2015

[ Chronic drowsiness can be treated ]

Are you nodding off at work? - Yoga can come to the rescue

Napping


Napping during the day sounds good once in a while but ignoring excessive sleepiness during working hours may have a negative impact on your health and life.A few changes in lifestyle can beat this problem.Ignoring this condition can impact work,relationship and social life,lead to stress,anxiety or depression,low energy,restlessness or agitation.A person may begin to think or speak slowly,have trouble remembering things or maintaining concentration.
Hypersomnia means excessive daytime sleepiness that interferes with everyday life.It can have many possible causes,including conditions such as narcolepsy,sleep apnoea or restless legs syndrome; severe sleep deprivation;depression;certain medications(such as tranquilizers); or drug and alcohol misuse.Identifying such cause at the earliest will give best results,"says Dr.George Dsouza,pulmonary and respiratory specialist and Dean,St John's Medical College.

A major condition that disrupts sleep during night is is Obstructive Sleep Apnoea(OSA),a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep,interrupting normal breathing.This condition which results in lack of OXYGEN,triggers your brain to pull you out of deep sleep - either to a lighter sleep or to wakefulness.These repeated sleep interruptions can make you feel very tired during day.You will usually have no memory of your interrupted breathing,so you may be unaware you have a problem unless a partner,friend or family member notices the symptoms while you sleep." says Dr.Dsouza.
Dr.Prashanth L K,consultant neurologist and movement disorders socialist,Apollo Hospital,opines that in older people,conditions like diabetes,prostate problems,uneasiness also may result in daytime sleepiness.In some cases certain kinds of medication may also affect sleep patterns at night.

For the young,drinking alcohol,coffee,energy drinks or staying up late at night due to technology fixation may cause such a condition.

Tests that can help


Dr.Prashanth L.K says,"Tests like Polysomnography can help rule out sleep disorders such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea.A patient is asked to stay in a special bedroom and observed from another room through the night.Electrodes are attached to the face,head and body to record brain waves,muscle activity,eye movement,breathing and snoring.Multiple sleep latency test follows the next day.A patient is asked to take several naps throughout the day just so doctors can see how long it takes them to fall asleep when instructed."

Yoga for better sleep


Dr.Arjunan Mooventhan,associate professor,department of naturopathy,SVYASA Yoga University,opines that regular yoga practice can help unwind patients suffering from insomnia or abnormal sleeping habits.Yoga helps unwind stress at the end of the day and induces better sleep at night. A good night's sleep really is within anyone's reach and the often recommended treatment is to establish relaxing bed time routine.The following Yoga stretches can help one to enjoy a peaceful sleep.

Cat stretch (Marjariasana):


Excellent stretch for spine flexibility.Also helps massage the digestive organs and improve digestion,there by helping you to sleep well.Also improves blood circulation and relaxes the mind.

Forward bend ( Hastapadasana):Helps stretch the back muscles,invigorates the nervous system by increasing blood supply,and makes the spine supple.

Butterfly pose(Buddha Konasana):This pose can help remove fatigue from long hours of standing or walking.Also a good stretch for inner thighs,groin and knees.

Child's pose(Buddha Konasana)


A deeply relaxing stretch for a back which also helps calm the nervous system so that you can sleep at peace.

Other tips to beat daytime sleep


Avoiding alcohol,caffeine and medications that make the conditions worse,sticking to bed time routine,and avoiding working at night or engaging in social activities that delay bedtime.

- Yacoob Mohammed

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