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Sixteen Week Sleep Health ChallengePart TwoThe message is clear: lack of sleep may take longer to kill you – but it can still do the job.
“Serious lack of sleep may be more of a silent killer and harder to directly attribute to things, but that doesn't mean it isn't very real and very serious,” Dr Samvat says. “A vast number of people need to look at how much sleep they are getting – and the quality of their sleep.” Sleep quality was a big factor, he said – with many disorders such as sleep apnea and snoring a big concern for many people.
“What many people don't realise is that if you take less than five minutes or longer than 15 minutes to fall asleep, you're very likely to have a sleep issue,” Dr Samvat says. Taking between 10 and 15 minutes to fall asleep is considered a healthy timeframe. Call one of the sleep4health centers to start your 16 weeks sleep health challenge
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With people working longer hours than ever and facing increasing time pressures in their daily lives – as well as a society that readily embraces the concept of 'night life' – Dr Samvat says lack of sleep may in fact be as much of a health epidemic in Australia as smoking, drinking, obesity and illicit drugs.
It is now known that when we sleep, our immune system regenerates. “Sleep is actually an immune function,” Dr Samvat says. Hormones and the body's endocrine system can also be affected by poor sleep patterns. In addition, hormone problems and imbalances can play a role in causing sleep problems. Sleep helps us lose weight, as deep sleep regulates growth hormone, a potent fat-burner which helps build new, strong, healthy skin and muscle tissue.