and insomnia

A specialized medical team warned against ignoring healthy sleep and not getting enough sleep and rest, as the Sleep Medicine and Research Center and the Community Service Unit at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah, in cooperation with Med Event, held a “remote” symposium under the slogan (Organized sleep… for a healthy future). Coinciding with the celebration of World Sleep Day, the symposium included scientific discussions and answers to the audience’s questions about diseases and sleep disorders. The dialogue of the symposium was moderated by Professor Siraj Omar Wali, and Faris Al-Hujaili, Sultan Qansh and Rania Al-Shamrani participated in answering the questions.

Insomnia problem

In the context of its answers to the questions, the medical team explained that insomnia is one of the common sleep disorders prevalent in society and has two types: acute (short-term) insomnia and chronic insomnia, explaining that it is important before starting treatment is to know the patient’s medical history and attempts to find out the main cause of the disease and try Treatment, there are several methods of treatment, including cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a treatment based on changing the behaviors and habits of the patient that help him sleep, such as healthy sleep behaviors.

Healthy sleep behaviors

Regarding healthy sleep behaviors, the medical team added that it is necessary to set a fixed time for sleeping and waking up, and to avoid mobile and screens at least an hour before bed Because it affects the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which helps to sleep, and make the bedroom a quiet place free from moderate noise, with exercise at least 4 hours before bed, and staying away from stimuli such as coffee, tea and smoking at night, while regulating eating times Avoid heavy meals or fatty food before bed, and deep breathing before bed helps to enter sleep.

Use of the hormone melatonin

Regarding the use of the hormone melatonin as a treatment for insomnia, the medical team answered: That melatonin is a natural hormone secreted in the body that helps sleep and is called (the sleep hormone), and its secretion increases in the late hours of the night and decreases during the day. For those who suffer from circadian disorders.

Sleep and snoring problem

On the question of whether snoring is a disease, the medical team said: Snoring is one of the common symptoms that causes the patient to see a doctor and complain about it, and the partner who sleeps usually complains about it because of the sound. nasal congestion, and may be a sign of a serious problem such as sleep apnea syndrome.

The medical team advised people who suffer from the problem to go to a sleep doctor to find out the causes of snoring, to do a sleep examination and to make sure that he does not suffer from the snoring syndrome that causes snoring.

Important tips for children

Regarding general advice for healthy sleep in children, the medical team stressed the need to make a pre-sleep ritual so that the child is psychologically prepared, set a fixed wake-up hour every day, and a specific routine for sleep such as taking a warm shower, brushing teeth, reading a short story, and a bedroom free of sleep. Noise, adequate lighting and moderate temperature.

Sleepwalking

As for sleepwalking, the medical team said, it is one of the behavioral disorders that occur during sleep, and it occurs more often in children and decreases with increasing age, and it occurs in the first part of sleep. To sleep walking almost daily Begin sleepwalking at puberty if it causes excessive sleepiness during the day.

The importance of short naps

Finally, on the importance of the nap, the medical team explained that the nap is a short period of sleep during the day in order to rest and renew activity and vitality, or to compensate for the lack of sleep or a cultural habit, and it is not recommended if it is as compensation for the lack of sleep during the day and for those who suffer from insomnia, for a period of 15-25 minutes.