Topics: Sleep Apnea, sleeping problem
The generation that procrastinates everything, including sleep!
A recent study pointed out that in the next three-five years, the highest number of first-time parents in the world will be Gen Z i.e. those who are post-1995 born. These individuals are conscious about what’s trending; they are on all available social media platforms; they know the latest fads, and all in all, they are a unique set of individuals.
However, one thing they struggle with is a handful of hours of sleep every night. Gen Z and millennials before them, end up missing out on proper sleep due to work-related stress. Added to that, is the binge-watching of web series and movies on OTT platforms. This lack of sleep does not add well to the body getting ample rest. An unrested body, further, results in conditions such as stress, diabetes, obesity, and hypertension. Also, the rat race of being trendy, adopting early smoking and alcohol, unhealthy takeaways at late night, and gaining weight, adds to the condition of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
The biggest challenge in Obstructive Sleep Apnea is the gross underreporting of OSA cases. The biggest challenges faced are the misdiagnosis of the disease and treatment for something else, which leaves OSA unchecked. Instead, people are treated for diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, obesity, etc., which makes OSA a silent killer because of its poor diagnosis. In fact, one of the biggest challenges faced by doctors is, treating a sleep apnea patient for depression or diabetes rather than the actual condition.
ALSO READ: Are Sleep Apnea and Diabetes Related?
If OSA is treated on time, then as millennials get older, chances of controlling the above-mentioned lifestyle diseases will reduce after getting a proper night’s rest.
Furthermore, a study conducted in 2015 by a consumer product firm revealed that 93 percent of Indians are sleep-deprived, with a majority of cases coming out of the western part of the country. Also, Indians get 77 minutes of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep on average, which is the lowest in the world just like Japanese, who get the same amount of average REM sleep. REM sleep is a crucial aspect for emotion regulation, memory, and the peak stage of protein synthesis at the cellular level that ensures that multiple processes work properly in the body.
According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, insufficient sleep has been linked to the development and management of several chronic and lifestyle diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and depression. While medical insurance does cover all these conditions, it does not cover OSA, which if treated properly, can potentially control or even reduce the risk of being at the receiving end of lifestyle diseases.
So before treating these conditions, it is ideal that you treat your OSA. Timely treatment for OSA ensures that your airways remain open during sleep so that you can breathe normally. One such intervention is the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device that is commonly used to treat OSA.
A disposable, multi-night use test with a built-in NightOwl sensor to measure key indicators such as heart rate, the test also monitors oxygen desaturation and body movements to determine the sleep quality. The OneSleepTest service comprises three elements – The NightOwl sensor, sleep scoring by leading sleep physicians in India, and sleep coach consultancy to support the patient journey from diagnosis to therapy. The results are then shown on your phone and you can have an online consultation with a doctor to treat your OSA.
There are several diagnostic kits available in the market at affordable rates. These tests, which can measure sleep at the convenience of your home, aims to help patients, who suffer from undiagnosed sleep apnea, fix their sleeping patterns. Most importantly, these tests are affordable, thereby helping you monitor your sleep patterns before having an online consultation with an expert.
