Mobile phones behind lack of sound sleep, say docs

Manav Mander

Advertisement

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 18

A sound sleep is necessary for individuals to achieve personal, professional and family goals. Numerous factors, including stress, anxiety, depression and smart phones were keeping people deprieved of required amount of sleep.

During World Sleep Awareness Week (March 10-16), Dr Anshul Mahajan from Manas Clinic said a child must sleep for 10-12 hours and for adults normal sleep hours were seven to eight hours.

“Nowadays people complain about poor quality sleep. Quantity of sleep is decreasing and many factors, including depression and anxiety are responsible for it. In addition to this, smartphones have become latest reason behind decreasing sleep patterns,” said Dr Mahajan.

He said, “Insomnia has now become a disease. Disturbance in normal sleep pattern is called insomnia. Sleep is regulated by harmone melatonin which is secreted during dark. With increasing use of smartphones during night, this hormone does not get secreted. As a result, sleep pattern gets disturbed.”

He added that one should keep mobile phone away while going to bed.

“Mobile phones should be put on sleep mode during night for good quality sleep. General tendency among the people is that they see phone after a few minutes or whenever the notification comes,” he said.

Another city-based psychiatrist said, “Quality and quantity of sleep is on the decline and prime reason behind it is short temper and irritability during the day. People have become impatient because they do not have a sound sleep.”