Sleeping in on holidays or weekends can help relieve stress temporarily, but if done regularly, it can easily disrupt the body’s sleep cycle.
Doctor Hoang Quyet Tien, Medical Information Center, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that irregular sleep-wake schedules due to staying up late and waking up later can disrupt the circadian rhythm, affecting affect sleep, increasing the risk of sleep disorders such as insomnia, poor sleep, waking up in the middle of the night, and sleep apnea.
Circadian rhythm disorders change the body’s biological functions such as temperature, energy levels, metabolism and ability to fight infections. This can lead to inflammation, obesity or diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Irregular sleep schedules affect levels of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This is the reason why many people lack sleep and make up for it during the holidays, leading to feelings of restlessness and reduced thinking ability and reaction speed.
Circadian rhythm disorders are also closely linked to sleep disorders, mental and neurodegenerative disorders, and a high likelihood of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and depressive disorders. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is also a risk factor for stroke.
Disagreement between the time to make up for sleep and the schedule of activities, going to school, going to work on normal days is called social jet lag syndrome. This condition leads to changes in the body’s microbiome, negatively affecting intestinal health and the digestive system in general.
According to Dr. Tien, each person should maintain a regular sleep-wake cycle, ensuring 7-8 hours of sleep per day. The best time to sleep is from 10pm to 5am or 6am the next day. Avoid staying up late and sleeping in until noon or afternoon. If you need to take a nap, maintain a short nap routine of about 20 minutes. At the same time, combine picnic activities and sports to improve physical fitness and relax the mind.
Using natural nutrients such as blueberry extract (blueberry) and ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) helps increase blood flow to the brain, improve nerve connections and functions, inhibit free radicals, and improve mental health. sleep quality. These nutrients also prevent agents that attack nerve cells and blood vessels in the brain caused by lack of sleep.
People with insomnia or prolonged sleep deprivation need to see a doctor for evaluation, determination of the cause and timely treatment.