This Friday, the sleep disorders department of the CHU de Nîmes participates as every year in the international day of sleep. The stakes are high: the effects of lack of sleep are often overlooked or underestimated. However, it can have substantial effects on health, especially mental health.
“Sleep is important for quality of life and health”, asks Doctor Béatriz Abril, head of the sleep disorders department at the University Hospital of Nîmes. With two nurses and a health manager from the service, she is hosting an information stand all day Friday, for the attention of the public but also for the staff of the CHU Carémeau, on sleep disorders, on the occasion of the international day on this theme, of which this is the 23rd edition.
Insomnia affects 20% of the population
Visitors, “of all ages” according to ward staff, often report insomnia problems. “Twenty percent of the population is affected”, says Dr. Abril. There are multiple causes. Moreover, this specialty is quite transversal: lots of specialties are added to it. “For example, night workers sleep less and often suffer from overweight: there is a link between weight gain and sleep disorders. Poor sleep can also be the cause of cardiovascular disorders. The risks of hypertension and myocardial infarction increase. Drowsiness is at the origin of road accidents. We can also observe mood disorders. Ultimately, this affects all areas”.
Six month wait for a consultation
The sleep disorders department of the CHU de Nîmes has three hospital practitioners and an ENT specialist more specifically for respiratory problems. In addition, there is a health manager and nurses. Over the year, it totals some 2,500 consultations and a thousand sleep recordings, the department having six beds. For one or the other, go, it is necessary to count a wait of six months.
Many people come to consult to get out of sleeping pills. “The first-line treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioral therapy”adds Beatriz Abril, “With the patients, we reflect on the course of their days, their sleep schedules and the change in their behavior. This method produces improvements in 70% of cases”.
Something to think about when you know that sleep apnea can also be linked to depression.
