In Switzerland, women are more likely to be affected by sleep disorders than men.Image: Shutterstock
interview
One third of the Swiss population suffers from sleep disorders. This question can take many different forms. Experts explain the reasons behind this.
Swiss people have poor sleep quality. By 2022, more than one-third of the population will suffer from a sleep disorder, a proportion that has increased steadily over the past 25 years. Only 3% of Swiss people said they never had trouble falling asleep. This is the conclusion of the latest data on the subject published by the Federal Statistical Office (BFS) on Thursday.
The BFS said the diseases were “pervasive and a significant public health concern”. Expert Tifenn Raffray, medical co-director of the Florimond Sleep Center in Lausanne, explains exactly what this means.
According to the BFS, sleep disorders are increasing in Switzerland. Do you see the same trend?
Tiffany LaFray: Yes. In my practice, I see an increase in demand. But it's impossible to say to what extent this is due to population growth or whether there are other factors. Are people hearing more about sleep problems and being more likely to seek help because they know there are effective solutions? This is entirely possible. Research shows that anxiety and depression have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among young people. This may affect sleep problems, or being overweight and obese, which are also risk factors for sleep apnea.
Have these complaints always existed or are they related to today’s living conditions?
Over the past 30 years, we have lost an hour of sleep. We live in a sleep-deprived society and this has health consequences. Fatigue and drowsiness are more common, resulting in more doctor visits and discomfort. Our current lifestyle, characterized by performance pressure, is likely to promote the development of insomnia. However, some neurological diseases are neither new nor relevant to our lifestyle. For example, narcolepsy was described in medical treatises as early as the early 19th century.
Tifenn Raffray is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and medical co-director of the Florimond Sleep Center.Image: Florimond Sleep Center
The data shows that women are more affected: 37% of women suffer from sleep disorders, compared with 29% of men. Why?
This difference may be largely due to the fact that insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders and is more common in women than men. Overall, there are many studies showing that women are more likely to seek professional help, while men are less willing to seek professional help for cultural reasons. Although the cause is not entirely understood, women are also more likely to develop anxiety or depression, which often leads to sleep problems.
The BFS highlights a “clear link” between sleep disorders and mental health problems.
Some mental illnesses can affect sleep. For example, depression is almost always accompanied by sleep problems. Untreated sleep disorders can increase your risk of depression and anxiety. Experiencing stressful or difficult events may also trigger insomnia, but will not lead to depression.
Sleep disorders also increase the risk of mental illness.Image: Shutter
What about our daily habits? What influence do they have?
Lifestyle and lifestyle can also affect sleep. Drinking coffee or working on a screen, especially in the hours before bed, may contribute to insomnia. An irregular sleep rhythm (waking up at different times each day) also plays a role. If you suffer from insomnia, you should avoid taking naps or waking up late on weekends as this can disrupt your sleep.
What types of sleep disorders are there?
Sleep disorders include many different diseases with completely different mechanisms. The consequences during the day are obvious: tiredness, bad mood, poor concentration or memory loss. Narcolepsy refers to the opposite phenomenon: affected people sleep 11 or even 12 hours a night but never feel rested. And then there are respiratory conditions, such as sleep apnea. Finally, movement disorders often affect the legs. For example, your legs move a lot while you sleep, or you feel the need to move your legs before falling asleep, which makes it difficult for you to fall asleep.
People with narcolepsy feel tired despite getting enough sleep.Image: Shutterstock
So these are very different questions. How are these diseases treated?
The first step is to make a diagnosis. This is an important step in identifying the disease. If we don't identify the problem, we won't know what treatment to recommend. This requires careful assessment of a person's sleep, daily routine, and lifestyle in order to identify signs and symptoms that can guide us. Sometimes this is enough, such as in the case of insomnia. In other cases, further testing is required, which may be done at night or during the day. This occurs when sleep apnea is suspected or when people complain of sleepiness or drowsiness.
What about treatment?
Treatment depends on the specific disease. People with narcolepsy need medication to improve alertness. However, in the case of insomnia, medications are not used, but behavioral and cognitive therapies are provided to teach the patient how to fall asleep again. For people with sleep apnea, treatment is mechanical. These machines blow air at a certain pressure to prevent apnea, or use a splint to push the jaw forward a few millimeters to create space and clear the airway.
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When should you see a doctor?
If you think sleep problems are affecting your function, quality of life, or health, you should talk to your doctor. This is often a sign of an underlying sleep problem that puts you at increased risk of an accident, especially while driving. Regardless, it's important to get help, as there are treatments that work well
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