Techies wake up to risks of sleep deprivation

Corporate employees and executives these days are driven, highly competitive and exceedingly motivated. Work is the top priority and sleep is the last priority. They do all the right things to keep healthy, like working out regularly and maintaining a balanced diet. It’s the hours of sleep that are frequently skipped or alarmingly reduced.

The corporate world woke up to the dangers of this only recently, after mails about sudden death of 42-year-old Ranjan Das, the CEO of SAP-Indian Subcontinent, the youngest CEO of an MNC in India, who died after a sudden heart attack, made their way to the inboxes of several techies. Workaholic Das had been getting very little sleep.

It’s only now that young professionals in the city can hear the alarm bells ringing. Among them is Rajesh Krishnan, a program analyst, “Most of us think that five hours of sleep daily is more than enough. But I realised the hard way that this was not for people in high-stress jobs like mine. I would skip my hours of sleep and spend more time at work, only to discover after some time, that my performance had deteriorated.

My eyes used to burn, I had dark circles around them and that’s when I consulted a sleep specialist.”

Yes, matters have reached a stage where there are now qualified ‘sleep specialists’ to attend to what is turning into a major problem. Dr D Ramakrishnan, a certified sleep specialist and founder of the Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences in Chennai, discloses, “Many working professionals come to us complaining of sleep problems. Their lifestyle is responsible for this.

Tech-savvy people are working 24/7 —whether it’s responding to mails on their Blackberry or finding solutions and planning the next day’s schedule. There are many who even tend to dismiss the symptoms of sleep deprivation.” The bottom line, he says, is this: “Every individual must have a minimum of seven to eight hours sleep every night in order to be productive at work.”

Underlining how sleep disorders can cause health problems, Dr Jayaprakash, HDL specialist at Aditya Acute Care Hospital, explains, “Lack of sleep over a period of time creates a ‘sleep debt’ and this coupled with stress and hypertension can lead to a stroke or a heart attack. I recommend a ‘switch on-switch off’ method to my patients, who know how to switch their minds on to work mode but do not switch off all work-related thoughts during the night before they sleep. People also have to learn to spend more time with family.”

The e-mail has spread shockwaves among company heads as well. Dr Verma, the managing director of Madras Cable Industries Pvt Ltd who received the mail titled ‘Sleep, else you might sleep forever’ says, “Sleep deprivation negatively affects work performance, productivity, quality and working relationships. Without adequate sleep, employees have difficulty concentrating, learning, and communicating.

This leads to inefficiency and job dissatisfaction. So we now are stressing on wellness programs to prevent this.”
Further investigation into Ranjan’s death revealed that even though he followed a strict diet regimen and exercised regularly, he wasn’t getting enough sleep. Earnest Vijay, fitness director and sports physiotherapist with O2 Health Studio says, “Along with the workout regimen, we always
recommend a minimum of eight hours of sleep.

Moreover, one should be at pace before going to sleep, as quality sleep is important. ”
D Balamuralikrishnan, founder of NALAM (National Academy for Learning and Motivation) Center for Human Excellence, says that before proper sleep, stress-busting activities are equally essential. “Establish a regular, relaxing bedtime routine, such as soaking in a hot bath-tub and then reading a book or listening to soothing music — this will relax you and help you sleep better.”

Common symptoms
* Poor concentration and lack of motivation in life.
* Irritable and cranky behaviour.
* Experiencing weakness, morning headaches and high BP.
* Finding it hard to stay awake while driving, watching TV, reading a book, or attending a meeting.
* Waking up choking, gasping for air, or have a rapid heartbeat during the night.
* Watching a late-night show because you can’t fall asleep or waking up at night because you can’t go back to sleep.

Nap Trap

Every individual must have a minimum of seven to eight hours sleep every night in order to be productive at work. One should avoid caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, chocolate) and nicotine (cigarettes and other tobacco products) close to bedtime.

Dr D Ramakrishnan
Sleep specialist and founder of the Nithra Institute of Sleep Sciences

Along with the workout regimen, we always recommend a minimum of eight hours of sleep. Moreover, one should be at peace before going to sleep, as quality sleep is important.

Earnest Vijay
Fitness director and sports
physiotherapist with O2 Health Studio