Spend money to buy sleep
Not yet 30 years old, Ms. Tran Thuy Anh (a graphic designer, residing in Ho Chi Minh City) often suffers from prolonged insomnia. The nature of her job means that Ms. Thuy Anh can only leave the computer after 11pm, sometimes even working until dawn. As a result, she has difficulty sleeping, is irritable, and tired. After using herbs and functional foods without any effect, Ms. Thuy Anh had to turn to sedatives. Listening to the advice of her friends, she spent millions of dong on learning Yoga, buying scented candles and essential oils, and attending online healing classes. However, the good sleep only lasted about a week and then everything was back to normal!
Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Bao Lam (33 years old, living in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City) faced prolonged insomnia after his marriage had an incident. Insomnia at night and sleepiness during the day made his health increasingly decline. Through examination, the doctor found that in addition to mental problems, Mr. Bao Lam was also "addicted" to surfing TikTok or "cooking porridge" on his phone for hours every night, making it very difficult to fall asleep.
According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Head of the Examination Department, Binh Thanh District Hospital (HCMC), sleep disorders are common. In January 2025 alone, Binh Thanh District Hospital received more than 1,500 visits related to sleep disorders, including the elderly, students, and high school students. After the examination, the doctor advises the patient to change their living habits, build an environment and habits before going to bed to achieve high quality sleep. "Depending on the patient's condition, the doctor will provide psychological counseling or drug treatment, not all cases require a prescription," said Dr. Thu Ha.
A study conducted at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Ho Chi Minh City showed that more than 50% of students suffer from insomnia, 70% of students sleep less than 7 hours/day. In Vietnam, about 30% of adults have sleep problems, affecting the quality of life and increasing the risk of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, memory loss. Sleep disorders are also related to respiratory, neuropsychiatric, ear, nose and throat diseases...
Of these, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs in about 30% of men and 15% of women, most of whom have not been diagnosed and treated. Snoring is a typical sign of this condition, along with symptoms such as periods of reduced breathing and apnea during sleep. Patients often feel tired when waking up, have reduced concentration, sleepiness, headaches during the day... Notably, if left untreated, apnea and reduced breathing at night will cause low blood oxygen saturation, increased inflammation and blood clotting, and blood clots that cause myocardial infarction.
“Sleep disorders are becoming an alarming problem due to work stress, social pressure, dependence on technology, and overuse of electronic devices, which tend to increase among stressed workers and students,” a medical expert assessed.
Signs of onset of many diseases
According to Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Thu, Head of the Sleep Medicine Unit, People's Hospital 115, sleep disorders have many causes, including genetic factors, old age, people with internal diseases, the use of certain medications, and especially lifestyle factors.
Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Thu analyzed that habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, using stimulants, using electronic devices, working in the bedroom, exercising late at night... all have a serious impact on sleep. A statistic shows that 75% of children and 70% of adults use technology devices before going to bed. When using technology devices, users often watch movies, text messages... making the brain unable to calm down, causing difficulty sleeping.
Sound and blue light disrupt biological rhythms and affect other hormones in the body. Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Thu warns that overusing technology devices before bed can increase the risk of work accidents, traffic accidents, and reduce productivity the next day, even damaging relationships.
Sharing the same view, Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Le Khac Bao, Vice President of the Vietnam Sleep Medicine Association, said that the habit of "cooking porridge" with the phone and watching movies causes the brain to practice other habits, leading to difficulty falling asleep. As a result, the patient suffers from cognitive decline, memory loss, slow judgment, type 2 diabetes, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. In cases where children have sleep disorders, it can increase the risk of obesity, slow growth, etc. "Sleep accounts for a large proportion of life. Currently, sleep disorders are very common and diverse, but have not received due attention, and are even overlooked," Associate Professor, Doctor, Doctor Le Khac Bao emphasized.
Doctors recommend practicing the habit of sleeping on time and getting enough sleep, avoiding stimulants, creating a comfortable, quiet sleeping space, having a reasonable diet, and avoiding overeating at night. In case of insomnia lasting more than 3 months, or affecting the quality of life, the patient should go to the doctor for timely treatment.
Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/roi-loan-giac-ngu-xu-huong-gia-tang-o-nguoi-tre-post786412.html
Comment (0)