Professionals explore the impact of sleep among Filipinos.
Ever start the day feeling tired? You’re likely sleep deprived. But you’re not alone, and almost all Filipinos have experienced sleep deprivation at some point.
Sleep is essential to the body, but Filipinos are notorious for their unhealthy sleeping habits due to busy schedules from work, school, or personal hobbies. Some would even brag about their lack of sleep throughout their casual conversations, as if it’s badge of honor.
But this lack of proper sleep has resulted in the country placing 1st in the list of the most sleep-deprived nations in Southeast Asia and ranking 4th globally, based on this year’s data from the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine, Inc. (PSSMI).
To address this nationwide issue, health practitioners and organizations like the PSSMI have been advocating for greater awareness and support in sleep health and medicine.
Radar speaks to Dr. April Fatima Hernandez, one of the few sleep psychiatrists in the Philippines affiliated with PSSMI, about Filipinos’ unhealthy relationship with sleep.
The Pinoy pride and sacrifice
Hardworking, strategic, and tech-savvy—Filipinos have a remarkable work ethic, which gives them an edge when working for global companies.
However, this comes with a cost to their overall health. Dr. Hernandez believes that Filipinos are vulnerable to the sleep crisis because they cater to and connect with everyone worldwide, with some working night shifts, particularly in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry.
“Medyo nagugulo talaga yung body clock because you have to be awake during hours that you are supposed to be sleeping,“ says Dr. Hernandez
Limited access to sleep health
Although the advocacy for sleep health is growing, mainstream support still has a long way to go. According to Dr. Hernandez, sleep medicine is a new branch of medicine, stating, “There are a lot of innovations because there are a lot of conditions that are not yet targeted. So, limited lang ‘yung treatment namin for now.”
This leads to the rise of novel products that help with quality sleep, such as nasal strips, mouth tapes, and other over-the-counter sleep aids.
Dr. Hernandez also says that schools should emphasize the importance of sleep health on the same level as nutrition and exercise.
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Effects of healthy sleep
Sleep allows the body to rest and recover, but its impact on health deserves a deeper look.
Serta, a company that manufactures mattresses and other bedding products, recently held a launch of its New Perfect Spine Collections, and one of the guest speakers was Dr. John Andrew Ma-Ñang—a cardiologist and surgeon from the Cardinal Santos Medical Center. There, he shared the purposes and effects of sleep that Filipinos should take note of.
Maintains hormonal balance
“During sleep, your stress hormone, or cortisol, goes down, and growth hormone spurts in the first few hours of sleep.”
Cortisol, a hormone that manages stress and controls blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol, usually peaks during the morning or during stressful situations that require energy. Dr. Yam claimed that higher cortisol levels may put the body at risk of high blood pressure, weight gain, or a weakened immune system. But during the sleeping cycle, cortisol levels tend to decrease, creating the right opportunity for the replenishment of growth hormones.
Gives the heart time to slow down
“Yung pinaka-rest ng heart is for it to throttle down, slow down while you’re sleeping.”
Dr. Ma-Ñang emphasizes that everything needs rest. Sleeping relaxes and slows the heart down. Blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol may spike without the proper management of cortisol levels through sleeping, which can possibly lead to risks of heart attack or stroke.
Brain recovery
“Sleep allows our brain to rest and recover because it is also during this time that our brain gets to adjust.”
Dr. Ma-Ñang explained that during this period, the brain gets rid of free radicals, which some studies suggest can lead to Alzheimer’s disease. All the stress adapted by the brain (through the prefrontal cortex) is also settled. limiting the possibility for burnout and enhancing the person’s mental and emotional capacity
While staying on a healthy diet, exercising, and taking vitamins are important, sleep remains the foundation that contributes to a strong and efficient body.
Support for sleep health in the country still has a long way to go, but in the meantime, the best way to start getting healthier is by fixing your relationship with sleep.
