2023-11-07 01:02:56
Given the growing impact of sleep disorders, which affect millions of people in Spain, interest in knowing prevention guidelines and tools such as health insurance is increasing.
American writer Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, wrote that “when you have insomnia, you are never fully awake or fully asleep. With insomnia, nothing is real.” This problem that tormented the protagonist of that novel, and that inspired one of the greatest cult works of contemporary cinema, also afflicts millions of people in Spain: 48% of adults and 25% of the child population do not have a quality sleep, according to a study by the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN).
These data reflect an alarming reality in terms of sleep quality, a fundamental aspect for physical, mental and social well-being. Although most sleep disorders can be prevented or treated, only 10% of people suffering from one in Spain have been diagnosed and only a third of them seek professional help. Possible solutions to reverse this situation were featured in the Sleep well to live better meeting, organized by EXPANSIÓN and El Mundo with the collaboration of BBVA.
Habits
“A large part of the population does not sleep well because they do not pay enough attention to their sleep hygiene,” warned Margarita Carrasco, a specialized psychologist at BluaU Sanitas. This is often due to bad habits such as napping for more than 30 minutes during the day or using your cell phone right before bed. Carrasco explained that “there are some fundamental factors to achieve sleep hygiene: establishing routines to regulate circadian rhythms, creating an environment of order and relaxation in the room to avoid stressors and having a healthy lifestyle.”
This prevalence of sleep disorders gives rise to a growing interest in knowing guidelines and tools to sleep better. “Our clients demand more emotional and physical well-being and, in particular, we notice special concern regarding the area of sleep,” acknowledged Francisco Rey, business development director at BBVA Seguros, which has specific sleep programs included in the neurology unit. . As an example of this, the entity closed the first half of 2023 with more than 48,000 new clients and plans to end the year exceeding 100,000 for the third consecutive year.
The consequences of poor sleep on health are numerous. “When we rest poorly, our attention and memory capacity is reduced, compromising all the tasks and obligations that we must perform throughout the day,” said Margarita Carrasco. In this way, the person’s performance decreases. The specialized psychologist from BluaU Sanitas stressed that “sleeping well is so important because our body is restored during sleep, both on a physical and psychological level.”
Francisco Rey emphasized that “prevention is key to improving the quality of sleep and requires instruments that accompany us in the process, such as health insurance.” In the case of BBVA, he pointed out that it makes available more than 35 programs for different ages with the support of 140 health professionals from different specialties. According to data from the entity at the end of August, the use of these programs by its policyholders has increased by 14% to over 190,000 uses.
However, what really keeps Spaniards up at night? “The most common problems are disorders related to insomnia, in its different types: conciliation insomnia that affects the onset of sleep, nocturnal awakenings and early awakening,” Carrasco clarified. In these scenarios, the psychologist recommends leaving the room, carrying out a relaxed activity and returning when the feeling of drowsiness returns. If this doesn’t work and neither do techniques like abdominal breathing and guided meditation, she advised that “it’s time to turn to a specialist.”
Although it is necessary to control the time spent on screens at night, Francisco Rey clarified that “technology is a great ally, which helps us both to personalize products for our customers and to create new solutions.” For example, it is now possible to monitor sleep through digital programs and measure vital signs just by looking at a mobile phone for half a minute.
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