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Argentina has a sleep problem and the economic crisis has a lot to do with it

2023-03-15T10:43:56.552Z


75% of the population has some sleep disturbance, according to a recent survey. The figures are as worrying as during the pandemic


A group of pedestrians crosses an avenue in Buenos Aires.EFE

The data from the study are alarming at first reading and lead to a quick conclusion: Argentines have severe sleeping problems.

According to a recent survey of the Observatory of Applied Social Psychology of the Faculty of Psychology of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) with samples at the national level, 75.95% of people present a sleep disturbance of some kind.

38.61% have insomnia or interrupted sleep and 21.39% sleep less than usual.

The result arises from a global survey on the psychological state of the Argentine population, with stratified incidental sampling, according to geographic regions of the country.

The numbers only show a small part of a multi-causal problem that is also linked to a country that is always in turmoil and unstable.

“There is evidence that is supported by the relationship of people with the country's financial crises, with recurring questions.

How am I going to pay the bills?

How does inflation affect me?

How am I going to face an unpredictable economy?

"One of the great concerns in people with insomnia is economic," says Martín Etchevers, psychologist, teacher and secretary of research at the Faculty of Psychology of the UBA, as well as coordinator of the study.

That evidence that Etchevers mentions is clearly seen in some of the work indicators.

54.55% of the participants reported that they are going through a crisis.

And of them, 49.44% mentioned one of an economic nature.

It is not for less: the accumulated inflation in the country during 2022 was 94.8%, the highest annual rise since 1991. These crises mentioned in the surveys translate into frequent consultations for anxiety or depression, which usually arrive first than those related to sleep disturbances.

“Most prevalent are stress, worry, anxiety, negative outlooks, hopelessness and frustration.

Sleep is more disturbed in people who live in a context of overcrowding and insecurity;

for example, with shots at night and dangerous situations,” explains Etchevers, who added that the data is just as alarming as it was during the pandemic years.

Another important factor that alters sleep and is associated with socioeconomic status is housing, which determines the quality of our hours of rest.

“It is explained in many cases by the house in which you live.

We suggest a ventilated, dark house, isolated from noise and in which the person feels calm.

Economic uncertainty influences a lot not only in this country but also according to studies by the World Association of Sleep Medicine”, says Agustín González Cardozo, a neurologist and member of the Fleni Sleep Medicine Unit, a reference entity dedicated to the care and research of neurological diseases.

A person in street condition, in Buenos Aires.EFE

The situation in Argentina is similar to that of other developing countries.

But there is a common factor that unites the rich and poor nations of the West.

“There are very serious studies that analyze the different decades.

In the 1950s, for example, the average was eight hours, while in 2010 it dropped to just six”, says González.

The benefits of sleeping well are well known.

During rest hours, such as wakefulness and eating, a large number of brain areas work in a network.

Sleeping is good for our learning and memory consolidation, because while we rest our brain works and orders what we process during the day.

Now what happens to our body when we are sleep deprived?

What happens in the short term and in the long term?

What diseases are we exposed to?

“Those who sleep little have, in the first instance, less cognitive performance.

That was shown in studies with patients who went to college.

Sleep also serves to eliminate substances that accumulate during the day, such as misfolded proteins, which can contribute to the development of neurodegenerative diseases," added González Cardozo.

Good sleep is only one of the pillars of a life of well-being, together with a healthy diet and physical activity.

Pablo López, psychologist and coordinator of the Insomnia Treatment Program of the Institute of Cognitive Neurology (INECO) and director of the Favaloro University Psychology Program, makes an equation that is reasonable in the adoption of good -and bad- habits.

“If I sleep badly, it is likely that I eat badly.

If I eat poorly, I have more chances of suffering from metabolic problems.

In the combination of these factors, a greater risk can be observed ”, explains López.

“I can't say that insomnia necessarily causes cardiovascular disease or type two diabetes.

But it is observed that a person who sleeps poorly tends to have a diet with more calories and lead a more sedentary life.

The psychologist observes that consultations about sleep problems are being postponed and arrive late.

“Suppose a person has insomnia and anxiety disorder, he can improve the latter but it will not improve sleep.

Within the consultations, the most frequent disorder is insomnia ”, he added.

A woman with sleep problems.Getty Images

Argentina is not an island within the general laws of Western industrialized societies.

López talks about "chronic sleep deprivation" and the conditions to speak clearly about an insomnia disorder.

“There is a loose use of the term.

It is not the same to have some problems sleeping than to suffer from insomnia.

This impacts daily life and has a temporal variable;

these difficulties must be sustained for three days a week for at least three months.”

The list of tips for hygiene - initiation and maintenance - of sleep is long, but it can be summarized in some basic premises, according to González Cardozo.

“You have to try to maintain regular schedules, avoid prolonged naps -they should not exceed 20 or 30 minutes- and lower the light stimulation two hours before bedtime.

Bright light from screens negatively affects melatonin secretion in humans.

This can cause insomnia due to the alteration of the circadian rhythm”, advises the doctor, along with other diet and exercise guidelines.

“Other tricks can be the incorporation of tryptophan, which is in bananas, cereals and dairy products.

Favors the secretion of melatonin.

It is also convenient to remove physical activity from sleeping hours and avoid drinking coffee or stimulating drinks after four in the afternoon, "he concluded with his advice on good sleep.

And, without a doubt, the good life from rest.

Source: elparis

All news articles on 2023-03-15

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