Despite being a nation concerned with their health, it seems like we’re not willing to invest in our sleeping pattern in order to become healthier.
A recent study found that people who reported poor sleep quality more than once a week had a 94% increase in the risk of developing asthma; a breathing condition that affects almost 5.4 million people in the UK alone (that’s the equivalent of one person out of every 11!).
Asthma sufferers are debilitated by an unableness to speak, breathe or ask for help during an attack. It can be life-threatening and the NHS spends approximately £1 billion a year treating and caring for people suffering with the condition. Despite the major risk factors being obesity, air pollution and smoking, it seems that the condition can also be linked to our sleeping pattern.
In fact, a recent study found that people who find falling asleep difficult are more than twice as likely to develop the condition, with the risk rising by over 66% when the person regularly struggles with drifting off.
Dr Ben Brumpton of Trondheim University Hospital says that the results suggest that “any changes in the body due to insomnia may accumulate and result in more severe harmful effects on the airways”.
In the rankings of countries with people who expressed their concerns that they don’t get enough sleep, the UK ranked highest out of a total of 13 countries. Getting better quality sleep was opted for a health priority for 25% of people, second to wanting to lose weight.
In order to reduce your risk of developing the breathing condition, ensure that your sleeping environment is good enough to promote a good night’s sleep. Consider if a tempurpedic or amerisleep mattress is more beneficial to your needs and provide your body with the best possible chances of a quality rest.
