World Brain Day 2024: Proper sleep essential for brain health, say experts

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People must never ignore sleep to meet deadlines, and it's never appropriate to waste time on the Internet over a proper good night's sleep, advise healthcare professionals on World Brain Day.

Recommending a seven-hour sleep to help the brain function better, they warned that lack of proper sleep could lead to brain-related problems.

Commenting on the importance of sleep and the adverse effect on the brain due to lack of it, Dr. S Ramesh, Consulting Neurosurgery, Kamineni Hospitals said, "Sleep is one of the most important components in the daily routine of an individual. Sleep is important for a number of brain-related functions, like the communication between neurons/nerve cells.

"People must be made aware that without proper sleep, the required pathways in the brain to create new memories and new response systems, will get adversely affected."

"It is a known fact that the brain controls the human body and functions and emotions. It is important to know that sleep affects every aspect and every organ in the human body, especially the brain.

"While a good sleep will have a positive impact, irregular sleeping habits could affect almost every type of tissue and system like the brain, the heart, and even the lungs. Many people complain about mood swings, and this has a direct connection with the quality of sleep and its impact on the brain," observed Dr. Ch Vijay, Consultant Neurologist, KIMS ICON Hospital, Vizag.

On the occasion of World Brain Day, the focus is on promotion of brain health.

Dr. A Rampapa Rao, Chairman, Ucchvas Transitional Care, stated "I understand the biggest risk for a healthy brain is ‘Hypertension' apart from other etiological factors and in itself is a manifestation of altered lifestyle mainly being deprivation of optimum number of daily sleep hours in young and middle years of life.

"I appeal to everyone to take measures and focus on getting at least seven hours of qualitative sleep on a daily basis irrespective of the occupation they are engaged in.

"We strongly believe that a healthy sleeping habit is the single most significant factor in maintaining healthy brain and its optimum functioning."

Though the World Federation of Neurology was founded on July 22, 1957, it was only in 2013 that the Public Awareness & Advocacy Committee of the Federation proposed its founding day be designated as the World Brain Day.

This year, the theme for the day is ‘Brain Health & Prevention', which encompasses the mission to proactively assess and address neurological diseases.

The day also emphasises the importance of early detection and effective management of brain related ailments.

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