AS the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement is now back, a neurologist and sleep specialist cautioned the public to not convert their bedrooms into their interim workstations because it triggers sleeplessness.
Dr. Deborah Bernardo made this timely reminder given that the Fiscal Incentives Review Board (FIRB) temporarily extended the WFH set up for the information technology-business process management (IT-BPM) sector, not to mention a recent survey that shows that Filipinos rose to the 4th spot as being the most sleep-deprived people globally.
To help them regain their healthy sleeping habits, she pointed out that all activities related to their job and their gadgets must be removed in their own private space at home to achieve the optimum amount of time they need for slumber.
Failing to do so, she warned, could make them sleepless and, much worse, result in depression and anxiety, among other mental health problems, as well as physical challenges like obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and breast and prostate cancer.
“People are not aware that they do not have enough sleep, so they don’t make it a priority in their schedules,” Dr. Bernardo told reporters during the webinar hosted by the business community Bounce Back PH and health and wellness company Wellspring Philippines last September 13.
For her, the bedroom should be a “sanctuary for sleep and sex only. It must have a comfortable, chilly room temperature and slow relaxing music. Ambient lights must be replaced by night mode, and all other electronic gadgets must be turned off at least an hour before snoozing off.”
Effects of sleep deprivation
STATISTICS show that many Filipinos suffer from chronic sleep inefficiency. One of them is Casey Ching, the chief operating officer (COO) of Wellspring.
“When we lack sleep, we tend to not function optimally. Because you are stressed, you wake up not well-rested—and that hampers productivity in general,” she noted.
This problem did not only affect her but the entire family as well. This could be attributed to anxiety that “was high, especially during the pandemic. We were concerned about the senior members of the family and the babies.”
Apart from hardworking top executives, mothers, whether stay-at-home, single, employed, and entrepreneurial, are also not spared from sleep deprivation. Just like Vanna Reyes, a resident mom of Madiskarte Moms PH, she also experienced sleeplessness that, eventually, had an impact on her personal ties.
“You can struggle in your relationship with friends. I must be more attentive to my children. Alone time with your significant other is important; intimacy can decrease if it is set aside and is often overlooked because of the loaded responsibilities and worries,” she shared.
Start good sleeping habits early on
SLEEP experts like Dr. Bernardo recommended that adults need to have seven hours of sleep at a minimum. Less hours of sleep, especially in mid-life, she said “can contribute to dementia in the future. Start as soon as possible in improving your sleep.”
Reyes could not agree more about developing a healthy bedtime habit as early as possible, particularly for the younger generation.
“Let your kids know that sleep is very important in their lives. I collect their gadgets before they sleep. When it’s lights off, it’s light’s off,” she stressed, while citing her advice to her three children. “You can succeed in life if you have a good foundation in sleep.”
To help get a good sleep, a drastic change in mindset is required, suggested gigster Mark Darwin Balaswit. He said: “Filipinos wear this badge of honor for sleeplessness, but it needs to stop. Why not do something about it and consider alternative solutions like Wellspring melatonin gummies, exercising, and eating healthy?”
Reyes said that melatonin found in Wellspring gummies relaxes her more and makes her “willing to fight the day with a more agreeable mindset.”
Gummify your sleep pattern
Sleeplessness seemed to run in their blood, especially at the height of the pandemic. The Ching family kept on thinking about their businesses, hence, they suffered from bouts of anxiety and lack of sleep.
But it did not bring their spirits down. It led them to look for something that would remedy not only their well-being but also their means of livelihood—the Wellspring melatonin gummies.
“We were the first to use Wellspring melatonin gummies and we continue to do so when the need arises. These gummies have helped relieve us of our anxieties and sleep deprivation,” the COO related.
Bringing this Food and Drugs Administration-approved melatonin gummy to the country, she personally witnessed how it addressed the sleep problems of “young adults who suffer from anxiety, mommies, and freelancers who have to do the extra hustle to make a living.”
Wellspring melatonin gummies, she reiterated, are “not sleeping pills, but they are there to relax you. Melatonin for example is produced by the body and has now been developed and manufactured in vitamin form. It can alleviate fatigue and let you sleep naturally and deeply.”
Aside from melatonin and vitamin B6, this sleep-inducing product contains other ingredients with added benefits like the Passiflora extract. It is the only brand in the market today that comes in three variants: the Melatonin Sleep Aid Gummies with passion fruit extract to help relax promote calm before bedtime, Wellspring Nighttime with Collagen and Hyaluronic acid for better sleep and glowing skin, and Extra Snooze Extra Strength Melatonin with L-theanine and Lemon Balm gummies for an added dose of relaxation for that extra good night’s sleep.
“Many people nowadays opt to take gummies because they’re easier to swallow, and taste better,” Ching boasted.
Image credits: freepik.com