00:00 about problems with sleep disorders.
00:03 We are joined by Dr. Joanne Mae Perez-Liparial
00:07 to give us more information about sleep disorders and sleep medicine.
00:12 Good morning, Doc, and welcome to Rise and Shine Philippines.
00:14 Good morning, Ma'am Chi, good morning, Fifi, and to Rise and Shine Philippines.
00:18 Thank you very much for having me.
00:19 Thank you, too, Doc.
00:20 Thank you, Doc, and we are happy to have you here.
00:22 Yes.
00:23 Doc, what are the main problems with sleep disorders?
00:28 Yes.
00:28 What are the most common symptoms of sleep disorders?
00:31 Yes.
00:32 In terms of sleep disorders, the number one common symptom is insomnia.
00:38 In layman's terms, it's hard to sleep.
00:41 There are many causes or reasons for this.
00:47 Number one, being stressed.
00:48 Okay.
00:49 It's situational, stress-related.
00:51 I'm sure we feel that sometimes when we think a lot,
00:56 we have overwhelming thoughts, and it's hard to sleep, to initiate sleep.
00:59 Others change their circadian rhythm or sleep-wake cycle
01:04 because, for example, they travel to different time zones,
01:07 or their shifting in their duty hours changes.
01:11 Others are sleep apnea, where their breathing suddenly stops while sleeping.
01:15 So there are many causes of sleep problems.
01:18 But the most common, in fact, in our clinics is insomnia.
01:22 That's always their reason or chief complaint when they go to the clinic.
01:26 It's hard to sleep.
01:27 Maybe we need to know and listen to our RSPs
01:31 how important it is to have a good and complete sleep.
01:37 Yes.
01:37 Sleep is very important.
01:41 In fact, it's one of the basic needs of our body.
01:45 Aside from eating, sleep is very important.
01:47 It's one of the foundations of our physical, mental, and emotional health,
01:52 and overall health and well-being.
01:53 If you notice, if we're sleep-deprived,
01:56 if we have days when we can't sleep or lack sleep,
01:59 it's affected first cognitively.
02:01 Brain function can be affected.
02:03 When we wake up, it's hard to focus, concentrate, and the attention span is very short.
02:08 Especially for students, we always remind them
02:10 that they need to sleep before exams because sometimes there's a mental block
02:14 because brain functions can be affected.
02:17 Sleep resets our brain cells.
02:20 It helps to remove toxins from the brain.
02:23 That's why students need to sleep.
02:25 Physically, we feel low energy, low battery.
02:29 We're prone to falling, to lack of sleep.
02:33 We're prone to infections, flu, colds, cough.
02:36 Emotionally, if you notice, sometimes if you lack sleep, it's irritating.
02:41 You don't feel good when you wake up.
02:45 It's very important that we don't become sleep-deprived.
02:49 That's what we're avoiding, sleep deprivation.
02:51 We should really sleep on time.
02:53 But Doc, you mentioned earlier the temporary causes of sleep disorder.
02:59 How can our CRSP know if we're not feeling normal?
03:05 What are the normal symptoms of sleep disorder that we should monitor
03:10 to say that we have an issue with sleep?
03:12 Yes. The most common symptom is insomnia.
03:16 But if this insomnia is repeated,
03:19 and we should point out that sleep deprivation is not just about starting to sleep.
03:24 Sometimes, it's about the sleep being interrupted.
03:27 It's in the middle or terminal insomnia, when you wake up early
03:31 and you have trouble sleeping again.
03:33 How can stress or daily pressure affect sleep?
03:40 How can we manage it?
03:42 Yes, it definitely affects it.
03:44 If we have a lot of sources of stress, especially if we have multiple sources,
03:48 then we feel overwhelmed.
03:50 Maybe when night comes, we have a hard time initiating sleep.
03:54 We start to sleep because we're thinking about solutions and ways to solve it.
03:58 So, it's very important to have stress management.
04:00 It's like having a good night's rest.
04:04 Can we talk more about mindset?
04:06 Yes, positive mindset is very important.
04:10 But at the same time, awareness is very important.
04:13 What are the sources of stress so that we can address it immediately?
04:17 Sleep is our basic body function,
04:21 but it can also be a symptom of other forms of mental health concerns.
04:26 For example, sleep is not just insomnia.
04:29 It can be hypersomnia.
04:31 When we see an individual sleeping a lot,
04:34 it can be a sign of oversleeping.
04:36 It can also be a symptom of something,
04:39 like an emotional or mental health condition.
04:41 Depression.
04:42 Yes, depression.
04:44 It can be a form of avoidance,
04:46 facing problems and stress in the morning.
04:49 So, we need to analyze the symptoms related to sleep.
04:54 What are the habits of people who suffer from sleep disorder?
04:59 Although some people can't do anything because it's their job,
05:03 what are the usual things that they do every day?
05:08 In clinics, we call this "maintain sleep hygiene."
05:12 What is sleep hygiene?
05:14 Number one, we should avoid drinking anything dark-colored drinks.
05:19 For example, drinks that have caffeine that activates our brain.
05:24 Usually, late afternoon, early evening,
05:26 we should not drink anything dark-colored drinks,
05:30 like tea, coffee, soft drinks, for example,
05:33 because it activates our brain.
05:34 Number two, make sure that we have wind-down activities.
05:37 It will signal our brain that it's time to sleep.
05:41 So, usually, we advise to take a shower.
05:43 And make sure that our bedroom is conducive for sleep.
05:48 How do we do this?
05:49 We should avoid gadgets.
05:51 So, our advice is to set digital-free zones in our house.
05:55 Our bedroom is one.
05:56 Because we don't want to be exposed to the blue light.
06:00 Blue light is with the phone.
06:02 Yes, it can stimulate.
06:03 So, instead of us falling asleep, we are still activated because of blue light.
06:07 Make sure that the temperature is conducive.
06:09 Not too cold, not too hot, and dark.
06:12 We need to stimulate the release of melatonin, which is a normal.
06:16 Oh, that's why.
06:17 Yes, that's why the advice is to set it in a dark place.
06:20 That's where melatonin secretes to help us go to sleep.
06:25 Maybe that's why I fall asleep quickly.
06:27 Because I want to sleep.
06:29 I don't like bright lights.
06:31 But some people are good.
06:33 They prefer lights.
06:34 Maybe because they are afraid of the dark.
06:36 My husband wants to sleep with all the lights.
06:39 But he always says that he has insomnia.
06:41 So, maybe because the lights are on, he should sleep.
06:45 No, you know why?
06:46 Because the lights are next to his face.
06:48 I see.
06:49 Okay, I'll segue.
06:50 But how does sleep medicine help in treating sleep disorders?
06:58 Yes, because there are many reasons or causes of sleep problems.
07:03 So, it's better to examine this for us to be able to say what is the best treatment,
07:09 if we need medication, or if sleep hygiene is okay,
07:14 and if we can adjust the medication.
07:16 Sometimes, comorbidities are high.
07:19 For example, if you have a sleep problem,
07:23 the chance of having a mental health condition is high.
07:27 For example, if you have an issue, or you're sleepy.
07:30 Yes, or any form of medical concern.
07:33 So, we need to see.
07:35 Specifically, for mental health or emotional health-related,
07:38 it's high for individuals with high anxiety levels.
07:43 So, they are alert and awake because they are vigilant when anxious.
07:47 They think a lot.
07:48 They think a lot.
07:49 Or for those who have depression and other forms of emotional conditions.
07:53 I guess it goes hand in hand.
07:55 Because if you don't sleep because of depression,
07:58 you will get sick from other diseases.
08:02 So, the bottom line is to sleep.
08:05 Get enough rest and sleep.
08:06 It's not just a quantity of number of hours.
08:09 When we wake up, the quality is also very important.
08:12 When we wake up, we feel refreshed, rejuvenated, re-energized
08:16 because of a good night's rest.
08:18 Many Filipinos ignore this concept of sleeping.
08:23 We don't acknowledge that there are things that are not good in our daily lives.
08:30 Do you torture yourself because you don't sleep much?
08:33 No, sometimes, I do it when I have realizations at night.
08:36 For example, when you're in the bathroom, you're dreaming in the mirror.
08:39 Sometimes, I realize something.
08:41 It's a daydream.
08:42 But don't do it too much.
08:44 We talked about this last time.
08:46 Let's go to the last question.
08:47 What should a person who has sleep disorder do to get rid of their problems?
08:55 Do they drink melatonin or medicine?
08:57 Or do they go to the doctor?
08:59 How do you do this?
09:00 Number one, if this is reaching the point where it's already in their way
09:03 in their functionality, productivity, in their daily routine
09:07 to the point where they can't go to work or to their kids
09:11 and it's affecting their concentration and focus,
09:14 it's better to seek help.
09:16 So that we can better understand where their symptoms or sleep problems come from.
09:22 Because there's always help available.
09:24 It can be, let's fix their sleeping patterns, sleep hygiene techniques,
09:30 or if it's necessary, then we give something to help them
09:33 to return to their regular pattern of sleep.
09:37 So help is always available.
09:39 So don't lose hope.
09:40 But doc, should a psychiatrist or psychologist be the one to go to them?
09:44 It's the same.
09:45 But if they need medication, they should go to the doctor, which is a psychiatrist.
09:51 That's it.
09:52 Chorus, having a proper and adequate sleep or rest is important
09:58 so that we can be productive and it will have a big effect on our health.
10:02 That's why it's important to give attention to our sleeping pattern
10:06 and avoid sleeping on the side.
10:09 Well, thank you so much, doc John, for guiding us on how to be healthy.
10:13 And we're very excited to know what else we need to talk about
10:17 in our next visit because you're almost here every week.
10:20 We're really talking about something very informative.
10:23 Thank you so much, Monique.
10:25 Thank you.
10:26 We were able to interview Dr. John May Perez-Riofario.
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