As the world marks "Insomnia Awareness Day", a recent survey in
Shanghai has shown that an increasing number of Shanghai residents,
especially the young, are suffering from sleeplessness.
The survey, which was conducted by the Insomnia Studies
Institute of the Shanghai Chinese Medicine Hospital - a research
center that investigates the causes and treatment of the condition
- found that more than 40 percent of the city's residents suffered
from insomnia to some degree or other.
The results also showed that more and more young people were
struggling with sleeplessness, with 13 percent of all insomniacs
found to be aged under 24, a whopping five percentage points higher
than the figure released five years ago.
Wang Qiaochu, the institute's vice-director and professor of
Chinese medicine, said the major reasons for insomnia in children
were the pressures of school and an unhealthy lifestyle. "Clever,
sensitive and introverted children are the most likely to suffer
from insomnia because they tend to feel more pressure at
school."
Xu Jian, a doctor working at the institute, said that children
who consume an imbalanced diet, such as excessive amounts of
carbonated drinks and caffeine, too much meat, and too little fat
and protein, are also more likely to suffer from insomnia.
On dealing with the condition, Xu said that of the university
and senior high school students found to suffer from insomnia, more
than 25 percent said they had used a hypnagogue to help them sleep.
Of those, more than 40 percent said they depended on such
drugs.
However, Xu warned that using a hypnagogue for a prolonged
period can lead to dangerous side effects, including making people
less attentive and more forgetful.
Wang said that insomnia was also reaching worrying levels among
older patients. Of the 5,000 adult insomniacs surveyed, 51 percent
were aged between 30 and 50.
The survey also found that 35 percent of the sufferers held
middle-level management positions.
One IT manager, surnamed Li, said: "I have suffered from
insomnia every night for the past two years, although my job is
very stressful."
(China Daily March 21, 2007)