If you tend to snore or doze off during the day, this could be bad news for your eyesight.
People who suffer from insomnia have a higher risk of going blind, a study has found.
Those who take naps during the day are up to a fifth more likely to develop glaucoma later in life, according to research.
Snorers were 10 percent more likely to have glaucoma, while insomniacs and those with a short/long sleep pattern were 13 percent more likely to have it than those with a healthy sleep pattern.
People who suffer from insomnia have a higher risk of going blind, a study has found. Those who take naps during the day are up to a fifth more likely to develop glaucoma later in life, according to research
Experts assume that the increased risk could be due to changes in eye pressure, which can be triggered both when lying down and when the sleep hormones are disturbed.
Glaucoma is a common eye disease in older people, caused by damage to the optic nerve that connects the eye to the brain.
The condition can lead to vision loss if not diagnosed and treated early enough.
The study looked at data from more than 400,000 in the UK aged 40 to 69 over 15 years on their sleeping habits and whether they went on to develop glaucoma.
Sleep medicine professionals have poked fun at the “10-3-2-1” formula for the past few years, a step-by-step guide to how best to prepare for a night of optimal sleep during the day. But it’s bad news if you love caffeine, as the method says it needs to be left at least 10 hours before bed (above left). And late eaters would have to move their meal times forward to three hours before bed (above right) or risk a night spent tossing and turning. The guide also recommends logging off of your work email two hours before hitting the sack (below left) and even avoiding phones, tablets and laptops during the hour before hitting the hay (below right).
HOW MUCH SLEEP SHOULD I GET?
Most adults need between six and nine hours of sleep each night.
If you go to bed and wake up at a similar time each night, you program your brain and internal clock to get used to a set routine.
But few people manage to stick to strict bedtime patterns.
To fall asleep more easily, the NHS recommends relaxing, e.g. B. by bathing, reading and avoiding electronic devices.
The health service also recommends keeping the bedroom sleep-friendly by removing TVs and appliances from the room and keeping it dark and clutter-free.
For people struggling to sleep, the NHS says keeping a sleep diary can uncover lifestyle habits or activities that contribute to sleepiness.
Source: NHS
Those who sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day are classified as healthy, as are those who sleep too little or too much outside.
About 8,690 cases of glaucoma were identified and were most common in men who were older, had smoked once, or had high blood pressure or diabetes.
Short or long sleep duration was associated with an 8 percent increased risk; insomnia 12 percent; snoring 4 percent; and frequent daytime sleepiness 20 percent, according to the results in BMJ Open.
Snorers and those who suffered from daytime sleepiness had a 10 percent higher risk of developing glaucoma, while insomniacs and those with a short/long sleep pattern had a 13 percent risk.
The researchers said that people found to be at high risk of glaucoma should be offered “sleep interventions” and those reporting poor sleep problems should have eye screening.
The authors wrote: “Snoring, daytime sleepiness, insomnia, and short/long duration, individually or together, were all associated with glaucoma risk.
“These results underscore the need for sleep intervention in individuals at high risk of glaucoma, as well as potential ophthalmological screening in individuals with chronic sleep problems for glaucoma prevention.”
The researchers said that glaucoma might affect sleep patterns and not the other way around, but there were also potentially plausible biological explanations.
Intraocular pressure, a key factor in causing glaucoma, increases when lying down and when sleep hormones are out of balance, as is the case with insomnia, they said.
Depression and anxiety, which often accompany insomnia, can also increase intraocular pressure, possibly due to dysregulated cortisol production, they suggest.
Similarly, repeated or prolonged episodes of low cellular oxygen levels caused by sleep apnea could cause direct damage to the optic nerve, it has been suggested.
They conclude, “Because sleep behavior is modifiable, these results underscore the need for sleep intervention in individuals at high risk of glaucoma and potential ophthalmic screening in individuals with chronic sleep problems to prevent glaucoma.”