Vital Stats: 33% — How much a person’s life is dedicated to sleep

By DAVID CRUZ

Whether one is a morning person or a night owl, proper sleep is what the doctor orders. Should even several hours be missed, particularly for night shift employees, the results can be fatal.

It proved to be the case in the Metro-North crash in Spuyten Duyvil last year, when the train conductor dozed off, causing the train to increase speed at 80mph. The speed caused the train to derail, killing four passengers. The year before, a sleep deprived bus driver caused a crash on the Bronx I-95 that killed 15 passengers. The common thread—sleep deprivation among shift workers. The subject will be explored at a sleep symposium hosted by Montefiore Medical Center (MMC) on May 12.

“People who have chronic or disturbed sleep, … and are trying to do shift work, are going to be doubly affected in terms of fatigue and tiredness as a result,” said Dr. Michael Thorpy, head of MMC’s Sleep-Wake Disorders Center. Thorpy is a lead sleep expert, author of several books on sleep disorders and a practitioner at MMC for over 30 years. He manages the sleep center at Montefiore, helping the weary address their sleep problems through a team of doctors. They include two physicians, two psychiatrists and 10 technicians who oversee sleep studies run by the clinic.

Thorpy will be one of seven speakers at the forum entitled “The Impact of Circadian Disruption on Shift Workers, Healthcare and Disease,” offering insight into the power of rest. Topics will also touch on issues of jet lag and lack of sleep for shift workers, a class of workers who often work odd hours.

A Vulnerable Population
Many shift workers are classified as those who often work at night. But it also affects those who either wake up before 6:30 a.m. or begin work after 4:30 p.m. Odd hour workers typically experience disturbed circadian rhythms—a physiological system within the body that cues one’s natural sleep schedule. Should a job interfere with someone’s propensity to sleep at a certain time, an employee is likely to develop Shift Work Disorder. Night workers are mainly affected, though those who operate machinery, such as vehicles or train cars could potentially cause a fatal accident.

“The important thing is to bring to people’s recognition the importance of circadian rhythms, how they affect their alertness and the importance of getting good sleep,” said Thorpy, adding that “shift work has an impact on a person in terms of their overall health.” Prolonged disruption could result in weight gain, inability to think at a normal rate and various types of cancers, according to the doctor.

Teens, Sleep and Technology
Lack of sleep is not limited to shift workers. Sleep is just as important for teenagers still tuning up their internal clocks. Functional teenagers usually sleep for 10 hours, though widespread use of tech gadgets have distracted teens from acquiring the healthy amount of sleep, said Thorpy. “If they’re using their cell phones or are on the computer at night or listening to music, whether on iPhones or iPods, it affects the quality of their sleep. And the more tired and fatigued they are is actually affecting grades in children,” he said.

Solutions
Regaining the ability to fall asleep boils down to simply maintaining a consistent sleep routine, said Thorpy. Avoiding alcohol, nicotine, and large meals before bed can often prevent any form of restlessness, he added.

Winding down also helps. Those more predisposed to a normal sleep regimen will often utilize downtime to feel relaxed, which ultimately leads to a good night’s rest.

For shift workers, Thorpy recommends BluBlocker sunglasses on the ride back home. The idea is to limit the amount of sunlight since it’s considered a stimulator for the body and thus will disrupt the ability to go to sleep. Other recommendations include falling into a proper sleep schedule that remains virtually steady.

Further techniques can be learned at the symposium on Monday, May 12 from 1 to 6 p.m. at MMC’s Cherkasky auditorium at 111 E. 210th St.