Over 70% of Bulgarians have sleep problems, recent study shows

In the week of World Sleep Day - more than 70% of Bulgarians have trouble falling asleep and wake up at least once a night, according to the results of a latest study by the "Pragmatics" Agency and "iSleep". Approximately one out of two respondents wakes up tired too early in the morning and needs more sleep during the day.

Donna Borisova works in a call centre from home. Her working hours are floating, which often interferes with sleep. Mostly because of the night shifts.

"There is very little time to adapt from the previous shift to the next shift and I don't have much time to do my personal commitments. When I try to fix my sleeping pattern from the night shift, I have a hard time falling asleep really well and sometimes I have slept very few hours and I am not prepared for the next shift and I get tired faster," she says.

According to doctors, snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea.

"Most often these patients are brought in by their wives or girlfriends, because snoring is usually a sign that a patient could possibly have sleep apnea," said Assoc. Prof. Daniel Petkov, head of the ENT clinic at the University Hospital in the coastal city of Bourgas.

The disease should not be underestimated because it can lead to more serious problems.

“Diseases of the cardiovascular system, strokes, heart attacks. In extremely severe forms of sleep apnea, you know these patients usually fall asleep suddenly. This is a very big problem, especially for professional drivers," said Assoc. Prof. Daniel Petkov, head of the ENT clinic at the University Hospital - Bourgas.

Sleep problems can be due to accumulated tension or experienced stress. That is why alternative methods - such as yoga and meditation - are used to treat them.

"In the evening when you go to bed and relax, you should close your eyes and be aware of the breath as it enters and leaves the body through the nostrils. You keep feeling the breath as it comes in and as it goes out. That is the main thing to occupy your mind, because when the mind focuses on something, tensions are spontaneously released," said Lyuba Komitova, a yoga instructor and psychotherapist.

And another tip from the experts - at least an hour before bedtime, do not use mobile devices. They have been proven to prevent the brain from relaxing and falling asleep.