Doctors and medical experts warned expats and Filipinos in the UAE to be mindful of their resting patterns, noting that even in sleep, too much can also pose dangers.
In The Filipino Times’ live streaming on Facebook titled “TFT Usapang OFW: Alagang Pangkalusugan sa panahon ng COVID-19”, doctors reminded UAE-based OFWs to make sure they get at least seven to nine hours of sleep only, and that anything more than that is not recommended by the medical community.
Dr. Arlene Adarne Dagondon, a General Practitioner at NMC Deira, said that too much sleep can increase the risk of having diseases and even death.
“Mas gusto natin na kapag weekends ay mag-extend ng tulog ‘di ba, acceptable naman matulog hanggang nine hours but more than that, based on studies, hindi daw maganda,” she said.
According to a new study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, oversleeping could increase the chances of developing diabetes.
Meanwhile, a study by Chinese researchers published on Neurology journal suggested that too much sleep can increase the risk of getting stroke by 85 percent; while a research released on European Heart Journal also learned that those who slept over six hours during daytime will have higher chances of getting heart disease.
Dagondon added that even if you try to sleep more on weekends, it will still catch up with you on Saturday night when you find it difficult to sleep, which will then lead you to not get enough sleep when you go to work on Sunday.
“Ganoon din, ang mga cells natin hindi din makaka-recover. So mas maganda na ang seven hours ma-maintain mo pa din,” she noted, advising Filipinos to instead maintain your body clock even on weekends. ‘Yong tamang paggising mo dapat pare-pareho para ‘di din massira ang body clock. Mas healthy tayo sa ganoong paraan.”
Dr. Aileen Villanueva General Practitioner in Mediclinic Abu Dhabi and The Filipino Times Awards 2018 Healthcare Professional of the Year, meanwhile, said that it is important for adults to get quality and uninterrupted sleep to ensure proper rest.
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“Sa age natin, at least seven hours na quality sleep. Kung nine hours nga tulog mo pero pagising gising ka, hindi ‘yon quality sleep. At least seven hours na tuloy tuloy na sleep mas okay para may maganda tayong pag-iisip paggising natin at mas maging productive pa tayo,” she said.
Villanueva also reiterated the importance of exercising to boost immunity, and that one should make time for it instead of oversleeping to get your healthy dose of rest.
“Kapag weekend, dapat gawan mo ng time ang exercise. Mas masarap sa weekend kapag nagawa mo lahat ng mga extra-curricular activities mo, hindi lang pagtulog,” she added.
“TFT Usapang OFW: Alagang Pangkalusugan sa panahon ng COVID-19”, held on August 7, aimed to help Filipinos make more informed decisions about their health and be more knowledgeable about the changes and improvements in the UAE’s healthcare industry.
WATCH THE ENTIRE SESSION HERE:
