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Once body’s circadian rhythm is messed up, it starts impacting your physiological health as well. So much so that over the years, it can easily lead to neurodegenerative issues.
Many assume that sleep quality and quantity naturally decline with age. However, doctors point to a more modern culprit. Image: Canva
It had been a week since 65-year-old Malathi Rao suffered a heart attack. She had recovered well. A stent had been placed in her heart after doctors discovered a 94% blockage in one of her arteries. The retired school teacher was now far more at ease compared to the day she was rushed to the hospital by her daughter, struggling with sudden, intense chest pain.
As she prepared for discharge, her physician decided to take a deeper look into what may have triggered the sudden decline in her health.
“I eat home-cooked meals. I don’t like outside food. I have led a fairly disciplined life. I never miss my morning walk at Lalbagh. I even make and eat evening snacks like Kodbale, Nippattu and Chakli with filter coffee myself. What else can I change in my lifestyle, doctor?” she asked.
After a brief pause, the doctor asked a question that caught both Malathi Rao and her daughter off guard: How many hours of continuous sleep, especially deep sleep, do you get in a day?
Her answer revealed a pattern that doctors across specialties are increasingly noticing. Without much delay, she was referred to a sleep clinic for a detailed evaluation and treatment. Though Malathi Rao felt the referral was unnecessary, she chose not to question the doctor.
A Visit That Changed Everything
She made her way to the OPD and, for the first time in her life, consulted a sleep specialist. That one consultation began to change everything she thought she knew about her health, especially her sleep habits.
Discontinuous sleep is a very serious issue in the long run, explains Dr Ravi Chandra MRK, sleep medicine expert at Narayana Health, Bengaluru, speaking to News18.
“Once your body’s circadian rhythm is messed up, it starts impacting your physiological health as well. So much so that over the years, such individuals can easily develop neurodegenerative issues like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and such.”
The Science Behind Poor Sleep
A study published in Biomedical Research Bulletin titled ‘Sleep, Glymphatic Flow, and Proteostasis: Linking Sleep Physiology to Neurodegenerative Risk’ highlights these risks in detail. According to the findings, poor sleep quality and short sleep duration reduce efficiency of glymphatic system.
Glymphatic clearance is the brain’s nightly cleaning process, where deep sleep flushes out toxins and waste that build up during the day. This leads to protein aggregation, cellular damage and eventual death of neurons. In contrast, restorative sleep supports effective waste removal and protects neural function.
Dr Ravi Chandra further explains that deep, continuous sleep allows muscles to rest and helps the brain wake up refreshed. The glymphatic system, which plays a key role in detoxifying the brain, functions optimally only during deep sleep.
When toxins accumulate in the brain, proteins in neurons become sticky, causing them to clump together and eventually die. This can increase the risk of a stroke and, over time, may also contribute to conditions like Parkinson’s disease.
How Patients End Up at Sleep Clinics
“Out of all the patients that I see with sleep issues, about 10% do their research and come to get treated. All others end up via other departments. Most of them are either patients with heart issues who are referred by their cardiologists or stroke patients referred by their neurologists. The root cause is sleep and it definitely needs serious intervention,” said Dr Ravi Chandra.
While most patients visiting sleep clinics fall in the 25 to 45 age group, doctors are seeing a growing number of elderly patients as well. Many assume that sleep quality and quantity naturally decline with age. However, doctors point to a more modern culprit.
The Smartphone Effect on Sleep
Smartphone usage is increasingly disrupting sleep patterns among older adults. When they struggle to fall asleep and remain awake in the early hours, many turn to their phones. What begins with sending good morning messages, watching pravachan videos or scrolling through home remedy reels often turns into prolonged screen time.
This habit gradually alters the body’s sleep cycle, reducing both sleep quality and duration. Over time, the same harmful cycle repeats, increasing the risk of serious health complications.
Resetting the Body Clock
The most effective way to address these issues is to consult a sleep clinic and reset the body’s circadian rhythm. For those struggling to fall asleep over several days, reducing device usage is a crucial first step. Experts say there is no clear evidence that blue light filters can fully prevent the harmful effects of screen exposure.
“So you have to get up from your bed, go to another room and do a non-stimulating activity,” says Dr Ravi Chandra.
Activities like knitting, reading or chanting prayers can help the mind relax gradually. Once sleepiness sets in, one can return to bed and fall asleep more naturally.
Lifestyle Changes That Matter
Avoiding caffeine in the evening is another important step for those trying to improve sleep. People with insomnia are also advised against late-night workouts.
“We generally tell them to finish their workout sessions by 3:30–4 pm. Because these hyper physical activities induce endorphin secretion and make the brain active. And putting an active brain to sleep with existing issues is much harder,” the doctor explained.
Sometimes, the answers to major health problems lie not in what we eat or how much we exercise, but in something far more basic, and often ignored like how well we sleep.
March 17, 2026, 17:29 IST
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