Roughly two million people suffer from sleeping disorders, but fewer than a quarter of them seek medical treatment and many wrongly fear addiction to sleeping pills, according to a survey made public yesterday by psychiatrists at National Taiwan University Hospital.
"Sleeping disorders are a major health problem. There are estimated to be more than two million sufferers in Taiwan," said deputy director-general of NTU hospital Lin Fang-yu (
NTU hospital conducted a survey to determine the frequency of cases of insomnia. The hospital surveyed 1,018 people over the past year and carried out a clinical study on the illness. It released the results of its research yesterday.
The research also found that less than one quarter of patients who suffered from insomnia sought help from physicians and around 20 percent of patients looked for alternative approaches to deal with their sleep disorder, including drinking alcohol.
"Alcohol will harm the quality of sleep, although it might make you fall asleep quickly," said psychiatrist Lee Yu-chou (李宇宙), appealing to people suffering from insomnia to go and see a doctor.
Lin said that there are many social consequences of insomnia, but clinical research remains in its beginning stages in Taiwan.
An estimated 30 percent of the population suffers various symptoms of insomnia, including difficulties falling asleep, waking up frequently, waking up too early and unsatisfactory sleep. Additionally, 3 percent of the population experience somnolence during the daytime, according to the research.
Despite the prevalence of insomnia, many people feel reluctant to take sleeping pills because of fears, which doctors yesterday said were unfounded, about such medication.
Lee said one of his patients suffered from insomnia for so long that he contemplated suicide, but refused to take drugs because friends had warned him of the consequences of addiction to sleeping pills.
"This is a misconception. Patients should take sleeping pills if they need them," Lin said. "Don't let sleeplessness become a chronic problem."
Many patients' insomnia originates from other diseases affecting the body generally and the nervous system, as well as from mental problems.
"Ninety percent of people with mental disorders will have sleep disorders," Lin said.
Regardless of the origins of insomnia, if the problem occurs three days a week for a month, it's necessary to see a doctor," Lin said.
Sleep problems may cause depression, influence work efficiency, reduce recognition skills and put safety at risk. "Many workers suffering from insomnia have failed to keep their concentration while on duty and have placed public safety at risk," Lin said.
Instances of an MRT driver and an operator of a nuclear power plant falling asleep, threatening public safety, have been reported.
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