‘Sleep deprivation during World Cup cause of ill health’

PETALING JAYA: The Fifa World Cup comes only once in four years, but during its duration, it can cause serious health problems among football fans.
A senior health consultant, Datuk Dr Kuljit Singh, said one of the top health concerns would be sleep deprivation as the games would be played during time of deep sleep.
"Sleep deprivation will contribute to ill health in general as the sleep debt will never be fulfilled. The series of games will be on-going daily thus the effect of sleep debt can be disastrous for some. Lack of sleep leads to other causes of bad health such as depression, anxiety and altered behaviour patterns," he said.
Dr Kuljit, an ENT specialist and who has a special interest in sleep apnea, said the increased level of cortisol, a chemical that is produced to maintain the daily function of our body, in our blood stream during the emotional roller-coaster ride during the football games, can greatly effect blood pressure and sugar levels in our body, which could result in hypertension and diabetes.
"In some cases, there were reports of football fans suffering from heart attacks due to the excitement watching the games, he added.
To overcome health issues, Dr Kuljit advised fans not be carried away with the football fever.
"Plan your schedule so that you have enough of rest before and after the game and watch your diet," he said.