With more than 40 percent of Chinese people suffering from some form of sleep disorder, health experts urged greater public attention to sleep health Thursday, as Friday is World Day of Sleep.

A doctor teaches a group of pupils how to sleep with proper position during an education activity on sleep in a primary school in Xuchang of central China's Henan Province March 20, 2008 to welcome the World Day of Sleep on Friday. [Xinhua]

Of the 94 kinds of disorders discovered, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) - characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep - is the most dangerous, Huang Xizhen, chief physician of sleeping and breathing related diseases at the Peking Union Hospital, said.

The disorder currently affects more than 50 million Chinese people, she said.

It can lead to excessive daytime sleepiness, personality changes, decreased memory, erectile dysfunction and depression, she said.

"It's indeed a serious disease, harming people's health and diminishing their quality of life," Han Fang, an expert with the sleep center of People's Hospital of Peking University, said.

"However, many people don't take it seriously, at present. On average, we receive 2,000 patients with various conditions per year," Han added, explaining that more than 80 percent of them are seriously troubled by OSA.

"Most of them are transferred by other medical departments to our center - usually in serious condition - rather than turning to us on their own in an early stage," he said.

Preschool children participate in a quilt-folding competition during an education activity on sleep in a primary school in Xuchang of central China's Henan Province March 20, 2008 to welcome the World Day of Sleep on Friday. [Xinhua]

OSA can be cured with treatments such as the use of assisted-breathing machines and, when necessary, surgery, he said.

Currently, there are more than 600 sleep centers across the country, Han said. Surgery treating OSA costs about 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) and is covered by health insurance plans in big cites.

"Therefore, the economic concern is not the key issue," Han said. "The main issue is raising public awareness about sleep health."

After OSA, insomnia and snoring are the top sleep health problems. Insomnia affects 300 million Chinese, while snoring is a problem for 200 million, according to the Ministry of Health.

Stress, nervousness, irregular working schedules, obesity and unhealthy living habits are the primary causes, Han with People's Hospital said.

Patients should see doctors rather than just taking sleeping pills, which can cause other health problems, he added. Han explained that getting seven hours of good sleep is best, because getting not enough or too much is unhealthy.

(China Daily March 21, 2008)