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Factual: Health & Wellbeing

A series of programmes looking at health issues

Medical Matters: Sleepless in Scotland

Sleepless in Scotland

27/10/2013

BBC Radio Scotland - Medical Matters, Sleepless in Scotland

Vic Galloway explores what is stopping Scots from getting a good night's sleep.

...Scotland. From the temptations of a 24-hour society to the light from a computer screen, Vic Galloway explores what stops Scots getting a good night's sleep.

On the day that the clocks go back and the nation snuggles down to an extra hour in bed, Vic Galloway explores what's stopping one in five Scots from getting a good night's sleep.

Presenting his Radio Scotland music show, often involves late nights at gigs for Vic and he's worried that he may have to pay the health consequences for burning the candle at both ends. During the programme he embarks on a 2 week experiment, monitoring his sleep to discover whether he has a problem and what he ought to do about it. He ponders on how the temptations of our 24-hour society, in particular the internet, can make it difficult to switch off - literally and mentally. Vic meets mother and daughter, Laura and Fiona, who argue constantly about Laura's late nights online; and gaming addict, Scott, who suffers from post traumatic stress and uses the internet as a distraction from sleep and the night terrors it brings.

Colin Espie, Professor of Behavioural Sleep Medicine at Oxford University, reveals that sleep has more impact than was previously thought on both our mental and physical health, with poor sleep now being closely associated with conditions like depression, diabetes and heart disease. Whilst Nicola Morgan, author of the self-help book for teenagers 'Blame My Brain', suggests why it's a good idea to keep your phone or your computer outside the bedroom.

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