English abstract
Although the exact number of hours spent sleeping may across our lifespan, adults require on average between six to eight hours of sleep per day. While the true purpose of sleep is not yet fully understood, it appears to serve many imp-ortant functions, including energy restoration, revital-isation, self repair and growth; furthermore, research suggests that sleep plays a role in brain plasticity by promoting synapse formation and maintenance. Sleep deprivation occurs when sleep cannot support adeq-uate alertness, performance and health, either as a result of sleep of insufficient quantity (i.e. duration) and/or quality (i.e. depth). Poor sleep hygiene—which refers to habits and practices that are unconducive to sleeping well on a regular basis—is usually the cause of insufficient sleep duration, while sleeping disorders such as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and obstr-uctive sleep apnoea (OSA) can result in poor-quality sleep. There is a need for similar studies confirming the actual magnitude of the problem of sleepy driving in Oman using objective tools. The med-ical community should initiate nationwide campaigns advocating healthy sleep habits and raising public awareness of the numerous risks associated with sleep deprivation, both at the individual as well as societal levels. It is high time that sleep medicine professionals join hands with law enforcement authorities and non-governmental organisations in Oman to create a common platform and work on preventing and dealing with the critical health-related and socioeconomic consequences of sleep deprivation, especially on the roads.
