The Círculo Ecuestre received Dr. Antoni Esteve, doctor of Pharmacy and founder and researcher of AdSalutem - Sleep Institute, within the framework of a colloquium held on November 13. The event was presented by Luis Badrinas, member of the Governing Board of the Círculo Ecuestre, and moderated by the journalist and director of analysis and global development of ISGlobal, Rafael Vilasanjuan.
The speaker began his presentation by informing attendees about the importance of sleep in the development of the human being. During a presentation, the expert stressed the “importance of having a restful sleep to take care of the good condition of the brain and so that the body can correctly develop all its functions”: “At the time of deep sleep, the organs in which There may be defects, we protect ourselves from bacteria and viruses and prevent there from being an imbalance in functional growth,” he explained. Within the framework of his introduction, the doctor also detailed aspects such as structural and functional plasticity, whose ability gives the brain to change and adapt to experiences and the environment and repair itself and which is only possible if there is a correct sleep procedure. “When there is sleep deprivation we expose ourselves to neurodegenerative diseases,” warned Antoni Esteve.
The moderator of the event began the discussion by asking the speaker about the role of Adsalutem – Sleep Institute, which leads the same, to which Dr. Esteve explained that the institute originated with the objective of “promoting, disseminating and incorporating policies to raise awareness about the importance of sleep.” “Sleep is a factor of vitality. Which allows our body to respond satisfactorily to what I intend to do. Lack of sleep can trigger disorders that seriously affect our health,” he explained, and then recommended to attendees a sleep routine of between seven and nine hours.
Asked by the journalist, the expert regretted that sleep still does not have the weight it deserves in medical practice: “We work with universities and we have created the sleep chair at the Hospital Clínic, among other initiatives, with the aim of having an impact for that people take sleep seriously and it becomes part of everyone's medical agenda."
Given this, he stressed that "we must achieve a good sleep rhythm at a social level, since otherwise we will find ourselves with an aging society that will not be able to cope with the cases of neurodegenerative diseases." “We have to try to extend our youth, instead of prolonging our aging,” he stated.
After recommending habits such as naps, showers before sleeping or monitoring the amount of food we consume before going to bed, Dr. Esteve resolved one of the most repeated doubts among the public: the relationship between sleep and cure of diseases. The sleep quality expert determined that “doctors must take care of their patients' rest, since it is a determining element.” “Sleep by itself is not curative, but it can be decisive for a cancer patient to improve their quality of life and, therefore, have a greater response capacity when it comes to healing,” he said, based on scientific knowledge.
The speaker concluded his intervention at the Círculo Ecuestre by demanding a change in medical procedure with which doctors stop resorting in the first instance to medication for insomnia and take into account sleep professionals.
