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Balm of hurt minds

The Greek physician Hippocrates, regarded as the father of Western medicine, paid tribute to the important function of sleep, and his medical treatises, written three centuries before the birth of Christ, regard immoderate sleep as one of the reasons for lack of well being.

The findings of a private survey commissioned by a mattress company that say half of UAE residents have trouble sleeping are a cause of great concern but not exactly a surprise. Stress and a poor diet are two of the major reasons for people losing sleep, besides the temperature. However, while the climatic conditions of the desert can’t be helped, the others can be. Doctors have time and again stressed that UAE residents, despite the hard summer with its torrid heat and high humidity, need to undertake physical exertions daily in the form of exercises, that can be as simple as a brisk walk. The UAE is one of the safest places in the world and at the end of the day, when the sun has set and work is over, residents need to muster that little bit of energy to take a walk or any other form of exercise, which would also work as a great stress buster. A judicious diet, leaning towards vegetarian food and regular water intakes instead of downing aerated drinks, would also do wonders, both for physical and mental health, and pave the way for sounder sleep.