Health experts have raised alarm over the growing impact of sleep deprivation on Nigerians’ well-being and national productivity.
Speaking at the maiden conference of the Nigerian Sleep Society held at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Professor Gregory Erhabor stressed that inadequate sleep has both short- and long-term health risks.
“Insufficient sleep is now linked to heart disease, cognitive decline, depression, and even traffic accidents,” Erhabor said.
He emphasized that sleep—alongside diet and exercise—is a core pillar of good health, warning that less than seven hours of sleep is harmful, while more than nine can be excessive.
Erhabor noted that disorders like obstructive sleep apnoea contribute to strokes, hypertension, and heart attacks.
He urged a shift from reactive to intentional approaches in managing sleep health and called for more sleep research and treatment centers across Nigeria.
Representing the OAU Vice Chancellor, Professor Babatope Kolawole highlighted that sleep disorders cut across all medical fields and affect productivity.
World Sleep Society’s Allan O’Bryan praised the Nigerian Sleep Society’s launch as a vital step for Africa, while neurologist Professor Modupe Komolafe warned that poor sleep, especially in urban areas like Lagos, is hurting public health and quality of life.
The consensus: Nigeria must take sleep seriously—for both health and national development.
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