008 - Sleep Challenges in the LGBTQ Community with Suresh Ramdas

#8: Sleep Challenges in the LGBTQ Community

 

Suresh Ramdas works as an LGBTQ+ advocate for inclusion in the corporate space. As an out gay man, he is also the winner of Mr. Gay India 2019. With 14+ years of total experience in Customer Support and in the space of Diversity & Inclusion, he is also the co-Founder of “Working With Pride” (WWP) group. After completing the LGBTQ Executive Leadership Program from Stanford University and being a certified Diversity Professional and certified NLP Practitioner, he co-facilitated a leadership program called Leading With Pride (LWP) for the LGBTQ+ community people that helps to build leaders for tomorrow. He is featured as 2019's OUTstanding 50 LGBT+ Future Leader.  We are talking with Suresh about his deeply personal story of coming out as a gay, and sleep challenges within the LGBTQ community. This episode is also great for you if you want to break the barriers of beliefs and truly embrace every single person out there, in that true direction of inclusivity. We are so excited to have him with us today. 

We are talking with Suresh about sleep challenges in the LGBTQ Community. Research has found that individuals with a different sexual orientation than heterosexuals have major impact on sleep and much higher risk for sleep challenges. Listen to this episode to really understand how sexuality can impact so much in your life. If you take acceptance for granted, take a listen. 

In this episode, we dive into: 

“Sleep Challenges in the LGBTQ Community”

• Suresh’s story journey of coming out and embracing being a gay. 
• Discrimination, stigma, rejection and bullying are common experiences in the LGBTQ community. These are all common challenges that affect sleep. Stress can impact someone deeply. Did Suresh go through any really challenging times where he felt ostracised or rejected?
• Challenges with sleep in the LGBTQ community includes difficulty falling asleep several times a week, staying asleep through the night and short sleep usually no more than six hours. All of this falls under insomnia. What did Suresh struggle with?
• A study found that the LGBTQ community had a higher tendency to take medication to fall asleep. Is this true?
• Let’s talk about anxiety, depression and mental illness. Clearly, while many things have changed socially, we might still be far away from where we would like to be. What has Suresh observed regarding anxiety and depression and how do individuals cope? Are there systems set up as part of a support group which addresses things like poor sleep and mental illness?
• A major trigger for stress, anxiety and sleep issues among the LGBTQ community seems to the stress at home. What are some of the challenges faced at home for someone beginning with just understanding their sexual orientation and right up to when they can move away or be accepted at home? Does it feel safe?
• While the risks of sleep disorder and interlinked stress and anxiety is high among LGBTQ, supporting better sleep still goes back to developing good sleep hygiene, healthy habits, reducing stress, limiting screen time, having a space that feels safe and creating a strong support system. Yet, I can understand how some of this takes a back seat, when someone is dealing with so much. How do individuals try to support their health, sleep and stress reduction in the LGBTQ community?
• What is one practice that supports coping with stress and improving sleep, and how do you ensure that it stays a priority?

For more on Suresh Ramdas, you can follow him:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suresh.ramdas

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suresh_r81/

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