BEIJING, March 19 (Xinhua) -- About 60 percent of adult Beijingers have suffered sleep disorders in the past 12 months, according to a recent survey.

    Beijingers seem to suffer more sleeping problems, probably as aresult of high pressure in a fast-paced society, according to the survey, which was conducted also in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Chengdu and Hangzhou, the Beijing-based Star Daily reported Sunday.

    Most of the insomniacs said they have sleep disorders because they are stressed out at work or in life. While some people have difficulties in getting off to sleep altogether, others complain their sleeping sessions are too short and they often have trouble falling asleep again in the middle of the night.

    In some cases, sleeping disorders escalate into anxiety, depression, joint pains, weight gains and high blood pressure, the metropolitan newspaper quoted Prof. Li Shunwei, a neuroscientist with the Beijing Union Hospital, as saying.

    Prof. Li announced the result of the survey Saturday, ahead of the World Day of Sleep that is to fall on March 21.

    In fact, insomnia is found in 75 percent of depression patients, according to a separate survey, conducted by Prof. Fan Dongsheng with the No. 3 Hospital affiliated to Beijing University's Medical School among doctors in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

    Both surveys found at least 70 percent of the insomniacs chose self-medication instead of seeing a doctor for their problems. Enditem