We don’t usually need to think very much about our sleep - it’s just a part of life that we take for granted. When we can’t sleep, though, it can be a real problem. In fact, most of us will find it hard to sleep at some point in our lives. We have a word for it - insomnia. It’s often just for a short time, perhaps when we’re worried or excited. After a few days, things settle down and we get back to sleeping normally. However, we need sleep to keep our minds and bodies healthy. If we carry on sleeping badly, we start to notice the effects.
What is sleep?
Sleep is the regular period in every 24 hours when we are unconscious and unaware of our surroundings.
There are two main types of sleep:
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. It comes and goes throughout the night, and makes up about one fifth of our sleep time. During REM sleep, our brain is very active, our muscles are very relaxed, our eyes move quickly from side to side and we dream.
Non-REM sleep. The brain is quiet, but the body may move around. Hormones are released into the bloodstream and our body repairs itself after the wear and tear of the day.
There are 4 stages of non-REM sleep:
Pre-sleep - the muscles relax, the heart beats slower and body temperature falls.
Light sleep - we can still be woken easily without feeling confused.
Slow wave sleep - our blood pressure falls, we may talk in our sleep or sleep walk.
Deep Slow wave sleep - we become very hard to wake. If we are woken, we feel confused.
We move between REM and non-REM sleep about five times throughout the night, dreaming more as we get toward the morning. During a normal night, we will also have short periods of waking. These last 1 or 2 minutes and happen every 2 hours or so. We aren’t usually aware of them. We are more likely to remember them if we feel anxious or there is something else going on - noises outside, our partner snoring etc.
How much sleep do we need?
This depends mainly on how old we are. Babies sleep for about 17 hours each day. Older children only need 9 or 10 hours a night. Most adults need around 7-8 hours sleep each night. Older people need the same amount of sleep, but will often only have one period of deep sleep during the night, usually in the first 3 or 4 hours, after which they wake more easily. We also tend to dream less as we get older. There are also differences between people of the same age. Most of us need 7-8 hours a night, but some (a few) people can get by with only 3 hours a night. It’s not helpful to regularly sleep more than 7-8 hours each night. The short periods of being awake feel much longer than they really are. So it’s easy to feel that we are not sleeping as much as we actually are.
What if I don’t sleep?
It’s easy to worry when you can’t sleep. The occasional night without sleep will make you feel tired the next day, but it won’t harm your physical or mental health. However, after several sleepless nights, you will start to find that:
- You are tired all the time you drop off during the day
- You find it difficult to concentrate
- You find it hard to make decisions
- You start to feel depressed.
This can be very dangerous if you are driving or operating heavy machinery. Many deaths are caused each year by people falling asleep at the wheel while driving. Lack of sleep may also make us more vulnerable to high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes.
Sleep problems in adult life
Sleeping too little (Insomnia) You may feel that you aren’t getting enough sleep or that, even if you do get the hours, you don’t get a good night’s rest. There are many everyday reasons for not sleeping well:
- The bedroom may be too noisy, too hot or too cold
- The bed may be uncomfortable or too small
- Your partner may have a different pattern of sleep from yourself
- You may not have a regular routine, or may not be getting enough exercise
- Eating too much before bedtime can make it difficult to go to sleep.
- Going to bed hungry can make you wake too early.
- Cigarettes, alcohol and drinks containing caffeine, such as tea and coffee
How to solve common sleep problems
Do...
Make sure that your bed and bedroom are comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, not too noisy.
Make sure that your mattress supports you properly. It should not be so firm that your hips and shoulders are under pressure or so soft that your body sags. Generally, you should replace your mattress every 10 years to get the best support and comfort.
Get some exercise. Don’t overdo it, but try some regular swimming or walking. The best time to exercise is in the daytime - particularly late afternoon or early evening. Exercising later than this may disturb your sleep.
Take some time to relax properly before going to bed.
If something is troubling you, and there is nothing you can do about it right away, try writing it down before going to bed and then tell yourself to deal with it tomorrow.
If you can’t sleep, get up and do something you find relaxing. Read, watch television or listen to quiet music. After a while you should feel tired enough to go to bed again.
Don’t...
Don’t go without sleep for a long time - go to bed when you are tired and stick to a routine of getting up at the same time every day, whether you still feel tired or not.
Caffeine hangs around in your body for many hours after your last drink of tea or coffee. Stop drinking tea or coffee by mid-afternoon. If you want a hot drink in the evening, try something milky or herbal (but check there’s no caffeine in it).
Don’t drink a lot of alcohol. It may help you fall asleep, but you will almost certainly wake up during the night.
Don’t eat or drink alot late at night. Try to have your supper early in the evening rather than late. If you’ve had a bad night, don’t sleep in the next day - it will make it harder to get off to sleep the following night.
If you try these tips and you still can’t sleep, go and see your doctor. You can talk over any problems that may be stopping you from sleeping. Your doctor can make sure that your sleeplessness is not being caused by a physical illness, a prescribed medicine, or emotional problems.
Other problems with sleeping
At some point in their life, about 1 in 20 adults have night terrors, and 1 in 100 report that they sleep-walk. Both these conditions are more common in children.
Sleepwalking
If you sleepwalk, you will appear (to other people) to wake from a deep sleep. You will then get up and do things. These may be quite complicated, like walking around or going up and down stairs. This can land you in embarrassing (and occasionally dangerous) situations. Unless someone else wakes you up, you will remember nothing about it the next day. Sleepwalking may sometimes happen after a night terror.
A sleepwalker should be guided gently back to bed and should not be woken up. It may be necessary to take precautions to protect them or others from injury. You may need to lock doors and windows, or lock away sharp objects, like knives and tools. Night terrors can occur on their own, without leading to sleepwalking. Like a sleepwalker, a person with night terrors will appear to wake suddenly from a deep sleep. They look half-awake and very frightened, but will usually settle back down to sleep without waking up completely. All you can do is sit with them until they fall asleep again. Night terrors are different from vivid dreams or nightmares as people don’t seem to remember anything about them the next morning.
Nightmares
Most of us have had frightening dreams or nightmares. They usually happen during the later part of the night, when we have our most vivid and memorable dreams. They do not normally cause problems unless they happen regularly, usually because of an emotional upset. Nightmares often follow a distressing or life-threatening event, such as a death, a disaster, an accident or a violent attack. Counselling may be helpful.
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)
You feel you have to move your legs (but also, sometimes, other parts of the body).You may have uncomfortable painful or burning feelings in your legs. These feelings only bother you when you are resting. They are generally worse at night. They are relieved by movement, such as walking or stretching, for as long as you carry on doing it. You may not be able to sit still in the daytime, making it difficult to work, and may be unable to sleep properly. Sufferers usually first seek help in middle age, although they may have had symptoms since childhood. It seems to run in families. RLS usually occurs on its own. It can occasionally be caused by a physical illness, such as iron and vitamin deficiencies, diabetes or kidney problems. It can also happen in pregnancy. If it is not caused by another physical illness, treatment depends on how bad it is.
Autism
Some people with autism do not seem to realise that night time is for sleeping, and may be up and about when everyone else wants to sleep. This will usually need the help of a specialist.
Having trouble sleeping?
Here are some tips compiled by the experts to help you get a better night’s sleep.
Calm Down Before Bed
Try to unwind and eliminate stress before going to bed. Create a bedtime routine that makes you comfortable. If you’re concerned about a big day tomorrow, keep a pad and pencil by your bed and make yourself a to-do list. This will put your mind at ease and allow you to sleep better. Try a warm bath or calm music. If you’re lucky, get a massage from a friend!
Caffeine
Caffeine is a known stimulant and the last thing you want when you’re trying to sleep. It can be found in coffee, teas, sodas, chocolate and certain medications, including nasal sprays. Be aware of your caffeine intake and limit it to the early hours if you must have it at all.
Mattress
Since you will spend 1/3 of your life in your bed, a quality mattress and foundation are the most cost-effective purchases you can make. Studies have shown that an mattress and foundation create the least tension, strain and muscle fatigue on the lower back, therefore giving you a better night’s sleep and allowing you to wake up refreshed and feeling great.
Television
Eliminate violent or emotionally stimulating shows late in the evening. If you really want to watch them, tape them and watch them the next morning as you prepare for your day.
Sleep Position
Try and avoid sleeping on your stomach, as that position forces your back’s natural 'S' curve into an unnatural arch. If you sleep on your back, a pillow under the knees will help maintain your proper spinal curve. The most natural position is the one you learned before you were born, the foetal (side) position.
