How – and why – to tackle sleep deprivation today

How – and why – to tackle sleep deprivation today

11 minute read

Sleep is important. Many people don’t get enough sleep. This isn’t news – you’ve probably been hearing that since you were a baby. However, because this message is so common, many people don’t know why, exactly, sleep is important or how to tell how much sleep you need. Read on to find out how to get the sleep you need – and signs that show when disrupted sleep is a problem that might require professional help.

How much sleep do I need?

The NHS website states that “Most adults need between 6 and 9 hours of sleep every night.” This is a huge variation – potentially, if you’re someone who needs less sleep, you could have an extra three hours a day to binge Netflix, while if you’re at the top end of the scale you may need to adjust your lifestyle to accommodate all those hours of kip. While it might be dispiriting to think that you’ll have to go to bed even earlier, there are many benefits to getting enough sleep.

How do I know how much sleep I need?

One simple way to find out how much sleep you need is to switch off your alarm, wake up naturally when you’re rested, and let yourself get as much sleep as you need. Keep track over a few weeks and see where your body settles once it’s caught up. Of course, if you’ve got kids, a job with a fixed start time, shift work, health issues or other sleep disruptors, waking up naturally may be a pipe dream. In this case, you can still experiment with yourself. The easiest way may be to track when you go to bed when you wake up, plus record when you get tired in the day, and how many caffeine stimulants you use to counteract this feeling. If you’re regularly tired (like many of us) and there’s no obvious, temporary cause (like next door’s building works, or a small baby), try going to bed half an hour earlier for 2 weeks, and record any changes in your mood and tiredness. Eventually, you’ll find your own unique set point.

Why do I need more sleep? I’m tired, but I’m fine

Missing hours of sleep you need is like skipping your main meal – you can do it for a day with minor problems, a week with some noticeable effects but much more than that and your body and mind will start to suffer. Just as each individual needs a tailored number of calories to thrive, each person needs the right amount of sleep. This means that while a 6 hours or a 1,500 calories might be perfect for someone else if it’s not right for you, you’ll struggle. Sleep deprivation is a subtle problem as it affects the brain and the mind – for this reason, you might not notice that, for example, your reactions have slowed, increasing your risk of a car crash, as your brain is busy telling you you’re fine.

8 physical effects of sleep deprivation

According to the NHS website, sleep deprivation...

1. Shortens your life expectancy
2. Increases your risk of obesity
3. Increases your risk of heart disease
4. Increases your risk of diabetes
5. Increases your risk of stroke
6. Increases your risk of accidents at home, at work and on the road
7. Reduces your immunity, increasing your risk from communicable disease
8. Is linked to fertility issues in men and women

This is because sleep impacts almost every system in your body. While research is still ongoing, and we don’t fully understand the functions of sleep, scientists are beginning to understand the causes behind some of the effects mentioned above. For example, sleep affects hormone levels, including leptin and ghrelin, which control appetite. Lack of sleep increases hunger. Sleep also affects the production of other hormones, including testosterone and growth hormones, so chronic sleep deprivation may affect a child’s physical as well as mental development.

Sleep and rest also affect other parts of your body, including the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, central nervous system and immune system. While you sleep, your body restocks its immune response systems, helping you fight off any bugs you might be exposed to during a typical day.

How to fight back against sleep deprivation

Modern life often runs to a strict timetable (work shifts, train times, etc) which is not designed to help us thrive and nourish our bodies. Creating enough space for sleep may seem self-indulgent, but given that it can affect everything from life expectancy to mental health, as well as having benefits for those around us, it’s both essential and a radical form of deep self-care. Getting the sleep you need is a combination of environmental changes and developing sleep supporting habits.

Making time for sleep

Finding the time to sleep is probably the biggest hurdle many of us face. Whether it’s a late-night work email that needs an urgent reply, nagging household chores or simply a need for a bit of ‘me time’, there are many reasons we go to bed later than we should.

1. Know your own needs – understanding how much sleep you need to thrive lets you make a clear choice at bedtime.

2. Set your own bedtime – others in your household may need more or less sleep than you do.

3. Figure out if you’re an owl or a lark – if you cherish those late hours, can you rearrange your life to sleep later? Or if you love dawn, can you go to bed early?

4. Set boundaries at work – being ‘always on’ is a quick way to erode your sleep.

5. Tackle other sleep problems and disruptions – if a child, a pet or another member of your household is waking you up regularly, solving their sleep issues can give you many more hours of rest.

6. Do the math – you can’t get 8 hours of sleep between midnight and 6 am. If you know when you need to get up, you can figure out when you need to be asleep, which means you know when you need to start your bedtime routine.

Getting ready for sleep

Parenting books stress how important a regular routine is to help babies and kids learn to spot when it’s time to rest, to lean into that and then fall asleep quickly and calmly. Somehow, as adults, we forget all these good lessons and expect that we’ll be able to drop off just a few seconds after sending that final work email or switching off Netflix. However, a bedtime routine is just as valuable for adults as kids as it helps the brain transition to sleep mode.

1. Expand your bedtime routine – many people have a regular before-bed routine, which goes something like toilet, brush teeth, PJs, bed. Give yourself more time to transition by adding other pleasant elements, such as an indulgent face cream, a hot drink, time to read, a warm bath or shower, or a few yoga stretches.

2. Drift off to soothing sounds – gentle music, a guided meditation, hypnosis or a familiar audiobook can help you fall asleep.

3. Do a brain dump – start your bedtime routine by writing down anything at all that’s cluttering your mind, from a big work problem to the sink needing cleaning. Journaling, sketching or doodling can also help.

4. Set an end time for screen time – give your brain some space to switch off before bed by turning off screens half an hour or more before you want to fall asleep.

5. Let tech do the hard work – set your phone to dim at a certain time, put your TV on a cut-off timer or get Alexa or Siri to tell you to go to bed.

Making space for sleep

Creating a suitable sleep space can seem like an unnecessary effort but these small changes can have a big impact. As an extra benefit, environmental changes are easy to maintain as they don’t rely on habit or willpower. Why not choose one or two of these ideas to see if they help your sleep.

1. Go dim and dark – consider switching light bulbs to dimmer ones, setting an automated dimmer, removing excess light sources (such as blinking devices) or getting black-out curtain linings.

2. Keep screens out of the bedroom – move the TV, put your phone charger somewhere else.

3. Upgrade bedding – if your mattress, pillow, or coverings bothers you, change them.

4. Keep it quiet – curtain linings and window treatments can help reduce outside noise. A white noise machine or pleasant music can help disguise traffic and other noise.

5. Get comfortable – for many people, an additional pillow between the knees or ankles can help reduce pain in the hips, legs, or back. The right pillow under your head can also help with neck and shoulder pain.

6. Decide whether or not to share – sharing a bed or bedroom with a loved one or pet may help you sleep or disrupt it. If you do share a room, you may find having your own bed or your own bedding can help improve sleep.

7. Keep it cool – it’s typically easier to fall asleep if your sleeping space is a few degrees cooler than your living area. Around 17-19C is often recommended. If you’re too hot or cold under your bedding, you may struggle to sleep.

Healthy habits to help with sleep deprivation

Decision making uses willpower, which diminishes over the course of the day. A sleep-supporting habit or a decision you can make early in the day can have a big effect on your sleep.

1. Cut out caffeine and other stimulants – whether you switch to decaf all day, have your last cup of coffee as you shut down your computer or set a 4 pm cut off, a break can improve sleep.

2. Boost your magnesium – magnesium contributes to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, so make sure you’re getting enough. A daily supplement may be the easiest way to do this.

3. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement – while magnesium is a key player, other vitamins and minerals also contribute to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue, including iron, vitamin C and several B vitamins (B2, B3, B6, B9 and B12).

4. Try natural, traditional or alternative remedies – while some people swear by acupuncture or hypnotherapy, there are other remedies you can take in capsule form. 5-HTP, an amino acid used in serotonin production, is often recommended.

5. Get some exercise – even a 20-minute walk early in the day can help you sleep better at night. Vigorous exercise tends to create wakefulness, so give yourself a chance to wind down before bed.

6. A light boost – electric light can disrupt our circadian rhythms, making it harder to get to sleep and harder to wake up. If it’s dark in the morning, a high lumen light can help remind your brain that it’s morning, which also makes it easier to fall asleep hours later.

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Signs you need more help

Not all sleep problems can be solved with a hot drink and a new pillow. If you have concerns about your sleep, or that of someone in your household, discuss them with your doctor. As well as being able to help you make an individual sleep plan, your doctor can recommend over-the-counter or prescription medications which can be used as a short term solution to certain sleeping issues. If you are suffering due to your sleep deprivation, feel that it puts you or someone else at risk (e.g. you are too tired to drive or work safely), have been dealing with problems sleeping or insomnia for more than 4 weeks, or feel that your sleep is affecting your physical or mental health, consult your doctor.

Better sleep is worth the effort

With impacts on everything from mood and mental health through performance at work to your risk of stroke, heart disease and car accidents, good sleep is a foundation for a long, enjoyable life. By choosing a few simple steps to take today, you’re giving yourself – and your loved ones – the gift of a brighter, happier tomorrow.

 

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