Chances are, if you are reading this, that you tend to get rudely woken by the alarm in the morning, wishing you had another few minutes to snuggle back under the duvet. But what if every day is a struggle to get out of bed and you feel like you have to drag yourself through the day?
Studies into exactly what happens during sleep are showing us that sleep is crucial to promoting good health and bodily function. We know that sleep is essential in helping us maintain good moods, memory and thought processes. We have also learnt that sleep plays a huge role in the normal function of our endocrine and immune systems – that is the systems involved in controlling our hormones and our health.
During sleep your body works to repair itself, flushing out the toxins that are accumulated throughout the day. If you do not get the sleep that your body needs to repair itself, you become, what is known as, sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation is massively taxing on your body as it hasn’t been able to fully repair itself. Your sleep deprived body will strive and struggle to function effectively during waking hours, leaving you tired and unable to focus on basic tasks.
The loss of just one hour of sleep over the course of several days can have a powerful negative effect on your daytime performance. How often have you felt a bit ‘huffy’ and struggled to concentrate in the day? (*counts on fingers, realising there aren’t enough..*) Perhaps you have said “I’m tired today” or “I didn’t sleep very well last night” The truth is that many people report having sleep problems, however fewer than 20% ever talk about it with a health professional - it’s just accepted as normal adult life, when it really shouldn’t be!
So are you sleep deprived?
There are a couple of different terms when it comes to describing lack of sleep:
Acute sleep deprivation - A short period, typically a few days or less, when you experience a significant reduction in your sleep time – this could be, for example, in the run up to an important event or deadline. You might be staying up late to complete tasks, therefore not allowing time for sufficient sleep.
Chronic sleep deprivation - A limited sleep that persists for three months or longer, for example, if you are regularly getting less than the recommended 7-8 hours per night due to broken sleep. This condition can contribute to a wide range of health problems.
You might be sleep deficient if you often feel like you could nod off while:
· Reading or watching TV
· Sitting still in a public place, such as in a meeting or when watching a movie
· Sitting quietly after lunch
· Sitting in traffic for a few minutes
If this sounds like you, it is important to note that sleep deficiency can also cause problems with:
· Learning and focusing
· Decision making, solving problems and remembering things
· Managing your emotions, behaviour and coping with change
You may also take longer to finish tasks, have a slower reaction time, and make more mistakes. These things alone can be incredibly frustrating, leading to stress and worry and so you enter a vicious cycle of sleep problems.
Yes, all of the above! – what can I do?
If this sounds like you, perhaps you could benefit from having a look at your sleep habits. The most important is to make sure that you give yourself enough time to sleep. Start with what time you need to be up in the morning and count 7 or 8 hours back from that.
To improve your sleep habits, have a think about some of the following points:
Are you going to bed at the same time every day? – a regular sleep schedule gets your body into a rhythm, so it expects sleep at a certain time.
Do you use the hour before bed for quiet time? - Get your body prepared for sleep during this time, so it comes to learn that this is part of your wind-down routine.
What time do you eat your last meal of the day? Try to avoid heavy or large meals within a few hours of bedtime.
Are you putting stimulants in your body close to bedtime? For example caffeinated fizzy drinks, coffee, tea, and chocolate – all of these make it less likely that you'll drop off to sleep quickly.
Are you physically active? Even if you’re not, try to spend time outside every day when possible.
Is your bedroom quiet, cool, and dark? Consider making adjustments as these are the ideal conditions for sleep.
You don’t have to make all these changes at once, try one of two for a couple of nights before adding in more. If you’d like an extra boost of sleep power, you could also try having a hot bath or using relaxation techniques before bed.
There will be a blog containing relaxation techniques very soon on calmercactus.co.uk, so watch this space – until then sweet dreams.
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