London - Are you exhausted, groggy and bleary-eyed with relentless, stupefying tiredness? Then you are far from alone.
Experts say a sleeplessness epidemic poses a serious risk to our health and wellbeing. A recent poll found six in ten of us don’t get enough sleep - a greater number than ever before.
The average adult needs between seven and eight hours of sleep a night to stay healthy and, while sinking occasionally below this doesn’t necessarily matter, a regular nightly total of less than seven does and is associated with numerous problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stoke and potentially cancer - not to mention irritability, stress and headache-inducing brain fog.
So why, whether a corporate high-flier or a busy mom, are we so grateful for just five hours beneath a duvet? Dr Guy Meadows, sleep researcher and clinical director of The Sleep School, believes it’s symptomatic of a greater shift. “The fundamental issue is that our lifestyles are cutting short the time available for sleep.
“We are working longer hours than ever before - far longer than we set aside for sleep - so we stay up late, keen for a bit of down time, surrounded by technology that excites our brains too close to bedtime.”
Oxford University scientists found we are getting one to two hours’ less sleep than people 60 years ago. Colin Espie, professor of sleep medicine at Oxford University, says stress invariably plays a role.
“The biggest enemy of sleep is a racing mind. People wait until bedtime to think about their day, tomorrow, their life, the future and, worst of all, worry about sleep itself and how they will cope tomorrow without it. This makes sleeps even more elusive.”
To end the self-perpetuating nightmare and reclaim the bedroom, we consulted the country’s leading sleep experts to find out exactly how to maximise your 40 winks.
WHY DO WE NEED TO SLEEP?
Scientists remain baffled as to exactly why we need sleep, but we know it plays a vital part in brain function, memory consolidation, emotional control and physical health.
“We know that regeneration of cells is dependent on sleep,” says Professor Espie.
The amount of sleep we need changes as we get older as growth and cell renewal subsides, but how much you need is also dependent on the quality of your sleep, lifestyle and environment.
Generally speaking, babies need 17 hours a day, children require ten hours, teenagers nine and adults between seven and eight.
But everyone is different and the best way to gauge if you’re getting enough is by asking yourself whether you feel alert and refreshed the next day.
If a lack of sleep is regularly affecting your ability to function, see your GP to establish whether you have insomnia and what might be causing it - insomnia affects a third of people at some point in their lives.
We sleep in recurring cycles of between 90 and 110 minutes divided between REM ( rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep.
Better “quality” sleep involves more REM sleep - the deepest part of your sleep cycle is when dreaming occurs and the part of the brain used for learning and memory is stimulated. Little is known about REM sleep other than it energises the brain and body.
LIE-INS ARE BANNED!
“Get up and go to bed at roughly the same time to ensure your internal clock is set to and working towards the same time each day,” says Dr Meadows.
Everyone has an internal biological clock that tells us when to feel alert and when to expect sleep. Stick to that and your body complies more easily. Even if you have a late night, keep your wake-up time the same.
“A long lie-in on a Sunday effectively resets your body clock to New York time. If you get up at midday, your internal clock is confused as it expects more time awake and - teamed with anxiety about the coming week - hey presto, you have Sunday night insomnia,” says Dr Meadows.
It is not necessarily healthier to be a night owl or early bird, as long as whichever you are and whatever your routine, you stick to it. Professor Espie says: “It’s important for people to experiment and find the sleep pattern that feels comfortable.”
BANISH BLUE LIGHT
Light suppresses the body’s ability to make the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin.
Light rays emitted by phones and computer screens are towards the brightest blue end of the colour spectrum (though our eyes don’t see it as blue).
Blue light has a short wavelength and is especially good at preventing melatonin production.
Melatonin, known as the Dracula hormone because it only comes out in the dark, is made by the brain’s pineal gland and makes us feel ready for sleep by lowering blood pressure and glucose levels.
“Don’t put the corridor, bathroom or bedroom lights on when you wake up in the night,” says Dr Nerina Ramlakhan, sleep expert at Nightingale Hospital and author of Tired But Wired.
“Or buy an LED light bulb that uses half of the blue light rays emitted by normal bulbs. (Good Night LED bulbs are available from amazon.com).”
A US study found that those who read ebooks before bed rather than print took longer to fall asleep, had less deep sleep and took longer to wake up.
SAY NO TO HOT BATHS
“Core body temperature falling is one of the mechanisms used to help sleep occur,” says Dr Meadows.
Think of it as a car that sits in a garage after a 300-mile journey every day. “Having a cool room - about 16 or 17 degrees- can help assist that temperature drop.”
What doesn’t is a hot bath just before bed. Timetable yours for at least 90 minutes before bedtime and run it warm, never hot.
Keep your room well- ventilated and use 100 percent cotton, breathable bed linen and loose cotton pyjamas or buy a cooling bed fan that blasts air in between your top sheet and mattress to alleviate night sweats.
EAT DINNER AT 5PM
Eating and drinking tactically can prepare the body to shut down overnight. Dr Matt Capehorn, clincial director of the National Obesity Forum, says dinner should be eaten early.
“Why on earth would you put fuel in your body when you’re about to go to bed? The last meal of the day, ideally, should be at 5pm or at least three hours before bedtime.
“Without time to metabolise food properly reflux, heartburn, discomfort or a night-time cough are more likely, all of which makes you less able to relax and sleep.”
For those with a sensitive bladder and tendency to wake in the night, drinks should also be restricted to 90 minutes before bed. Likewise, refined carbohydrates and sugars are no-nos.
“Refined carbohydrates give you an energy boost straight away that will keep you awake,” says Dr Capehorn. “Refined sugars are immediately turned into energy, so keep you awake, or stored as excess fat. Avoid fatty foods as they’re harder to digest so may keep you up.”
Drink a glass of semi-skimmed milk over full-fat before bed if you need to settle your stomach.
Caffeine increases adrenalin production and stays in the body for six hours or more, so steer clear of it after mid-afternoon.
Likewise, large portions will have you tossing and turning. However, research shows that foods containing the amino acid tryptophan - found in turkey, pork, some seeds and cheese - can promote sleep by helping the body produce serotonin, a calming neurotransmitter.
Don’t think wine will help. Yes, it will send you into a slumber, but you’ll sleep far more lightly so won’t get the benefits.
COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS
At the lightest sleep points (the first ten minutes of each sleep cycle), it’s not unusual to wake up.
For problem sleepers, a few seconds of lucidity can be long enough to start worrying, says DrRamlakhan. “If you wake in the night, don’t check the time or you’ll start calculating how many hours of sleep you’ve had, which pulls you further from slumber. Definitely don’t check emails or watch TV. Try meditation techniques or calming thought exercises. Instead of sheep, count your blessings: go backwards through the day looking at positive things. If you must get out of bed, try writing your thoughts down.”
TRY FENG SHUI
Alternative sleep aids abound. Eve Menezes Cunningham, a holistic therapist, has seen clients soothed using crystals.
“Crystals placed next to the bed, under a pillow or in your hand can act as a physical reminder that yes, you’re anxious, but you’re working on it, so calming you.” Failing that, there’s feng shui. “Have your head facing the door on a diagonal, as you’ll feel more secure knowing you can see anyone coming in,” says Ms Cunningham.
“Don’t put mirrors where the reflections are visible from the bed because if you open your eyes during the night any moving reflection will startle you awake. Banish work related items such as computers.”
BUY A NEW BED
In seven years it’s likely you’ll spend 20 000 hours in bed. As a rule, according the UK Sleep Council, if your mattress is any older than that, it’s time to replace it. The wrong mattress causes neck problems and lower back pain. Studies have linked differences in mattress support (soft, medium, firm) with changes in sleep, pain and stress.
Find what is most supportive for you - there is no science to this, it is just personal preference - and invest in it.
Some swear by memory foam to relieve pressure points.
If you sleep on your side, you might like to place a small pillow under your waist for support; if you sleep on your back, your pillow should support the natural curvature of your back and a pillow underneath your knees might help relieve back strain; for those who sleep on their fronts, a relatively flat pillow might be used and a second tucked under the stomach to minimise strain on the lower back.
DON’T TAKE PILLS
Like most medications, prescription sleeping pills, such as temazepam, zolpidem or Valium, are effective, but have side-effects.
These can range from constipation and headaches to heartburn, shaking, swelling or nausea.
It’s best to avoid them or use them only in the very short term, as they serve only as a stop gap and don’t fix the root of the problem.
“I try to restore confidence instead. Confidence that the client can and will sleep without pharmaceutical help,” says Dr Ramlakhan. Herbal help may come in the form of chamomile or passion flower. Preliminary studies have found they have anti-anxiety properties.
Use them in tea as a nightcap. A dab of lavender balm on your pillow can also help, as the scent is shown to decrease the heart rate and blood pressure, helping you relax.
WAKE UP GENTLY
You can ease the transition from deep sleep to being wide awake using light and food to kickstart the body and brain.
“Get natural light on your skin as soon as possible to stimulate the release of cortisol, the waking hormone,” says Dr Meadows.
Dr Ramlakhan suggests eating breakfast within 30 to 45 minutes of rising to get the metabolism going.
Black-out blinds are useful if you are sensitive to light and wake easily, preventing interruptions to your sleep cycle.
Experiment with alarm clocks that wake you up with gentle light rather than startling sounds if you are prone to hitting the snooze button.
STOP OBSESSING
After careful preparation, how can you fail? Easily, says Professor Espie, who has one last word of advice: “Don’t fall into the trap of making trying to sleep too much of a performance.
“If you try too hard to fix something, it can make it worse. Trust that sleep is a biological function that, like breathing, is innate and will occur.”
* For more information, go to sleepschool.org. Dr Colin Espie founded the Sleepio app, a digital sleep improvement program.
Daily Mail