Though it has long been believed that light interrupts sleep, this research focused specifically on mobile device screens. Scientists and doctors have known for many years that exposure to light can interrupt a person’s natural sleep patterns and make it harder to obtain the rest we need, but recently the light from tablet computers was put to the test by a team of researchers from the University of Bergen.
What they found was that people who use tablets and other mobile devices causes harm even when used in the dark. The researchers looked into the impact of using tablet computers at bedtime when compared to reading a traditional print book. What the scientists discovered was that after reading a tablet screen for only 30 minutes while in bed, a negative impact on sleep can occur. The results of this study were published within the Sleep Medicine journal. The intention of the research was to determine whether the backlighting of the screens of mobile devices actually had a meaningful impact on the quality of sleep a user would receive. The researchers compared the use of tablet computers with the results from people reading print books.
The study involved the participation of 16 students with an average age of 25.1 years. The research participants were permitted to sleep in their own homes and beds in order to ensure that the results were not compromised by an alteration in the participant’s sleep environment. The researchers then used a polysomnography tool in order to be able to detect sleep disorders in any of the participants. Before the study, none of the participants suffered from sleep struggles.
When the participants read from print books, the problem with sleep struggles was deemed nonexistent among the participants who already did not have problems with insomnia.
On the other hand, the tablet computers appeared to have an effect on the level of sleepiness of the users. It is suspected that the light emitted from the device screen may have played a role in this impact. That said, it’s important to note that while it may have taken more time for tablet users to doze off, the duration of sleep was the same regardless of the use of a digital screen or a print book.
A study showed that 71% of African-American suffer insomnia, compared to 25% of Americans. There’s nothing worse than not being able to go to sleep except possibly waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall back asleep. Don’t count sheep! Here are 7 natural methods that will help you rest easy when nighttime falls. 1. Nix the caffeine at least 3 hours prior to bedtime.
Caffeine is a stimulant and is known to cause a 40-minute delay in ones sleep cycle. Go to bed at 10PM? Your last cup should be finished no later than 7PM. Do you find warm drinks soothing? Opt for chamomile tea, which is known to promote sleep. Or drink hot water and lemon, which is a great detoxifier for your body. 2. Keep the temperature of your room between 60-67 degrees.
As you drift of into a slumber, your body temperature lowers. Falling asleep in a room that’s too hot will effect your sleep cycle. 3. Have sense about scents.
Place lavender under your pillow or next to your bed to help you fall asleep at night. Research has shown that lavender lowers blood pressure and heart rate, leading to more restful sleep. Suffering from a bit of anxiety? Yup, it helps with that too! 4. Sleep on it.
Clean sheets with a fresh scent promote better sleep. We all know how good it feels to slide into bed with freshly laundered sheets. Change your sheets once a week to promote rest. 5. Grab a book with dense information.
Take a break from your electronics as you are winding down. Studies indicate that the blue and white light from your electronics prevents your brain from producing melatonin (the chemical that makes you sleepy). Opt for a boring book to help tire your eyes and drift you off to slumber.
Sleep well, beauties!
I'm going to tell you a little secret. Despite organizing my business around helping people sleep, I don't always sleep that great myself. While I usually wake up in the morning feeling rested, and I almost never have difficulties falling asleep initially anymore, I still experience those pesky middle of the night wake-ups where I don't easily fall back to sleep. The big difference between the old me and the new me is that I don't get anxious about it anymore. Instead, I get curious.
If I ask myself the question, "Why am I awake?" an answer will usually come. More often than not, if I can use EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) and tap on the emotions surrounding the answer, I can head back to sleep within an hour or so, and feel fine the next day. I might have an off-night here and there or possibly an off-week, but it doesn't persist for months the way it used to.
This past month, however, I enrolled in a class that is filling me with excitement. I love what I'm learning and can't wait to do the work assigned. Not unexpectedly I started waking up in the middle of the night, sometimes really wanting to do my work. When I am filled with such a burning desire to do something, sometimes it is better to just get up and do it. So, for the first week, I didn't worry about this.
But then this cycle moved into a second week and then a third, and I began to get cranky. And I was no longer feeling that desire to work when I woke at 2:00 a.m. I was just plain annoyed.
So finally, after almost a month, I put on my coaching hat and gave myself a session. "What is going on??!!" I asked myself. And then I knew. I really knew. I had been here so many times.
I was in "Super Student Mode." For most of my life I have either been in "Super Student" or "Super Teacher Mode." It happens when I am passionate about a curriculum and want to digest every little bit. I want to get it right, be the best I can, and this powerful energy seems to take me over. In some ways I have had success with this. It got me into Yale and propelled me through many challenging work situations. But it has also been my undoing. There is only so long a person can sustain that energy without feeling edgy, tired, and eventually burned out.
One of the gifts of losing my stressful job and then only working part-time is that I wasn't in this mode for several years. I got to experience what it is like to get GREAT sleep, feel rested most of the time, and be fully present for the people and activities that filled my days. It was a completely different way of being for me, and while I missed the direction and focus that has characterized me for so long, in some ways I was happier than I had ever been.
Then came this course and the old familiar energy returned. At first it felt GREAT - both exhilarating and familiar. But then this sleep thing reared its ugly head, and I knew I had to pay attention.
I realized I was afraid to let this energy go because I want to ride this momentum and I don't know how to do that any other way. My whole life I've either been relaxed and soundly sleeping, but not super productive -- OR passionate, excited, and super productive, but not sleeping well. Does it HAVE to be a choice? Or could there be a new way of being I haven't yet experienced?
Not knowing what else to do, I asked the Universe for help. I began tapping on all the possible ways I could express this, ending with something like this: Even though I am afraid of losing my passion, purpose, and productivity if I soften the grip on my focus, I am choosing to SURRENDER and move into a path of open-ness and curiosity. I am trusting I will be even more constructive and creative if I can SOFTEN the edges of my mind and allow myself to enjoy the fullness of life, including good sleep.
I went to back to bed feeling good and got a few more hours of decent sleep. The next night I closed my eyes and didn't wake up for almost 7 hours. The cycle had broken! Halleluja!! I had hit the target with my tapping.
Over the past few years where I have slept well more often than not, I have learned to view my little bouts of insomnia as an "early detection warning system." An off night or two is like that light on your car signaling you need an oil change. Not that big of a deal. Usually a little tapping can do the trick, just like a routine oil change will make that light go away.
But 3-4 weeks is like a "check engine" light, and I knew I had to really tune in. Thanks to the "early detection warning system" of my insomnia, I am intending to rewrite my usual script of passionate beginnings ending in exhaustion and burn-out. I am setting a clear intention to find a way to be both productive AND grounded - and when I find it I will be that much better able to serve those who need help finding this too.
At the Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship (CIOS), we have found that the keys to reducing stress and taking charge of one’s health are 1) regular exercise 2) a healthy diet, and 3) good sleeping habits. All three are necessary. This article will address sleep disturbance, also called insomnia, and how to cope with it.
Sleep disturbance is more than just a lack of sleep. It also includes poor sleep efficiency, a prolonged time to fall asleep, low quality of sleep, and waking up in the middle of the night unable to return to sleep. Research has shown that sleep deprivation is tied to overall health including fatigue, distress, decision-making, missed time at work and disability rates. A recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that persistent insomnia can increase the risk of major depression (Insomnia Disorder by John W. Winkelmann, M.D., PhD. New England Journal of Medicine 2015; 373:1437-44). There have also been associations reported between insomnia and increased risk of heart attacks, heart disease, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, and even early death, in people who sleep less than six hours per night. These issues are challenging and cannot just be remedied by taking a pill. In this article, we will discuss strategies for insomnia apart from sleeping pills.
Consultation with a medical provider can be useful in making sure that there is not a health problem that needs to be corrected to help with issues of insomnia. Health issues that can cause insomnia include sleep apnea, obesity, restless leg syndrome, hormone balance issues with aging, specifically decreasing estrogen and progesterone levels in women and decreasing testosterone levels in men. Other causes for lack of sleep can simply be a busy lifestyle and not taking the time to sleep.
There are multiple ways to approach this problem of insomnia. Taking sleep medication is not usually recommended as the first approach to improve sleep and quality of sleep. There are other approaches that can be taken and tried first, saving medication for later down the road and for occasional use. Let us start with a concept called sleep hygiene.
Sleep hygiene may be overlooked or under-appreciated but it is critically important. Sleep hygiene simply refers to reducing activities or behaviors that can interfere with sleep, such as exercising too close to bedtime, drinking caffeine in the evening, or using cell phones or other devices that can increase arousal of your mind. Activities that you can implement to improve sleep are decreasing napping during the day, keeping the bedroom dark, removing the bedroom clock from sight, and making sure that you get enough exercise but not too close to bedtime. In addition, keeping a regular sleep schedule if possible is helpful. This means making sure that you go to bed at the same time each night, awaken at the same time in the morning, and keep this schedule throughout the week and weekends.
There are some good, new models of therapy that can help with insomnia. They are discussed below and are frequently recommended at the Center for Integrative Oncology and Survivorship. Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) can be implemented in two to four consultation visits or telephone consultations with the physician, nurse, social worker or therapist, along with digital and printed materials to help reinforce the education. CBT ends up being more effective than just writing a prescription for a sleeping pill because the clinician has to also consider the psychological and behavioral factors and then foster self-management skills so the underlying issues are also part of the treatment plan. CBT is available through many healthcare providers and at CIOS. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a program where clients are guided through a mindful exercise to stay in the present moment, which decreases their overall response to a stressful situation. MBSR is especially helpful for those with distressing situations impacting sleep like divorce, loss or illness. Mindful breathing education to enhance sleep is a simple set of exercises that are easy to learn. They are helpful for all ages. Please refer to our prior blog “Mindful Breathing to Sleep.” Yoga is another avenue to explore for insomnia. There are a variety of classes that need to be explored to find the right class for each person. Most exercise facilities have yoga classes and often you are able to try a class for free or at a reduced price. Yoga classes labeled “restorative” or “therapeutic” may be less physically demanding with the goal of stress reduction and improving the mind-body connection.
Insomnia affects everything in one’s life and needs to be addressed. The take-home message, however, needs to change from “just prescribe a sleeping pill” to “let’s look at the choices because a pill shouldn’t be you’re only consistent option.” Learning and implementing some of the above activities can be helpful.
Did you get enough shut-eye last night? With insomnia on the rise, the answer is probably ‘no’. But what exactly is keeping you awake?
When was the last time you had a really good night’s rest? A third of us now regularly battles with poor sleep, and the numbers are rising. But it’s not just a case of tossing and turning and counting a few sheep, our nocturnal problems seem to be increasingly, well, weird.
‘We’re seeing many more people with sleep disorders than ten years ago,’ says Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, medical director of the London Sleep Centre. ‘This is because of higher stress levels and also due to people having greater awareness of all different kinds of sleep disorders.’
Although a good night’s kip is fundamental to our well-being, the nation’s most comprehensive sleep study, conducted last year, showed that 46 per cent of us manage just six hours a night, which for most people is not enough. Founder of The Sleep School, Dr Guy Meadows, who led the Big Sleep Survey, says, ‘We work longer hours than ever and are more stressed, but we all take sleep for granted. Our modern lifestyles mean we’ve forgotten that it helps us recharge, rebalance and renew our minds and bodies. This causes us to make less time for sleep, resulting in further stress and tiredness. On average, we need between seven and eight hours a night, but some people need as little as four hours and others as much as ten.’
Frequent disrupted sleep can lead to serious problems. ‘Without proper rest, we experience higher blood pressure, a lack of concentration, a weakened immune system and loss of libido,’ says Dr Matthew Hind, consultant physician at London’s Royal Brompton Hospital. ‘It can also lead to depression and weight gain, because we eat more to keep going.’
Here’s what to look out for – and what to do if you are affected…
Exploding head syndrome
What is it? ‘It feels like someone has fired a starting pistol in your head and usually happens as I’m nodding off,’ says Jess, 32, from London. ‘I’ll shake my partner, saying, “What was that?” but he doesn’t hear it. You feel panic and your heart’s racing until you realise that it’s not an explosion; it’s in your head.’ Dr Brian Sharpless, associate professor at the American School of Professional Psychology at Argosy University in Washington DC, confirms this is a real phenomenon. ‘It can be terrifying,’ he says. ‘You’re falling asleep and suddenly you’re woken up by a very loud noise. Some people also see flashes of light. We’re just starting to do systematic research on it and I’ve interviewed many people about how it affects their lives.’ Although it is rare, experts believe that exploding head syndrome occurs when, for some reason, the part of the brain that shuts down your auditory neurons before you go to sleep makes them fire all at once. ‘It can be caused by any type of sleep disruption,’ says Dr Sharpless. ‘But some substances, like alcohol, may make it more likely to occur.’ How to fix it: As doctors don’t really understand it, it’s hard to know. But if you’re stressed, try to unwind before bed, and if you suffer from disturbed sleep anyway, address the causes. Certain chemical elements, such as calcium channel blockers (which widen and relax the blood vessels) and antidepressants may be helpful, but as yet there have been no large-scale treatment trials. However, learning about exploding head syndrome and knowing that it is not dangerous may reduce the occurrence of episodes.
Restless leg syndrome
What is it? Contrary to its name, this is not just about having a twitchy leg. ‘It’s about strange sensations in your lower limbs when you’re lying in bed or sitting in front of the TV, which are only relieved by moving or walking about,’ says Dr Ebrahim. ‘The most common cause is pregnancy and low iron levels, so it is more prevalent in women than men by four to one.’ Melissa, 41, experienced restless leg syndrome in all three of her pregnancies. ‘It’s not life-threatening, so people don’t really give you much sympathy, but the sleeplessness that goes with it is debilitating. It feels like you’ve been sitting on a plane for 12 hours, unable to stretch your legs – however, nothing you do alleviates it. For me, eventually a midwife suggested taking iron tablets – although I wasn’t officially anaemic – which cured it almost overnight, but this only happened at the end of my third pregnancy. If you’re suffering, ask your doctor if you can try this remedy.’
How to fix it: ‘People should have a think about their diet and whether they are getting enough iron,’ says Mary Morrell, professor of sleep and respiratory physiology at London’s Imperial College. ‘This, of course, has wider health benefits, too.’ Iron-rich foods include fish, meat, leafy green veg, brown rice, nuts and pulses.
Sleep maintenance insomnia
What is it? Waking in the early hours. Dr Meadows says, ‘It’s common to wake around 3am because, by that point, you’ve had two sleep cycles – during which you move from light to deep sleep and back again. It only takes about four hours for the really urgent need for sleep to drain away, explaining why you wake after a few hours even though you haven’t yet had enough sleep to recharge your brain and body.’ Insomnia is far more common in women – around 70 per cent of sufferers are female, and a third of us have experienced it at some point in our lives. ‘The first reason for this is hormonal, as progesterone and oestrogen play a key role in sleep,’ adds Dr Meadows. ‘Women also tend to worry more than men – and anxiety is insomnia’s best friend.’
How to fix it: Annoyingly, this kind of behaviour can become programmed in the brain. ‘If you establish a cycle of sleeping poorly, that tends to continue,’ says Dr Hind. ‘Keeping a diary is useful to spot the patterns, and cognitive behavioural interventions, such as sleep restriction, can help. Simply, you push back your bedtime to much later than normal and set an alarm to get up earlier – even at the weekend. At the end of a two-week period, you are so tired that you sleep all the way through until morning.’ As an alternative, Dr Meadows teaches his clients mindfulness. ‘Being in the present helps retrain the brain that it’s OK to fall back to sleep.’
Sleepwalking
What is it? This is a so-called ‘parasomnia’ – characterised by abnormal nerve behaviour – and it affects two per cent of adults. Sufferers may get out of bed or even carry out activities while asleep. And although most sleepwalkers’ eyes remain open, they will usually have no memory of it. ‘This condition is often carried over from childhood,’ says Dr Ebrahim. ‘About 20 per cent of kids do it, but more than 90 per cent of them stop in adulthood.’
How to fix it: Sleepwalkers have low levels of serotonin – a chemical that transmits signals along the nerves. ‘We often use antidepressants to boost serotonin,’ says Dr Ebrahim. Better sleep routines help, too. ‘Stick to a regime and make sure your bedroom is quiet and dark,’ says Dr Hind. ‘It should also be made safe – move bedside cabinets and install a bell on the door that goes off if you try to leave the room.’ Reducing alcohol consumption is also recommended to avoid triggering episodes.
Sleep-eating
What is it? Less common than sleepwalking, raiding the fridge while asleep is another parasomnia. Again, sleep-eaters will have no recollection of it. ‘Nocturnal eating is a variant of sleepwalking and most sufferers will have had a history of that,’ explains Dr Ebrahim. ‘I find it mainly affects women, although the jury is still out.’ Kate, 28, from Aberdeen says, ‘I had no idea why I was putting on weight. I used to have massive rows with my flatmates about food that was going missing. It was only when I woke up one morning surrounded by chocolate bar wrappers that I realised I must have been sleep-eating.’
How to fix it: Antidepressants are often prescribed, but Dr Meadows says, ‘Treatment is more about prevention and having a good sleep cycle. Go to bed and get up at the same time each day and limit stimulants like caffeine and alcohol.’ Morrell adds, ‘It can be scary if you’re getting out of bed at night. Make sure any partners understand your condition so that they can support you.’
During the quiet hours of the night, a surprising number of people are not sleeping well, some of them aren't sleeping at all. There are a variety of sleep disorders that afflict people, and some folks are unfortunate enough to live with more than one disorder. 1) Insomnia
Lots of people suffer from insomnia. They have a hard time falling asleep. Or they may find it difficult to stay asleep. Some people struggle with both. This lack of sleep is frustrating for those trying to get through the night. They are not refreshed when they give up on sleep either through the night, or in the morning.
2) Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea interrupts sleep as the sufferer stops breathing and starts again. Breathing may be shallow manner, with long pauses between breaths. Snoring often ensues during a troubled night of broken sleep.
A continuous positive airway pressure, also called a CPAP, may make a significant difference in a more tranquil sleep. 3) Restless legs syndrome
Restless legs syndrome expresses itself in a strong urge to move the leg muscles. In fact, it's downright difficult to keep them still. Burning, tingling or prickling can accompany RLS. All this unpleasantness can make it hard to get to asleep and stay there.
Moderate exercise, regular sleep patterns and relaxation techniques may help. Medication may also make a difference. 4) Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy comes with a number of unpleasant symptoms. Cataplexy is a sudden absence of muscle tone brought on by intense emotions, or laughter. Hallucinations are frightening and disorienting.
Sleep paralysis — described more fully below — makes moving impossible at times, while going to sleep or awakening.
Narcolepsy may be regulated by medication. The help of a health care practitioner is important. 5) Night terror aka sleep terror disorder
About an hour and a half after going to sleep the person who has night terrors may be suddenly wakened from non-REM sleep into a state of panic, complete with screams, yelling and thrashing about. The sympathetic nervous system blooms into the fight-or-flight response.
Sufferers may not react to their actual surroundings, and may be disoriented and confused, and unable to speak coherently. They may throw things, or rush out of the room. No memory of any of these events may remain with them. 6) Sleepwalking
Sleepwalkers start moving about during non-REM sleep. They may seem like they must be awake, as they perform fairly involved activities. They may walk around the house, or go outside.
I know of one person who got a bowl out of the kitchen cupboard and put it on his head, then went outside for some air. Another sat in front of a TV that was turned off, looking for all the world like he was watching television. But he was sound asleep.
Often, sleepwalkers will do their thing, and wander back to bed without ever waking, having no memory of the events. 7) Sleep Paralysis
The person who suffers from sleep paralysis is unable to move — sometimes for just a few seconds, and sometimes for several minutes — despite being awake. A feeling of pressure or choking may make this helplessness even worse.
Normally we are unconscious when our muscles are non-responsive, during REM sleep. Being awake before muscles begin to function again can leave a person feeling helpless and frightened. 8) Sleep talking aka somniloquy
People who talk in their sleep may just utter a few syllables, or they may carry on a conversation which may or may not make sense to the observer. Upon awakening, the sleep-talker will generally not remember the conversation.
About 50 percent of all children from 3 to 10 years of age and about 5 percent of all adults are prone to talking in their sleep. According to a 2004 poll, 1 out of every 10 children talks in their sleep several nights per week.
Considering many people have trouble sleeping, as well as a high number of people experiencing insomnia at some point in their lives, getting a good night sleep holds great significance for a vast majority. In the wake of the World Sleep Day, which is celebrated worldwide on March 18, there are many tips to help people suffering from sleeping disorders or burdens brought due to sleep problems being released via online.
The focus of the World Sleep Day is not only to raise awareness of the several sleep-related disorders over 50 percent of Americans have to deal with their lifetime, but also to celebrate the good qualities of slumber and remember people how important it is for their health to conciliate sleep on a daily basis. Many sleep experts claim that the way people rest during the nighttime affects significantly the way people live their lives.
Factors including how well-rested people are, how much sleep do they get and what routines people establish after they wake up can have an important effect on every other aspect of their lives. As a special contribution to the World Sleep Day 2016, many sleep specialists has determined a series of tips in order for people having trouble getting proper rest at nighttime can have a way to sleep profoundly through the night.
The event’s organizer Antonio Culebras has taken the task to give basic rules in order to get some proper rest with minimum effort. Most people are oblivious to the fact that the human brain needs at least 10 to 15 minutes in order to fall asleep, as well as they aren’t aware that an average adult needs up to 8 hours of solid sleep per night.
Sleep-problem causes and solutions
Most sleep specialists agree that the usage of tech gadgets or the light itself prevents the brain from entering the falling-asleep phase, causing the person to experience insomnia-like symptoms. Also, sleep experts frown upon eating just before going to be as it engages into activating the body’s digestive process, keeping the person up until it finishes.
Having a nightcap can also affect an individual capacity of conciliating sleep as it disrupts some of the important things going on in the brain including the memory consolidation, says Russell Foster, director of Oxford University’s Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute or SCNI for short.
Considering that many sleep-related issues involve the disrupted cycle of sleep in the individual, getting up early could lead to the solution. According to Foster, exposing yourself to natural morning light has shown to stabilize the sleep/wake timing of the human body internal clock. Foster also advises skipping the habit of taking naps on the day, as the body gets tiresome from waking up from deep sleep if it’s done frequently.
Advice including working out and relieving stress have been known for years, as they can relax the body and regular exercise can make for a great night’s sleep. Among the oldest advice to get sleepy at night is having a hot drink, Foster claims that a hot beverage before bed is a great way to relax and prepare for sleep, as long as it doesn’t contain alcohol or caffeine.
Foster also notes that most sleep problems are caused by psychological problems such as stress, anxiety or depression, and using medication to deal with it should be left as a last resort. The key to getting rest throughout the night is to keep it simple, listening music, having a hot drink and working out are just a few simple ways to get a full night of sleep.
The Chinese middle class, now estimated at more than half a billion, has become a key driver for the country's economy. However 46.58% of them now suffer from insomnia, which puts their health at risk.
That is according to a white paper on sleep quality of the Chinese middle class. The white paper was released just ahead of the World Sleep Day, which fell on March 18 this year.
This year's Sleep Day is marked in China, with a theme titled "Good Sleep, Fly High and Dream Big".
Dr. Han Fang is the chairman of the Chinese Sleep Research Society. He explains why China has such a theme to celebrate World Sleep Day:
"The theme of World Sleep Day this year is 'Good sleep is a reachable dream', which means good sleep is something that can be achieved through medical care and intervention. Nowadays we often talk about the Chinese dream, targeting the goal of the "great renewal of the Chinese nation", thus we give an adapted interpretation to suit Chinese conditions, which is "Good sleep is an inevitable part in flying high and dreaming big".
Over the past 16 years since the country introduced the World Sleep Day to its people, the population of the middle class in China has seen a rapid growth. The statistics from Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank, shows that from 2001 to 2011, the share of Chinese who are middle income jumped from 3% to 18%.
However, this group of people who face intensive pressure now have trouble in sleeping, which is partly due to their bad habits.
Liu Zhuxi is in the data management office with "TouTiao.com", a very popular online news feed that assists in the launch of this white paper.
"Almost half of surveyed people have bad sleep habits including chat on mobile phones or computers before sleep. And nearly twenty percent say they consider work-related issues before going to sleep."
The white paper has been launched, based on an analysis of data collected among 13-million people in a survey initiated by De RucciBedding Co, Ltd.
The white paper shows 46.58% of the surveyed Chinese middle class suffer from insomnia, with 82-percent having trouble sleeping. Liu Zhuxi explains:
"The common problems that people who usually suffer from poor sleep include light sleep and being oftentimes disturbed in the middle of the night."
Scientific researches show occasional insomnia may cause fatigue and behaviour disorders, but constant insomnia may result in confusion and difficulties in memorising and organising tasks, doubling the possibility of accidents.
However, few people with trouble falling asleep take it seriously, as pointed out in the Paper. Liu Zhuxi again:
"The issue is that people fail to realize how seriously insomnia might affect their lives. In addition to the 46 percent of people who have experienced insomnia, there are another 15-percent who are suspected with trouble sleeping, but failed to go to see a doctor to diagnose their problem."
Also, according to the survey results, residents of small cities sleep better than their counterparts in big metropolis' like Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, who devote a lot more attention to their work and career path.
On the same day as the White Paper was launched, a guideline for early diagnosis and treatment on sleep disorder has also been issued. This guideline covers a wider variety of people other than the Chinese middle class.
Zhang Bin, associate chief physician with the Guangdong provincial Institute for Mental Health Research, is one of the medical experts who have edited the guidelines.
"The guideline includes a section dedicated to sleep disorders in children, pregnant women and the elderly. It also mentions approaches on medical intervention, like an application of traditional Chinese medicine."
According to the Chinese Sleep Research Society, about 38.2 percent of the Chinese adults suffer from insomnia, a higher rate than the world average level which is approximately seven percent.
The first rule of Insomniac Club is you don’t talk about Insomniac Club. It’s as boring talking about how you can’t sleep as it is retelling your strangely uninteresting dreams. I know. I have been there many a long night, and actually once a week at a place where my doctor sent me to learn how to sleep. It wasn’t called a club but sleep training or therapy, or something. Forgive me if I am vague on the details, I was just so tired.
I had gone to the doctor four years earlier begging for sleeping pills. I am too old to lie. I announced that if he didn’t give them to me I would procure them anyway. Sense and legality may be an issue for some but not for the permanently knackered. Besides which, all I wanted was a good night’s sleep, and the more I wanted it the more elusive it had become. Trying too hard for oblivion is a thankless task.
My sleeplessness, the medics said, was probably peri-menopausal. Or menopausal. I never really got the difference. It is a common symptom and in a way I was lucky as I didn’t have hot flushes or hives or any dried up unmentionables. No, I was just unhinged by not being able to fall asleep. This has happened to me before. All my life I have had sleep envy and slightly resent those who can just drop off, abandoning me to wakefulness. This covers just about everyone I have ever ‘slept’ with. But this midlife insomnia was worse than anything I have ever been through. Worse than the comedowns after days on speed, worse than the tiredness I felt when my babies were breastfeeding. This felt like the end of the world, an ongoing low-level panic.
When people ask you how you are, you don’t say, ‘I am so tired I could cry.’ That when the drawer in the kitchen got stuck, you thought you may just leave home and never come back. You don’t tell them that on the edge of your peripheral vision you can see black creatures that could be dogs but you know aren’t really there. You don’t say, ‘If I don’t get a proper sleep I can no longer cope.’
You are a middle-aged woman. Your job is to cope. Plus, you are already spending most of your energy trying not to appear mad and buying concealer. When I mentioned it to other people I found that as isolated as you feel when it’s 4am and you still have not dropped off, you are far from alone. A YouGov survey of more than 4,000 British adults published in January found that 46 per cent of women have trouble sleeping, compared to 36 per cent of men: this is an especially big issue for women. Many suffer in silence. Feeling exhausted is apparently just how we think life is. Lack of sleep, though, may lead to or indicate serious conditions, from stroke to diabetes. One doctor prescribed me old-style antidepressants (tricyclics) just to take at night. They didn’t touch me even though I trebled the dose. She explained how insomnia often happens at this stage of life because of the overproduction of cortisol as the levels of oestrogen fall.
Certainly this sleeplessness did feel absolutely physical. It would descend on me, a soup of dullness. If this was depression it was a new beast to me because it could be cured by that elusive one night of rest. The drugs didn’t work. I dabbled with HRT but soon knew it was not for me. So I ended up at this sleep training course at a local hospital. Basically, this is cognitive behaviour therapy, the current NHS panacea for all kinds of problems.
I made my daft jokes about this club for insomniacs but the two shrinks who ran the joint did not laugh. Indeed, one of the things I was meant to learn was how to reframe my thinking and never to refer to myself as an insomniac. Off I trotted to this over-intimate group therapy. Now I was with a group of strangers ‘sharing’ my experience. Was this helping at all? Was I even one of them? Was my insomnia special and different to theirs? There was one man who said he had not slept for more than two hours a night for 10 years. He believed this was connected to his pineal gland and would discourse about this at length in the tea breaks.
There was a silent goth who, as far as I could ascertain, slept fairly normally but was worried that in the future he could develop seasonal affective disorder.
There was a twitchy young woman who was always too hot or too cold and seemed to me to need some other kind of help, and a chilled unemployed guy who could not sleep at night because he slept all day.
I think I did use the phrase peri-menopausal at one point but it drew a blank. Our motley crew was made to keep sleep diaries and to learn ‘sleep hygiene’. There was a lot of blah about mindfulness. When isn’t there these days? Telling someone to be mindful combines sadism with sanctimony much of the time. It is absolutely unhelpful for certain conditions but it is as cheap as it is rigid.
The main component of sleep hygiene is to learn to associate your bed with nothing but sleep. (Also sex, but no one wanted to dwell on that.) You must not watch TV in bed, use your phone, eat, use your laptop or even read a book. If you can’t sleep, you get out of bed.
We were then told we must maximise our sleep windows – so, for instance, if you have been functioning on an average of three or four hours’ sleep a night and you have to get up at 7am, you go to bed at 3am. There is something counter-intuitive about this, but what it does is stop you lying in bed beating yourself up because you are awake. So there were some takeaways from all of it, though I couldn’t get with the not reading in bed thing. And there is nothing I like more than nesting in my bed with my kids and watching a movie. Was this all to be sacrificed because I was making the wrong associations?
The menopause isn’t exactly glamorous at the best of times, though currently 1.9 million women in Britain will be in its throes. Not all of them will experience insomnia, but many will and such symptoms can last on average for four years. Some will use HRT, though more and more I see women being prescribed antidepressants and it makes me edgy. Being tired is not the same as being depressed, though it can feel that way.
All of this would be made more bearable if we could talk about it, but what middle-aged women wants to tell her boss she is simply deranged with lack of sleep? Things improve as menopause passes or one alters one’s habits or scores some sleeping pills online or from private doctors, but we all know they are highly addictive. I have tried everything – from lavender sprays to hypnosis where whale music drove me mad. A few things I’ve also found that do work for me: not eating or drinking straight before bed. Massage, exercise – all the obvious stuff. The symptoms of the menopause passing. It still happens from time to time, but what helps most somehow is knowing all things will pass… And knowing rest and sleep are two different things but not to get too hung up on the difference.
We have developed a mythology about lack of sleep that says to do without makes us powerful and important. Donald Trump, Tom Ford, Martha Stewart, Margaret Thatcher… many high-achievers have claimed to need very few hours’ sleep a night. Let me tell you this is not so. One does not lie in bed having amazingly creative thoughts. Instead one’s mind dwells on rearranging the furniture, the inevitability of death and the dread that again the light is breaking and you ache with fatigue.
No one is too interesting to go to sleep. As Leonard Cohen once said, ‘The last refuge of the insomniac is a sense of superiority to the sleeping world.’ That refuge is not restful. To enter the sleeping world freely and easily is still what so many of us dream of.
Hands up if you wake up from a night's sleep feeling like you, well, need another night's sleep? You're not alone in your sleep problems - according to a YouGov poll, six in 10 of us aren't getting enough shut eye, a stat that experts are referring to as an 'epidemic of sleeplessness'. And even if you know how much sleep you need and are getting the recommended seven to nine hours, you may find yourself feeling sluggish and drowsy throughout the day, regardless of how many times you boil the kettle.
Most of us blame our sleepiness on our diet and lifestyles, but it turns out that there are actually factors in your home that could be responsible for your tiredness.
So if you can't stop asking yourself 'why am I so tired?!', here are 10 potential home hazards that could be tiring you out without you realising...
Your blue walls
A study from Travelodge showed that blue is the most calming colour, reducing your heart rate and even lowering blood pressure to make you feel cosy and more to the point, sleepy. This might not seem like a bad things, but if you've got the shade in your office, living room or kitchen, it might be worth reconsidering for a brighter, more energising shade.
Your gadgets
Blue-screen gadgets are actually said to reduce drowsiness, but therein lies the problem. If you're using your tablet, watching TV or scrolling through your phone til the wee hours, you're delaying your natural sleep patterns. Couple this with the fact that 20% of 19-29 year olds say that they often get disturbed by calls, texts or other alerts throughout the night, and you've got one groggy morning ahead.
Your scented candle
Psychologists at the University of Southampton have found that the scent of lavender can be helpful if you're battling insomnia and increases sleep quality - it's just when you're trying to avoid sleep that it becomes an issue. Consider switching your scented candles or reed diffusers from lavender based fragrances to fresher options like citrus or mint.
Your clutter
Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that large amounts of mess in a room prevent you from focusing, overwhelming your brain and leaving you feeling fatigued. Even if you just clear the rubbish out of the room you'll be working or concentrating in, you should find your mental faculties feel sharpened post-tidy.
Your workout equipment
Home gyms are fab for your health, until it comes to your sleep patterns. Overexerting yourself can make you feel knackered and unproductive for the rest of the day. Experts at the Mayo Clinic recommend that you exert yourself to a six or seven on a scale out of 10 - any more and you'll risk exhaustion that's difficult to recover from.
Your closed curtains
In a study of more than 600 adults, researchers at the University of Massachusetts found that feelings of depression, hostility, anger, irritability and anxiety were highest in the winter and lowest in the summer, because of the lack of exposure to natural light - and that's not all. 'If there's not enough natural light, the body goes into sleep mode,' Ken Goodrick, Ph.D., a psychologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, told Redbook. Open up the curtains to let light stream in, and go for a 10 minute walk if possible. You'll feel brighter and more awake almost instantly.
Your coffee granules
Tea and coffee give you a quick boost, but can actually leave you feeling more tired long-term. Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning that it offers an instant high, but also an inevitable crash. Switch to water (dehydration is another big cause of fatigue) and you might actually find your eyelids staying open for longer without your java.
Your drinks cupboard
A night cap has long been renowned as a good way to help you drop off, and with good reason - it's undisputed that alcohol makes you sleepy. If you're drinking often, you might have no trouble falling alseep, but a boozy snooze is usually a restless one, meaning you'll feel even more tired the next day.
The temperature
Cranking the heating up might make you feel warm and cosy, but according to sports sleep expert Nick Littlehales, the optimum temperature for sleep is between 16 and 18 degrees celcius, so it's cooler temperatures that may make you more susceptible to nodding off. Anyone else off to turn up the thermostat?
The people you live with
If you're thinking 'I know that, I've got kids!' you may be surprised to hear that the little ones aren't actually who we're referring to. If you're living with someone who is naturally very negative, it can have an impact on your mood and levels of energy too. 'People you allow into your life not only have the power to affect you emotionally, but can also take a toll on you physically,' Vicky Vlachonis, osteopath and author of The Body Doesn't Lie, tells Good Housekeeping. 'If people that are cynical and tend to complain surround you, they can be draining your energy.' The solution? Create a more positive atmosphere - with or without them!
‘You snooze, you lose’ might be the expression, but a growing body of research suggests the opposite is the case for women.
Researchers from Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre recently concluded that women need about 20 minutes more sleep than men each night because their brains are more complex. “Women tend to multi-task – they do lots at once and are flexible – and so they use more of their actual brain than men do,” Professor Jim Horne, director of the research centre, told Metro UK. “The more of your brain you use during the day, the more [time it] needs to recover and, consequently, the more sleep you need.” These findings are corroborated by a December 2013 study that linked inadequate sleep to greater risk of heart disease and diabetes in women. The study also found women are more likely to experience stress, anxiety and depression than sleep-deprived men. Other research has found that women are disproportionately affected by sleep disorders. Polling company Roy Morgan illustrated this last year when it found that twice the percentage of women (16 per cent) reported suffering from insomnia than men (eight per cent).
Australasian Sleep Association chair Dr Alan Young endorsed the research.
“We know women experience more anxiety, depression and insomnia, and these obviously have a detrimental effect on sleep,” he said.
Dr Young said research into explaining this difference between the sexes is ongoing. But it is well established that shorter sleep times lead to an increased risk of health problems irrespective of gender, he said.
“For people consistently having less than six hours’ sleep a night, there’s a link to other health conditions such as depression and heart disease. That doesn’t mean everyone who’s a short sleeper will develop these conditions but there is an increased risk.”
Why the gender difference?
The answer could be hormones.
Researchers from the 2013 study found the risk of more serious conditions did not increase in sleep-deprived men given their testosterone levels rise following poor sleep.Women also produce testosterone, but less than men. Other studies have shown oestrogen replacement therapy helps improve sleep quality in post-menopausal women.
An Australian psychologist, Dr Jo Abbott at Swinburne University of Technology, told The New Daily that more research on the effects of testosterone in women could lead to better understanding of sleep loss.
Clean up your sleeping patterns
Australasian Sleep Association’s Dr Alan Young said it is possible to improve quality of sleep through “sleep hygiene” – that is, habits and practices that ensure you sleep well on a regular basis.
Dr Young recommend the following:
• Schedule 30 minutes of “wind down time” before going to bed, such as reading or listening to music;
• Avoid using computers and phones late at night;
• Dim the lights before getting ready for sleep; and
• Try to keep a regular bed time.
So how much sleep do I need?
Though this latest study implies there is a relative amount of sleep men and women need, the reality is sleep needs vary greatly from person to person. In addition to mental exertion, physical activity, ageing and genetic variations influence the amount of rest you require.
Fortunately, figuring out how much sleep you need isn’t rocket science. Dr Young said it is as simple as listening to your body.
“When you’re feeling sleepy, that’s when you should be doing that preparing and going to sleep. We often ignore those cues because we’re going out late or watching television.
“We also need to be careful not to spend too much time in bed, chasing that elusive sleep. There’s no advantage in staying in bed for eight hours if you’re awake staring at the ceiling for two of those hours.”
Our Experts: DR SIN GWEN LI, consultant, Department of Psychiatry, Singapore General Hospital, DR RAYMOND CHOY, general practitioner, Raffles Medical Group
1. Medication Certain types of medication can cause insomnia. Dr Sin Gwen Li, a consultant from the Department of Psychiatry at Singapore General Hospital, says the list includes anti-hyper tension medicine like beta blockers and Ace inhibitors; cholesterol-lowering agents like statins, corticosteroids, non-sedating antihistamines and certain antidepressants and asthma medicine. Another culprit is the stimulant pseudoephedrine that's found in Panadol Cold Relief.And just as you would avoid drinking caffeinated drinks like coffee or tea later in the day, be wary of caffeine in medication like Panadol Extra. Other stimulants that can affect your sleep include nicotine, from cigarettes or nicotine patches, and alcohol."While most people fall asleep more easily after drinking alcohol, it's important to know that alcohol inhibits the dream phase of sleep and causes more frequent night-time wakings, on top of making a person want to pass urine more often during the night. Overall, it leads to poorer quality sleep," says Dr Sin.
2. Illnesses and Medical Conditions. If you suffer from chronic pain, such as joint pain, abdominal pain, headaches, toothaches, post-surgery pain, or pain from heart problems or an open injury, you may experience severe insomnia or disruptive sleep to some extent. People who suffer from chronic pain are thought to spend less time in deep sleep, leading to disruptive sleep, says Dr Raymond Choy, a general practitioner at Raffles Medical Group. And those who have been diagnosed with a psychological or psychiatric condition - such as depression, schizophrenia or anxiety, or are dealing with a lot of stress in their life - may have trouble falling asleep or maintaining a good quality of sleep.
3. Your Room Is the Wrong Temperature. Are you sleeping in a room that is too hot or cold? Surprisingly, room temperature is crucial to sleep quality, says Dr Choy. Use a thermostat to find out if your room is the perfect temperature for sleeping - the optimal temperature range is 15 to 20 deg C. When you go to bed, your body temperature gradually drops in order to promote deep, continuous sleep. But if the room is too hot or cold, your body struggles to achieve this "set point". This is one of the reasons why eating or exercising too close to bedtime can affect your sleep - both activities raise the core temperature of your body and make it harder for your body to cool itself down. What else affects your body temperature? Memory foam pillows, which conform to your body, might make you feel warm; and cold feet, which is easily addressed with a pair of thick socks.
4. Stimulating Pre-bedtime Activities. You already know that spending time on your laptop, computer, tablet or smartphone close to bedtime can delay your ability to wind down, and potentially disrupt your sleep. But Dr Sin cautions against other sleep disrupters, including reading a book you simply cannot put down, or watching a horror, action or thriller fi lm too close to bedtime. These activities increase your body's production of adrenaline, which has a stimulating effect on your body and can make it hard for you to nod off. Similarly, having a heated discussion with your spouse or kids can stress you out and keep you from enjoying a good night's rest.
5. Environmental Factors. Even if your bed is comfortable and your room is at the right temperature, your sleep can be affected by factors such as your hubby's snoring or talking in his sleep, or if he tosses and turns or kicks during the night, or wakes up frequently to use the bathroom, says Dr Sin. Noise from traffic or the neighbours can also prevent you from sleeping well. Ideally, your room should feel like a cave - quiet, dark and cool. So you should do whatever you can to create the perfect sleep environment, be it closing your windows at night or investing in blackout curtains. "A dark room is preferable, so that when you wake up to natural light in the morning, you will feel more alert and be more willing to get out of bed," says Dr Choy.
6. Your Mattress Is Not Good Enough
A good mattress is essential for quality sleep, says Dr Choy. If you want to be able to fall asleep easily and wake up refreshed, you should first consider your physical health - do you or Hubby suffer from back, hip or shoulder pain, for example? If you do, a therapeutic mattress might work better for you.
If you don't have any major health problems, you'll want a mattress that offers good support.
Soft, firm, or somewhere in the middle, the choice is yours, as long as it feels comfortable and allows you to toss and turn easily. And make sure your mattress doesn't sag under your weight, as it can contribute to poor posture.
If you feel aches and pain all over your body when you wake up, your mattress is the wrong firmness.
If you prefer a mattress with a soft to medium firmness, try a memory foam one as it conforms to your body and offers excellent spinal support, as opposed to an innerspring mattress. A memory foam mattress also offers better air circulation and pressure point relief, besides boasting hypoallergenic and antimicrobial proper ties.
For those who prefer a medium or firm mattress, choose one that's comfortable, although a hard or firm mattress is said to be bad for the lower back. DO YOU NEED MORE QUALITY SLEEP?
It's perfectly normal to have a bad night's sleep every now and then. But over time, these lost hours can add up and result in sleep debt.
If you have not been getting enough rest for several days and are experiencing some of these symptoms, it could point to sleep deprivation.
So deal with it before it becomes chronic, advises Dr Sin, as severe sleep deprivation can result in hallucinations, depression, mania and falling asleep at the most inopportune times.
Here are the signs of poor sleep:
- Poor concentration
- Memory lapses - Headaches - Tiredness - Irritability - Weight gain - Hand tremors - Muscle aches - Clumsiness, slower response time and processing speed.
