Guide to Healthy Sleep

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Sleep was long considered just a uniform block of time when you are not awake.Thanks to sleep studies done, it is now known that sleep has distinctive stages that

cycle throughout the night. Your brain stays active throughout sleep, but differentthings happen during each stage. For instance, certain stages of sleep are indeed forus to feel well rested and energetic the next day, and other stages help us learn or

make memories.The Science of SleepSleep can be divided into two types: rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM (NREM) sleep. NREM sleep has four stages of increasingly deep sleep. Stage 1

sleep is the lightest, while stage 4 is the deepest.Circadian RhythmTypically, people sleep at night -- thanks not only to the conventions of the 9-to-5 workday, but also to the close interaction between our natural sleep and

alertness rhythms, which are driven by an internal " clock " situated in the brain. Lightand exercise " reset " the clock and can move it forward or backward. Abnormalitiesrelated to this clock are called Circadian Rhythm Disorders ( " circa " means " about, "

and " dies " means " day " ) e.g. Jet lag, shift work (drivers, doctors, nurses, BPOemployees) etc.The Eight-Hour MythWe’ve all been told that we should get eight hours of sleep per night. This

information is an average, and might not be a perfect fit for everyone. Some may needmore sleep, and others less, so it varies from person to person.Short vs. Long SleepersEveryone has a sleep need that is likely determined by our genes. This need is

the amount of sleep our body requires for us to wake up feeling refreshed. This likelyoccurs across a spectrum, with “short-sleepers†needing less than average of 8 hrsmay be 5 hrs or so and “long-sleepers†needing more than 8 hrs may be up to 10 hrs.

Changing Needs Across a LifetimeThe average amount of sleep needed, with individuals both above and belowthese needs, changes over one’s lifetime:♣ Infants (3-11 months) need 14-15 hours

♣ Toddlers (12-35 months) need 12-14 hours♣ Preschoolers (3-6 years) need 11-13 hours♣ School age (6-10 years) need 10-11 hours♣ Adolescents (11-18 years) need 9.25 hours♣ Adults need an average of 7 to 8 hours

♣ Elderly adults may need less sleepHow Can I Determine My Sleep Needs?There is an easy way to determine how much sleep you need. Follow these steps:♣ Set aside a week or two that you can focus on your sleep and not allow

disruptions or changes to your sleep schedule.♣ Select a typical bedtime and stick with it, night after night.♣ Allow yourself to sleep in as long as you want, awakening without an alarm clockin the morning.

♣ After a few days, you will have paid off your sleep debt, and you will begin toapproach the average amount of sleep that you need.♣ Once you determine your need, try to set your bedtime at an hour that will allow

you the sleep you need, while still waking up in time to start your day.Health ConsequencesNot sleeping enough and not sleeping well is not OK. Chronic sleep deprivationsignificantly affects health, safety and performance.

The stresses of daily life may intrude upon our ability to sleep well. Manymedical or mental-health conditions can disrupt sleep. However, it is criticallyimportant to realize that sleep deprivation is very often due to unrecognized sleep

disorders. Let’s look at the consequences of sleep deprivation which are short termand long term as discussed below.Sleep DebtWhat happens if we don’t meet sleep needs? By not getting enough sleep, we

accumulate a sleep debt that we usually have to “pay off.†This might involve extrasleep by napping, going to bed early, or sleeping in to catch up. If we sleep less thanour body needs to feel refreshed and don’t catch up we might experience:

♣ Daytime sleepiness♣ Fatigue♣ Difficulty concentrating♣ Poor thinking♣ Increased risk of accidentsLong term - The clinical consequences of chronic untreated sleep disorders are largeindeed. They are associated with numerous, serious medical illnesses, including:

♣ High blood pressure, Heart attack, Stroke♣ Stress♣ Obesity♣ Mental impairment, Depression and mood disorders♣ Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)♣ Injury from accidents♣ Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality

♣ Poor quality of lifeGet a Good Night's SleepAll that said, here are some sleep hygiene tips to help yourelax, fall asleep, stay asleep, and get better sleep so that youwake up refreshed and alert.

♣ Stick to a sleep schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time each dayevenon the weekends.♣ Exercise is great but not too late in the day. Avoid exercising closer than 5or 6 hours before bedtime.

♣ Avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol in the evening. The stimulating effectsof caffeine in coffee, colas, teas, and chocolate can take as long as 8 hours towear off fully. Nicotine is also a stimulant. Alcohol keeps you in the lights

stages of sleep. You also tend to wake up in the middle of the night when thesedating effects have worn off.♣ Avoid large meals and beverages late at night. A large meal can causeindigestion that interferes with sleep. Drinking too many fluids at night can

cause you to awaken frequently to urinate.♣ Eat right, sleep tight. Try not to go to bed hungry, but avoid heavy mealsbefore bedtime. Some foods can help, though. Milk contains tryptophan, whichis a sleep-promoting substance. Other foods that may help promote sleep

include almonds, peaches, walnuts, apricots, oats, asparagus, potatoes, pumpkin,avocados, eggs and bananas.♣ Avoid medicines that delay or disrupt your sleep, if possible. Somecommonly prescribed heart, blood pressure, or asthma medications, as well as

some over-the-counter herbal remedies for coughs, colds, or allergies, candisrupt sleep patterns.♣ Don't take naps after 3 p.m. Naps can boost your brain power, but lateafternoon naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night. Also keep your naps to

15 to 30 minutes.♣ Relax before bed. Take time to unwind. A relaxing activity, such as reading orlistening to music, should be part of your bedtime ritual.♣ Take a hot bath before bed. The drop in body temperature after the bath

may help you feel sleepy and the bath can help relax you.♣ Have a good sleeping environment. Get rid of anything that might distract youfrom sleep, such as noises, bright lights, an uncomfortable bed, or a TV or

computer in the bedroom. Also, keeping the temperature in your bedroom on thecool side can help you sleep better.♣ Don't lie in bed awake. If you find yourself still awake after staying in bedfor more than 20 minutes, get up and do a quiet relaxing activity such as

reading or listening to music until you feel sleepy. The anxiety of not being ableto sleep can make it harder to fall asleep.♣ Keep pets off the bed. Does your pet sleep with you? This, too, may cause youto awaken during the night, either from allergies or pet movements. Fido and

Fluffy might be better off on the floor than on your sheets.♣ See a doctor if you continue to have trouble sleeping. If you consistentlyfind yourself feeling tired or not well rested during the day despite spending

enough time in bed at night, you may have a sleep disorder. Your family doctoror a sleep specialist should be able to help you.References: 1. http://www.medicinenet.com 2. http://www.webmd.com

Compiled by Medical & Occupational Health Centre, RCP.

 

 

 

 

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