Sleep Problems - Courtesy of The Royal College of Psychiatrists

You don't usually need to think very much about sleep. It's just a part of life's routine, but most people do find it hard to sleep at some point. There's even a word for it - insomnia. It's often just for a short time, perhaps when you're worried or excited. When things settle down, you get back to sleeping normally. If you can't get back to sleeping well, it can be a real problem because sleep keeps our minds and bodies healthy.

What is sleep?

Sleep is the regular period in every 24 hours when we are unconscious and unaware of our surroundings. There are two main types of sleep:

§  Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep

It comes and goes throughout the night, and makes up about one fifth of our sleep. The brain is very active, our eyes move quickly from side to side and we dream, but our muscles are very relaxed.

§  Non-REM sleep

The brain is quiet, but the body may move around. Hormones are released into the bloodstream and the body repairs itself after the wear and tear of the day. There are 4 stages of non-REM sleep:

1.      The muscles relax, the heart beats slower and body temperature falls - 'pre-sleep'.

2.    'Light sleep' - you can still be woken easily without feeling confused.

3.    'Slow wave' sleep - our blood pressure falls, you may talk in your sleep or sleep walk.

4.    'Deep slow wave' sleep - you are very hard to wake. If somebody does wake you, you feel confused.

We move between REM and non-REM sleep about 5 times throughout the night, dreaming more towards the morning.

During a normal night, you will wake up for 1 or 2 minutes every 2 hours or so. You aren't usually aware of these 'mini wakes', but may remember them if you feel anxious or there is something else going on - noises outside, your partner snoring etc.

How much sleep do we need?

This mainly depends on your age.

§  Babies sleep for about 17 hours each day.

§  Older children only need 9 or 10 hours each night.

§  Most adults need around 8 hours sleep each night.

§  Older people need the same amount of sleep, but will often only have one period of deep sleep during the night, usually in the first 3 or 4 hours. After that, they wake more easily. We also tend to dream less as we get older.

There are also differences between people of the same age. Most of us need 8 hours a night, but some (a few) people will get by with only 3 hours a night.

The short periods of being awake can feel much longer than they really are. So you can easily feel that you are not sleeping as much as you are.

What if I don't sleep?

It's easy to worry when you can't sleep. The occasional night without sleep will make you feel tired the next day, but it won't harm your physical or mental health.

However, after several sleepless nights, you will start to find that:

§  you are tired all the time

§  you drop off during the day

§  you find it difficult to concentrate

§  you find it hard to make decisions

§  you start to feel depressed.

This can be very dangerous if you are driving or operating heavy machinery. Many deaths are caused each year by people falling asleep at the wheel while driving.

Lack of sleep can make you more likely to get high blood pressure, diabetes and be overweight.

Sleep problems in adult life

Sleeping too little (Insomnia)
You may feel that you aren't getting enough sleep or that, even if you do get the hours, you just aren't getting a good night's rest.

There are many everyday reasons for not sleeping well:

§  the bedroom may be too noisy, too hot or too cold

§  the bed may be uncomfortable or too small

§  you don't have a regular sleep routine

§  you partner has a different pattern of sleep from you

§  you aren't getting enough exercise

§  you eat too late - and find it hard to get off to sleep

§  you go to bed hungry - and wake up too early

§  cigarettes, alcohol and drinks containing caffeine, such as tea and coffee

§  illness, pain or a high temperature.

More serious reasons include:

§  emotional problems

§  difficulties at work

§  anxiety and worry

§  depression - you wake very early and can't get back to sleep

§  thinking over and over about problems.

Helping yourself

Here are some simple tips that many people find helpful:

Do's

§  Make sure that your bed and bedroom are comfortable - not too hot, not too cold, not too noisy.

§  Make sure that your mattress supports you properly. If it's too firm, your hips and shoulders are under pressure. If it's too soft, your body sags, which is bad for your back. Generally, you should replace your mattress every 10 years to get the best support and comfort. 

§  Get some exercise. Don't overdo it, but try some regular swimming or walking. The best time to exercise is in the daytime - particularly late afternoon or early evening. Later than this can disturb your sleep.

§  Take some time to relax properly before going to bed. Some people find aromatherapy helpful.

§  If something is troubling you and there is nothing you can do about it right away, try writing it down before going to bed and then tell yourself to deal with it tomorrow.

§  If you can't sleep, get up and do something relaxing. Read, watch television or listen to quiet music. After a while you should feel tired enough to go to bed again.

Don'ts

§  Don't go without sleep for a long time - go to bed when you are tired and stick to a routine of getting up at the same time every day, whether you still feel tired or not.