Getting a good night's sleep has never been so difficult for us Brits, with over 50% of us struggling to nod off, according to the Great British Sleep Survey.
Meanwhile, a survey by hotel chain Travelodge found that we're getting almost an hour's less sleep than we used to. And things are perhaps worse than ever around the Christmas period, what with all the extra social engagements and shopping excursions.
This lack of slumber is more damaging than you might think. Dr Chris Idzikowski, a leading expert from the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, says: "Reduction in sleep invariably impairs concentration and memory and causes fatigue, tiredness and trickiest of all - irritability.
"Chronically reduced sleep time, meanwhile, is associated with increased weight and poorer glucose handling and other health problems. And, for men, testosterone levels go down."
With sleep deprivation wreaking such havoc on our personal and private lives, MSN Him asked Dr Idzikowski for his top tips on regaining this lost hour in dreamland.
Make time for sleep
It sounds obvious, but too many of us simply aren't clearing our schedules for sleep. Overworking, too many social commitments, faffing around on social media into the early hours - all these things eat up the hours and make it impossible for you to fit in your recommended amount of shut-eye (we'll come to that in a moment) and cancel out your sleep debt.
Dr Idzikowski says: "At the end of the day the only way of claiming back lost sleep is by allowing yourself enough time to sleep. Catching up at weekends, taking naps et. will keep you going, but to completely restore your sleep budget, you have to allow yourself enough time to sleep."
How much do you need?
We've already established just how important sleep is to our overall health and wellbeing, but how do you know if you're getting enough if you don't actually know how much sleep your body needs at night?
Figuring out your nightly requirement is an essential part of maintaining balanced sleep levels, says Dr Idzikowski. "Surveys indicate that the average amount of sleep associated with least ill health in young adult males is 7.5 hours, though anywhere between 5.5 and 9.5 hours is probably OK.
It depends on the individual. If, constitutionally you are a nine-hour sleeper and you are only getting 7.5 hours, then you will be sleep deprived and feel yourself suffer as a result."
Use your smarts
Statistics published by telecoms watchdog Ofcom showed that, in the first quarter of 2011, smartphones represented 48% of all mobile phone sales.
So with this electronic multi-tool fast becoming the default device in the UK, you should make the most of its capabilities in helping to restore your sleep debt. Dr Idzikowski says: "Devices like the Zeo (www.myzeo.co.uk) work with your smartphone to measure exactly what you are doing to yourself, and, more importantly, just what you are doing wrong.
"The Zeo measures sleep stages as well as total sleep time so it's possible to start identifying what you are doing during the day that may affect those stages. Identifying what affects your deep or REM (dreaming) sleep means that you can start managing this behaviour."
The right food and drink
It's common knowledge that coffee and other caffeine-rich treats can rob us of much-deserved sleep, but which other foods can hinder, or help, our slumber patterns?
Dr Idzikowski says the evidence for milky drinks aiding sleep isn't compelling, but it could work for some. "It may be something to do with tryptophan - an amino acid that is found in abundance in milk and nuts, seeds, bananas, honey and eggs. Tryptophan is the starting block for the production of serotonin, a brain chemical which is thought by many to influence sleep.
"You should avoid high protein levels as they block the absorption of tryptophan in the brain. Chocolate contains tryptophan and very, very little caffeine. Meanwhile, tests have shown that a very low carbohydrate diet over the short-term promotes an increase in deep sleep, but a reduction of REM sleep. Bear in mind over the long term, both deep and REM sleep are important so it's better to have a balance."
Eat at the right time
Perhaps a slightly more surprising reason for the emergence of this 'sleep debt' is the fact that many of us don't eat at a time of day that supports deep, dreaming sleep.
Dr Idzikowski offers the following advice: "Eat three meals a day and don't eat immediately before bedtime. But hidden in this question is when to exercise. Exercise and big meals in the evening are both OK but should occur at least 2-3 hours before bedtime. If you are a five-small-meals-a-day snacker, you could actually leave your snack to closer to bedtime.
"The biggest problem with eating a big meal prior to go to bed is getting night-time heartburn when some of the stomach contents and acid work their way back towards the mouth."
Reduce stimulants
If you've suddenly noticed that you're getting less sleep than you used to, it could be that lifestyle changes, or a period of excess (such as Christmas or birthdays), is the root cause of your sleep debt.
Take a close look at your lifestyle and cut out any activities which could be overstimulating your brain. "Don't indulge in excess caffeine, alcohol, smoking, heavy dinners, watching television or playing on the computer at night before going to bed," says Dr Idzikowski.
Take a holiday
Although taking a siesta when you can and catching up on lost sleep at the weekends may help some of us restore our natural balance, for the seriously sleep deprived this simply isn't enough.
According to Harvard University Medical School: "If you've missed 10 hours of sleep over one week, make up for it over the weekend and the following week.
"If you've missed sleep for decades, it could take a few weeks to repay the debt. Plan a vacation with a light schedule, and sleep every night until you wake naturally. Once you've determined how much sleep you need, factor it into your daily schedule."
Sleep deep
If you're getting eight hours of sleep a night and still feel exhausted, chances are you're not getting the right type of sleep. Dr Idzikowski explains: "The main stages are deep sleep, REM sleep and light sleep. REM and deep sleep are critical for physical wellbeing and peak performance.
"Deep and REM sleep are both thought to be restorative, and light sleep may act as the cement for the other stages. Getting the right balance is the key to achieving elite sleep - basically the best quality sleep you can get."
So, this means no distractions in the bedroom (TV, computers all have to go), making sure the room is a comfortable temperature and giving yourself enough time to sleep.
Once you've done this and followed all the other expert tips above - you should find yourself back in the black.
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