Are You Struggling to Sleep ?

World Sleep Day is Friday 15^th March!  But it isn’t just another date on the calendar; it’s a positive opportunity to check in with yourself!

A reminder that we need good restful sleep to keep us functioning optimally physically, mentally and emotionally and to keep us sharp personally and professionally!

We often take good sleep for granted, yet many of us really struggle with sleeping. The odd sleepless night happens to everyone, but persistent sleeplessness can cause many physical, psychological and emotional health problems. Insomnia being the most common psychological problems that people seek help for.

In fact, more recent statistics show that 36% of UK adults face difficulties falling asleep at least once a week. Insomnia medication prescriptions and online searches have risen, and there is a significant portion of adults reporting poor sleep

 

affects their mental state. Equally in the US approximately 50 to 70 million American adults have some type of sleep disorder. Insomnia again comes high up the list.

Many sleep problems come from a heightened state our mind adopts whilst working through the challenges, problems, stresses and anxieties in our daily lives and this directly impacts our thoughts, feelings, emotions and behaviours.

It’s all about making sure we’re getting the rest we need, when we need it.

So…

Why is the simple practice of sleep so crucial for us and how does our brain handle sleep?

I have personally always struggled with sleep. Ironically, I never liked the dark as a child and recall I could only sleep with the door open a little. And yet now every noise and light disturb me. So, I need it to be dark and quiet to sleep well.  I also have a torrent of thoughts that go on in my head at night, so I have been really curious about sleep and what it means for us. This is especially important when we consider how our lives and needs change through Midlife.

 

Have you ever thought why Sleep takes up a good percentage of our lives?

 

What is Sleep?

Sleep is a complex biological process. It is a critical component of our health and daily functioning. It’s as vital as eating, drinking, and breathing, and it plays a crucial role in our physical health, emotional well-being, and cognitive performance.

It has several stages to it that include different levels and depths of sleep. These include REM (rapid eye movement) and several stages of non-REM sleep. Each stage has its own distinctive pattern of brain waves and physiological functions. That’s because during sleep, we are working hard to support healthy brain function and maintain our physical health. It’s a time when the brain is at work internally storing, compartmentalising information we have taken in from all our senses in every second of the day. It is consolidating memories in our mind, repairing body tissues in our bodies, and restoring and repleting energy levels through our whole mind/body system. Yes, it really is that critical,  I honestly don’t know how I managed to survive my teens and 20’s  with the late nights /early mornings and not enough catchup sleep!

If we sleep too little, we become unable to process what we’ve learned during the day, and we have more trouble remembering it in the future. Researchers also believe that sleep has a part to play in removing waste product from our brain cells. This is something it can’t do as efficiently when we are awake.

If like me, you have ever felt fuzzy after a poor night’s sleep, it won’t surprise you that sleep significantly impacts brain function. We just find it more difficult to focus, think and respond if we are not fully rested.

 

The Benefits of Sleep

Quality sleep can boost your immune system, enhance your mood, and increase cognitive functions like attention, learning, memory, and problem-solving. It also plays a key role in the regulation of emotions, decision-making processes, and managing our relationships.

 

Neuro Basics

Our sleep patterns are regulated by the circadian rhythm. That is the internal biological clock we have that operates on a roughly 24-hour cycle. This rhythm is influenced by environmental cues like light and darkness, which affect the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. The brain’s sleep-wake cycle is primarily controlled by the hypothalamus, with the prefrontal cortex playing a role in the regulation of REM sleep and the consolidation of memories.

 

Sleep Needs in Midlife

As we reach midlife, the amount of sleep we require remains roughly the same as in early adulthood, about 7-9 hours per night. However, sleep patterns can and do change, and many individuals find it much harder to fall asleep or stay asleep through the night as we get older. These changes  are generally attributed to changes at this stage of life in our health, lifestyle, personal, environment etc and as we get older.

 

The problem with Tiredness

Lack of sleep or poor sleep quality can significantly affect well-being and productivity. It tends to affect managing our emotions, increasing the likelihood of mood swings, irritability, and stress. On a physical level, chronic sleep deprivation can contribute to a range of health issues, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and a weakened immune system.

And prolonged sleep deprivation can lead to serious problems associated with an increased risk to our mental health , including depression and anxiety.

 

When I am coaching people with issues that disturb their sleep, it is important to address sleep as part of the work we do because it affects so many other areas of our life.

Here are 6 strategies we discuss to enhance sleep and support overall wellbeing:

 

1. Establish a Regular Sleep Schedule: Creating a structure to your sleep is important to retrain you brain for sleep. Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This helps regulate your body’s internal clock and can improve the quality of your sleep.

 

2. Create a Restful Environment: Make you sleep space a great place to encourage sleep.  Ensure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and at a comfortable temperature. Remove noise or things in the room that draw your attention away from sleeping.  Consider using earplugs, eye shades, or a sleep app or white noise machines to blocks out disturbances.

Make your bed as comfortable as possible to suit you and where you can get some quality bedding. Something that feels comforting to you to the touch, that supports your sleep. For example, I sleep better with clean fresh sheets and a light duvet, with little or low heating.

 

3. Mind Your Diet and Exercise: Your gut has a lot of work to do when you eat, and drink and any stimulants will go straight to your system to stimulate and disrupt your sleep. So, avoid heavy or large meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep.

 

4. Regular Physical Activity: Regular exercise regulates your system and helps supports your system to help relax you. However, It is not helpful to take heavy exercise close to bedtime. That is more likely to energise you rather then relax you.

 

5. Winding down before bedtime: Establish a routine to calm your mind and body before bed. Take about 30-60 minutes. This might include reading, taking a warm bath, or practicing meditation or relaxation exercises.

 

6. Manage Stress and Anxiety: If you are worrying about something before bedtime or you have something on your mind, it is likely to keep you up. so, I sometimes suggest creating a ‘Worry Pad’ by the bed. By writing your worries down or things you need to do tomorrow before you go to bed, you create a download for your mind. This allows your mind to be cleared because you have logged the worry externally on your pad and you don’t need to hold it in your mind. This makes it easier to relax and aid sleep.

Please feel free to have a go at some of these if you are struggling to relax and sleep. Do what works for you and even if you only find one of these of help, however small a change you make, remember that small changes can have a big impact over time. And by continuing to use the strategy you are creating a positive habit to aid good sleep.

If you found this a useful article  and you have issues that are disturbing you, give me a call and we can chat through what might help you.

My Best

Caroline