We’ve all been there: teetering on the edge of sleep, only to reach for the phone or click ‘still here’ on Netflix when it checks for your pulse. Deep down, we know we should be reaching for a calming cup of chamomile tea and heading to bed. For many of us, especially workaholics, sending late-night emails has become a habit that's hard to break. We know we should be sleeping, yet the allure of staying awake is all too common. And when we finally do surrender to sleep, drifting off often seems impossible. The stress from work, worries about the next day, and that afternoon coffee keep us tossing and turning.
If you’re reading this, you probably agree. So if you’re looking for a sign to get your sleep habits in check, this is it.
Your brain, heart, and even your mood desperately need better sleep. Sleep isn’t just a passive state; it's when your body goes into overdrive repairing itself, fighting off diseases, and even making sense of your day.
Here’s to hoping we convince you to swap that late-night binge-watching for a calming bath or a meditation session.
The Impact of Sleep Deprivation
Other than feeling better, why do we need sleep? Sleep is when our bodies regulate hormones, manage metabolism, and repair cells. Insufficient sleep can disrupt these processes, leading to various health issues:
Heart Health: Lack of sleep is linked to high blood pressure and heart disease. Without enough sleep, your body doesn't get the necessary drop in blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.
Weight and Metabolism: Sleep influences glucose processing and insulin sensitivity, impacting type 2 diabetes. It alters appetite-controlling hormones, triggering hunger and increased calorie intake.
Immune Function: Our immune system relies on sleep to stay healthy. Ongoing sleep deficiency can change how our immune cells work, making us more prone to infections.
Brain Function: Sleep is crucial for cognition, preparing your brain for learning, memory, and decision-making. Lack of sleep can diminish these abilities and alertness.
Emotional and Psychological Health: Insufficient sleep increases susceptibility to stress, anxiety, and depression. It helps control our emotions, and its lack can make us overreact to minor irritations.
Defining Insufficient Sleep vs. Insomnia
We all feel tired at some point, but what actually counts as ‘not enough sleep’? Insufficient sleep happens when you don’t give yourself enough time to sleep, often because of busy schedules or habits like late-night Netflix binges. This leads to feeling tired during the day, and the good news is, it’s usually fixable by simply getting more sleep.
Insomnia, on the other hand, is a sleep disorder that makes it hard to fall asleep or stay asleep, even
when you have the opportunity to do so. According to the Mayo Clinic, insomnia can cause you to wake up too early and not be able to get back to sleep. It can drain your energy, affect your mood, and impact your health, work performance, and quality of life. Insomnia can be short-term, often due to stress, or long-term, lasting three months or more and sometimes related to other medical conditions or medications (Philips).
Let’s repeat that.
If you wanted to sleep but find yourself stalling or have built habits that keep you awake, you might be dealing with insufficient sleep. It’s common and often a result of our lifestyles.
The Emotional Cost of Sleep Loss
Cranky? Short temper? Crying at the drop of a hat? You may need sleep. Missing out on sleep doesn’t just affect your physical health; it also takes a toll on your emotional wellness and social interactions.
In one study, Dr. David Dinges found that people who are sleep-deprived react to low-level stressors as intensely as well-rested people would to high-level stressors. This shows how we become overly sensitive to minor annoyances—a common experience when we're short on sleep.
What Research Says About Not Sleeping Enough
Scientific research consistently shows that sleep is a cornerstone of our health. Over the years, a surge in sleep studies has shown just how much lack of sleep affects our bodies, even down to the cellular level.
And if you think that long days and short nights are not affecting your ability to function, we are here to remind you that no one is exempt. Staying awake for more than 16 hours can affect you as much as being legally drunk. Dr. Dinges' research shows that not getting enough sleep can seriously impair your ability to think and pay attention.
A sneaky cause of sleep issues isn’t just about not getting enough sleep but also poor quality sleep. Waking up frequently or not sleeping in sync with your body’s natural rhythms can be equally harmful. Good quality sleep, which follows a natural cycle and lasts long enough, is essential for our bodies to repair and recharge.
So if you are going to bed, but tossing and turning, or waking up often you may also need to consider making changes to your habits and sleep environment.
Dr. Dinges explains, "Sleep is much more restorative when it's uninterrupted and follows our natural sleep cycles. This means going through the proper stages of deep and light sleep at the right times of night."
Now What? Try Sleep Hygiene, a Science-Backed Route to Better Sleep
Now that we have hopefully convinced you that not only do you need enough sleep, but you also need quality sleep, you might now ask, "What can I do about it?" This is where sleep hygiene comes into play—a set of habits and practices that are simple to follow yet can immensely improve your sleep quality.
Think of sleep hygiene as a sleep routine. Just as many of us have morning routines, we also need night routines.
Before we dive into sleep hygiene, it's important to note a common phenomenon many of us experience
called revenge bedtime procrastination. A 2021 global survey by Philips revealed that 37% of respondents admitted to delaying sleep to engage in activities such as watching TV or using their phones. This behaviour is often a way for people to reclaim personal time they feel they missed during the day.
So if you are resisting going to sleep because you need personal time, we understand. View the sleep hygiene steps as a time to set aside time to relax, enjoy your evening, but in a way that supports quality sleep rather than hindering it.
Here are some sleep hygiene recommendations:
Stick to a Sleep Schedule: Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
Create a Bedtime Ritual: Engage in calming activities before bed like reading a book or taking a warm bath to signal to your body it’s time to wind down.
Optimize Your Environment: Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Invest in blackout curtains, eye masks, or white noise machines if needed.
Watch What and When You Eat: Avoid heavy meals, caffeine, and alcohol close to bedtime, as they can disrupt sleep.
Power Down the Screens: Turn off electronic devices at least an hour before bed to reduce blue light exposure, which can interfere with melatonin production.
Get Active: Regular physical activity can help you fall asleep faster and enjoy deeper sleep—but try to finish any vigorous exercise a few hours before bedtime.
Of course, there may be other reasons you are struggling to sleep, so if you are experiencing deeper issues, make sure to speak to a healthcare professional. For instance, women tend to suffer more from sleep problems, and let’s not forget about stress, such as from work. Insomnia is very real and may require other interventions beyond the basics of sleep hygiene.
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