Sleep hygiene, a selfcure for insomniacs
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Sleep disorders are linked to abnormal sleep patterns. During sleep, the brain electrical activity passes through five consecutive stages: stages 1, 2, 3, 4, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which make up a sleep cycle lasting for about one and half hours. An average night is composed of about four to five cycles of sleep.
Stages 1 and 2 are light sleep and stages 3 and 4 are deep sleep stages. Stages 3 and 4 are the most refreshing of the sleep stages, and necessary for a restful night.
There are various types of sleep disorders and the most common is insomnia, which is the inability to get to sleep or sleep well. Insomnia can be caused by many factors, especially stress and anxiety, but can also be due to a health condition, medications and excessive intake of stimulant beverages such as coffee.
Other sleep disorders include:
- restless legs syndrome; a disorder characterised by an almost irresistible urge to move the legs (and arms) during rest and sleep
- narcolepsy; a sleep disorder that involves excessive, uncontrollable daytime sleepiness leading to "sleep attacks"
Circadian rhythm sleep disorders, which affect the internal biological clock that regulates the 24hours sleepwake cycle
- jet lag
- sleep apnoea (breathing is temporarily interrupted). This condition must be recognised early, as it is potentially lifethreatening and requires urgent medical evaluation.
Moderate insomnia affects between 20 and 30 per cent of the population in Western countries. Five to 10 per cent suffer from severe insomnia. According to the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research, at least 40 million Americans suffer from chronic, longterm sleep disorders.
Sleep disorders cause more than just sleepiness. A lack of quality sleep has a negative impact on the productivity, emotional balance and general health of the individual. It is worth highlighting that one fifth of road accidents are attributable the drivers' poor sleep or lack of sleep.
Although sleep disorders are often considered a chronic problem, most cases of insomnia can effectively be prevented or treated through lifestyle changes and improvement in sleep hygiene without resorting to sleeping medications. In fact, sleeping pills taken without medical supervision can often aggravate a sleep disorder in the long run.
In practice, sleep medications are most effective when used sparingly for shortterm situations, such as after longhaul travel. If medications are used over the long term, they are best used "as needed" instead of on a daily basis, to avoid dependence and tolerance.
The logical focus then, should be on improving our sleep hygiene; this would include the following:
- Maintain a proper diet leading to a healthy bodyweight.
- Practice regular exercise as a routine.
- Set a proper bedroom environment with comfortable temperature, darkness and quietness.
- Set aside a reasonable period for sleep, which is at least eight hours per night for most people.
- Try keeping a regular sleep schedule, going to sleep and getting up at the same time each day.
- Turn off mobile phones and computers a few hours before sleeping, as these electronic appliances produce waves which appear to activate the brain and interfere with the body's internal clock.
Dr Gerard Lalande is the managing director of CEOHealth, which provides medical referrals for expatriates and customised executive medical checkups in Thailand. He can be contacted at [email protected].
