In the concluding part of this wellbeing series, let’s take some time to address the challenge presented by a voluntarily imposed lack of sufficient sleep and those conditions that cause an inability to get good sleep. The above two definitions are descriptive of the concepts of sleep deprivation and sleep disorder.

Good sleep has been found to be necessary for optimal health and can affect hormone levels, mood and weight; in fact, modern research is placing sleep above many other related factors, including diet and exercise, in terms of impact on an individual’s wellbeing. On the other hand, however, difficulties with sleeping, including snoring, sleep apnea, insomnia, sleep deprivation, and restless legs syndrome, are a common phenomenon that not only puts us at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes, it also makes us less productive, less empathetic and less safe at work.

According to The Living Well Index, the output of a study into how Britons feel about their quality of life conducted by the retail giant Sainsbury’s in partnership with leading researchers, Oxford Economics and the National Centre for Social research, sleep quality was found to be the strongest indicator of living well (wellbeing) amongst Brits. For employees to be at their best, sufficient sleep amongst other factors like physical activity and good diet, are critical. One example that seems to justify this position is the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in Alaska in 1989, when a super tanker ran aground, resulting in the destruction of wildlife and spilling almost 300,000 barrels of crude oil in the process. It is alleged that it was due to the third mate sleeping at the helm, leaving him unable to turn the boat back into the shipping lanes in time to avoid the disaster. The report has it that the crew had just put in a 22-hour shift loading the oil onto the ship. So, gone are the days when people boast of being able to function optimally on only a few hours of sleep a night.

When people talk about problems involving the quality, timing, and amount of sleep they can get, which results in daytime distress and impairment in functioning, then, what is essentially being talked about is sleep disorders or sleep-wake disorders, a phenomenon more than 30% of adults (APA, 2013). There are several types of sleep-wake disorders (approximately 80 different types), of which insomnia is the most common. Other top ones include obstructive sleep apnoea, parasomnias, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. Other not so common ones are central sleep apnoea, hypersomnia, REM sleep behaviour disorder, circadian rhythm sleep disorder, non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), shift work sleep disorder, amongst others. A visit to a certified psychiatrist will furnish us with information on how these disorders vary from one another. Alternatively, a helpful description can be found on verified websites, online.

Before getting diagnosed by a psychiatrist, how do you know you may have a sleep disorder? Here are some basic symptoms that you can monitor for yourself. If you find a few of these symptoms, then you have to visit a sleep specialist or health care provider who will most likely subject you to a sleep study or polysomnography (PSG), electroencephalogram (EEG), or multiple sleep latency tests (MSLT). Take note of the following:

Tendency to fall asleep while driving
Struggle to stay awake when inactive, such as when watching television or reading
Difficulty paying attention or concentrating at work, school, or home
Performance problems at work or school
Difficulty with your memory
Slowed or delayed responses
Difficulty controlling your emotions
Being often told by others that you look sleepy
Having a sustained need to take naps almost every day

The sleep problems we have tried to identify can be caused by a number of factors. Although these causes may differ from person to person, the disruption in the body’s natural cycle of slumber and wakefulness is a common consequence. A number of factors have been identified to cause sleep disorders, the common ones include; medical conditions such as asthma, ulcers, depression and anxiety, etc, age (about 50% of older adults above 65 years are thought to have a sleep disorder), medication which interferes with sleep, environmental lifestyle factors such as alcohol, and shift work patterns which “messes up one’s biological clock” (Cleveland Clinic, 2021).

The big question now is; how do we remedy sleep disorder and sleep deprivation?

Well, there is a high chance that you reading this right now might have searched for “how to fall asleep” on the web, and there’s an even higher likelihood of being inundated with an endless supply of tips: for example, “avoid eating after 7 pm”, or “take a shower before going to bed”. As helpful as these tips might be, dealing with sleep disorders requires more than just small changes.

Cognitive behaviour therapy – counselling sessions that help sufferers recognize, challenge and change stress-inducing thoughts that can keep them awake at night.
Practice maintaining a regular sleep schedule by taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music, or reading a novel before going to bed. Also, try waking up at the same time each morning including on holidays.
Keep a healthy lifestyle by getting regular exercises and eating healthy
Creating an optimal sleeping environment by minimising noise and light intensity level in the bedroom, and also reducing the room’s temperature to within 18 – 22^oC, has been found to improve sleep for a larger demographic of people.
Avoid taking alcohol and tobacco or at least, stay away from them at night or at least four (4) hours before bedtime.
Avoid stimulants (coffee, tea, soda/cola, cocoa and chocolate) and heavy meals for at least four hours before bedtime. Light carbohydrate snacks such as milk, yoghurt, or crackers may help you fall asleep easier.
Although there are medications that can help with sleeping problems, opt instead for natural products like Melatonin supplements, valerian roots, Lavender containing room air fresheners, chamomile tea.
Relaxing through imagery, meditation or breathing exercises can help the body ready itself for rest.

On a final note, having identified a few proven ways of remedying sleep disorders, it is important to note that sleep disorders may not be deadly, but the effects can be so disruptive as they have the capacity of affecting one’s quality of life so often and so severely that they can upset your thinking and judgment ability (cognitive efficiency), weight, school or work performance, mental health and your general physical health. Therefore, take the time to be intentional about your sleep, as your general wellbeing is critically tied to how much sleep can get and how the quality of that sleep.

Godson Okpidu GradIOSH

godsonokpidu@yahoo.com

Visit our website:https://kevronconsultingltd.com/

References

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth edition. 2013.

Core Collective, 2020: Insomnia vs Sleep deprivation – how are they different and why is it important to know?

Sainsbury’s Living Well Index, 2017

Web MD, 2021: Healthy sleep overview