The wonders and woes of sleep
Sleep. We all do it but for some of us it comes easier than others. Most of us know what it feels like to be affected by a sleepless night, but perhaps what you don’t know is, just how detrimental a lack of sleep can be to our health and well-being. The Science is now becoming very clear that when we sleep, there is an extensive and impressive combination of night time processes taking place within our bodies, and preventing these processes from occurring superlatively, through lack of sleep or poor sleep, is having very serious consequences for our health. In traditional Ayurveda, sleep has long been considered one of the three pillars of life, along with food and the wise use of sexual energy! Sleep scientists are now in agreement it seems, that sleep may just be the absolute foundation to overall optimal health.
Matthew Walker, professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at Berkeley, California, is also the founder and director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science and the author of the New York Times Best Selling book “Why We Sleep”. I watched a talk that Dr Walker gave at Google a couple of years ago, and he opened by advising the audience that men who sleep five hours a night, have significantly smaller testicles than those who sleep eight hours a night or more. He went on to say that men who only sleep five hours a night, will have testosterone levels of someone ten years their senior, thus a lack of sleep can rob you of wellness and virility. Equivalent effects in female reproductive health are also evident in research, he says. Dr Walker wants the world to know that sleep is not a luxury. It is a non-negotiable, biological necessity and it impacts All physiological processes within the body. This sleep nerd passionately declares sleep to be a life support system and suggests that the decimation of sleep throughout the industrialized nations, is fast becoming one of the leading public health crises of the modern world. And he is not alone. The international literature is rapidly growing in support.
Our immune processes and detoxification systems are in full force overnight. Our brains are committing experiences and learnings to memory and our creative processes are being inspired through Rapid Eye Movement (REM or Dream) sleep. Not sleeping puts the body under enormous stress, which affects hormones such as Cortisol, which in turn can promote chronic illness like Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes, and we now understand that lack of sleep is a driver for Dementia. The Amygdala (a part of the brain) known to perform primary roles in not only the processing of memory and decision making but also our emotional responses, has been shown to have heightened activity with lack of sleep, resulting in disturbance in emotional regulation and increases in anxiety. All major mental health conditions in fact, have links with disturbed sleep. Many people are aware of studies on the impacts of night time shift work on health, but did you know that the World Health Organisation has now classified night shift working as a probable carcinogen?! Studies in mice have revealed frightening increases in tumor development in sleep deprived participants. Research suggests that not only is lack of sleep a risk factor for developing Cancer, but it is also an accelerant for Cancer progression. And this list goes on and on...Experts suggest that virtually NO aspect of our physiology, can escape the detriments of sleep deprivation, and missing a night of sleep or regularly shaving even an hour or two off your night of sleep, can have deleterious impacts on your health. Furthermore, unfortunately the evidence suggests that you cannot accumulate a sleep debt and then pay it back by ‘sleeping in’ on the weekend. Opinions seem to be divided about the benefits of daytime naps but many report a brief 20 to 30 minute rest period in the afternoon to be helpful, if kept short enough to avoid grogginess. Optimal health relies on consistently good sleep. There’s just no getting around it. Personally, this is not great news for my fondness for the occasional late night movie marathon! 😞
So why then, if sleep is so important to our overall health and wellbeing, do so many of us struggle with it?
Well there’s lots of different reasons but to begin, there are several types of sleep disorders which can affect one’s ability to achieve good sleep, such as sleep Apnoea. This requires specialist sleep studies and treatment approaches to diagnose and manage but in doing so, can result in profound improvements in quality of sleep and thus life, for sufferers. Those who experience reflux and indigestion can have their sleep impacted, sufferer’s of chronic pain struggle and emotional and mental health concerns can also drive poor sleep. Lying awake at night worrying about work stress, an upcoming exam, financial problems or relationship issues is an experience many of us can relate to. Unfortunately for some, when sleep becomes difficult to achieve, worrying about not sleeping then further perpetuates the problem. There are many other co-morbid reasons for sleep dysfunctions but let’s talk about lifestyle factors…
Disruptions to the Circadian Rhythm, the natural internal process that regulates our sleep -wake cycle, driven by disturbed light exposure, is now problematic for many people. Lack of acquaintance with early morning sunlight on first rising followed by hours spent working inside, deprived of sunlight and immersed in heavy blue light throughout the day and into the evening as we work and play on screens, is increasingly understood to be very problematic. Being bathed in electrical light throughout the day keeps the brake pedal on Melatonin production and this is the hormone associated with sleep onset.
So many of us are overstimulated as we continue to email, online shop, scroll social media, play computer games and watch movies into the evening. And often, people are doing these things from their beds, expecting to be able to just switch off, and go to sleep.
Caffeine has a half life of seven hours which means that a cup of coffee consumed to help navigate the mid-afternoon slump, could still be active within the body at bedtime. Alcohol is well known to fragment sleep. Many people consider a couple of late evening drinks useful to promote sleep, however all this really does is achieve sedation. It’s not natural sleep. Lots of folk talk of falling asleep as soon as their head hits the pillow with the use of alcohol, but then waking in the early hours. This may be related to the liver working hard in its detoxification role as it processes that alcohol.
Nutrition affects our sleep in a myriad of complex ways too. Some simple examples for consideration include blood sugar regulation which can be impacted by very low carb diets, resulting in drops in levels in the middle of the night. If one is waking hungry in the early hours, it might be useful to check Blood Sugar Levels. A diet lacking in leafy green vegetables and red meat might be resulting in low iron levels which is important in the synthesis of Serotonin to Melatonin, and this could be a contributor to poor sleep. Nutrients such as B12 are important cofactors for Melatonin production. Tryptophan which comes from protein found in seafood, eggs, poultry, red meat and seeds, is also a precursor to Serotonin production. These things may be a consideration for Vegetarians or Vegans especially. Mineral deficiencies such as magnesium, zinc, iodine and copper can increase issues with overactive minds and restless legs syndrome at night. Levels can be easily checked if you’re curious.
Gut health affects sleep as well. If your microbiome is disturbed, the production of important chemicals such as Serotonin (90% is produced in the gut) which as discussed, is converted to Melatonin will be reduced. GABA (a neurotransmitter) mostly produced in the evening is also made by friendly bacteria in the gut. A lack of GABA can affect anxiety levels which might impact sleep. These are just some brief examples but the important message is that issues with gut health, could definitely be linked with sleep challenges. Once again a GP, Naturopath, Dietician or Nutritionist can definitely support the detective work here. A gut friendly diet, low in simple carbohydrates and rich in probiotic and prebiotic plant foods, supported by healthy fats, good quality protein and collagen rich bone broths (if you’re not a vegetarian or vegan), is a powerful way to start nurturing healthy gut flora.
Environmental toxins also play a role. Things like phylates and parabens found in beauty products can be endocrine disruptors. Air quality, water quality, mattress and bedding materials can all be impactful. Exposure to electro magnetic fields (EMFs) is increasingly being studied and might warrant consideration if you are really struggling.
Many studies make links between exercise and improved sleep for different reasons. Certainly, most of us innately understand that energy expenditure throughout the day can drive sleep onset and duration at night. Exercise is also often connected with outdoor activity, which increases exposure to sunlight and fresh air, so a lack of exercise might also be related to lack of outdoor activity.
Now for the good news. Despite the fact that many many things can impact our sleep, and this is worrying because we now understand how vitally important a good night of rest is, there are lots of things we can do to balance out the harmful affects our modern lives are having on this most basic human process.
Some things to consider:
Pull the curtains or step outside to let your eyes take in some sunlight first thing in the mornings.
Make your bedroom as dark as possible at night. This includes eliminating lights from electronics and clocks.
Keep your bedroom cool if you can. Studies suggest that the ideal sleep temperature is around 18 to 19 degrees. (This is too cold for me!).
Limit blue light exposure in the evenings. Change the settings on your phone to night shift. Install software on your computer. Wear blue light blocking glasses. Turn off your devices at least an hour before bed.
Keep devices out of the bedroom while you sleep. Maybe turn off the WiFi.
Avoid using bright light bulbs. Opt for softer orange or even red hues that mimic the colors of a sunset. Consider safely using candlelight.
Try to actually take in a sunrise and sunset as often as you can.
Eat dinner early. Three hours before bed seems to be the advice so that you’re not still digesting a heavy meal… and prioritize a Whole Foods diet.
If you drink alcohol, try to enjoy it early. A late afternoon drink in line with centenarian practices or whilst you cook your early meal.
Enjoy a night time ritual that signals ‘wind down’ to your brain. Take a bath, diffuse calming essential oils, read a book, give yourself or someone else a massage. Practice some deep breathing exercises.
Implement strong boundaries around work and technology in the evenings.
Keep the bed for sex and sleep only.
Invest in good linen and pillows and make your bed each day.
Confront emotional stress. Seek out therapy if your emotional or mental health is keeping you up at night.
Exercise regularly.
Relieve the pressure, lying awake worrying about not sleeping won’t help. Sometimes you just gotta go with it.
Definitely talk with your Doctor about poor sleep. Ask about investigating deficiencies and utilising supplements such as Magnesium. Melatonin can also be prescribed when indicated to assist short term with resetting serious sleep onset concerns.
Consider all medications, their indications and side effect profiles carefully. Many things prescribed as sleep aids are actually just used for their sedative properties. This might be indicated and helpful in some cases but will still only be treating the symptom, not the cause.
Many worldwide studies now suggest the average adult person is routinely getting less than the recommended 7 - 9 hours a night and being busy and underslept is often considered a badge of honour. We as a society clearly need to reconsider our priorities.
Like everything, we all have individual needs and it is important to listen to our bodies and cater to our own unique set of conditions. If you’re underslept though, you need to reclaim your right to sleep… stop burning the candle at both ends...consider the many lifestyle factors impacting on sleep...and talk to your health providers about it.
*I’m a passionate life long student and my blog posts intend to share information only. If something peaks your interest, I encourage you to do your own research, and seek further advice and support through your health and wellness providers.
if you’d like to consult with me, please get in touch.*
