IS YOUR SLEEP HARMING YOU HEALTH?

Or rather, is your lack of sleep harming your health? I spend a LOT of time thinking about sleep these days. Mainly because it is hard to come by. A night of blissful, uninterrupted sleep… That is not a coming commodity in our household. We aren’t unique in this (most parents will be nodding in agreement!) in fact new research delving into the health and wellbeing of New Zealanders has found that more than a third (35%) of Kiwis report not getting enough sleep, or that the quality of their sleep is compromised. Among those aged 35 to 49, the figure rises to 42%.

This was a study that was released by Sovereign and one of the shocking but probably not as surprising highlights was that it’s us women that are most likely to be unhappy with our sleep. So, what does this really mean? Afterall, most of us are aware of how it feels to be lacking in the ‘zzz’ department, is it really that bad though.

Short answer, yes. It really is that bad. According to Matthew Walker, the director of UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science, explains how neglecting sleep undercuts your creativity, problem solving, decision-making, learning, memory, heart health, brain health, mental health, emotional well-being, immune system, and even your life span.

“The decimation of sleep throughout industrialized nations is having a catastrophic impact”

- Matthew Walker

Are you one of the many that are hit by poor sleep? As I said, I know that I am. Hilariously, when I was younger, I’d boost that I was one of the few that needed very little sleep. I was a night owl, I was the most productive at night! There are studies that are finding that we often think that even with a detrimental lack of sleep, we feel like we are functioning at close to 100% - when we very much are not. Some of the newer studies are even showing that when we are sleep deprived (especially cumulative) that parts of our brain will shut down to keep us going.

As you can see, I am now a complete convert. I am a believer in sleep! I am all about it these days (perhaps this is the impact of it being taking involuntarily! Funny how that is often the way!) so, what do you need to know about sleep!

HOW MUCH DO YOU REALLY NEED?

I am sorry to say that studies show it really is 7-9 hours, even if you are tricking yourself to believe otherwise. The optimal amount may vary person to person but it does sit in that range.

“There are a very rare few genetic mutants out there who have a short sleeping gene, who can perhaps survive on maybe six hours and 15 minutes,” says Walker. “To give you some statistical context, it's much more likely that you will be struck by lightning in your lifetime than be one of these individuals.”

WHY IS SLEEP SO IMPORTANT?

We frequently hear about the repair element to sleep but there is also the impact that it has on our mental health. While we're snoozing, our body’s energy shifts focus from external to internal activities, such as boosting immunity, fighting free radicals, reducing inflammation and stimulating cellular repair. Whilst our body is enjoying a blissful nights rest, our mind is hard at work decluttering out everything that has accumulated from a result of daily thinking (or, over-thinking). Getting plenty of rest each and every night is like hitting the reset button. That's why after some solid shut-eye, we wake up feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, energized and more positive about life.

LET’S TALK ABOUT THE BIOLOGY OF SLEEP

What you need to know about getting the best night’s sleep!

• The sleep-wake cycle is regulated by two important biological processes: the circadian rhythm and sleep homeostasis.

• Circadian rhythm, ok, so let’s look at this. It’s also known as our biological clock, is the inherently physical, mental and behavioral changes that the body flows through in a 24-hour period.

• Sleep homeostasis is an internal biochemical system that generates a homeostatic sleep drive, or pressure to sleep. It works intuitively, reminding your body to sleep. Simply put, the longer we’re awake, the stronger the desire to sleep - you’ll have more than likely experienced this at some point in your life. Both circadian rhythm and sleep homeostasis are influenced by a variety of internal and external factors (eating habits, stress, exercise…). If just one of these elements is off, your sleep will suffer.

STAGES OF SLEEP

Now, let’s take a look at our sleep cycles, starting with what they are. While we sleep, we will alternate between cycles of non-REM and REM sleep, each lasting about 90 minutes - I learnt the most about this with a newborn, it was one of the best crash courses in the hygiene of sleep! A typical night consists of 75% non-REM and 25% REM. We pass through all three phases of non-REM before reaching REM sleep. The first period of REM happens 90 minutes after you fall asleep and typically lasts less than 10 minutes. Throughout the night, the amount of time spent in REM gets longer.

• Stage 1 (non-REM1) is the stage between wakefulness and sleep.

• Stage 2 (non-REM2) is the first stage of true sleep, characterized by decreased muscle activity and lower conscious awareness.

• Stage 3 (non-REM3) is the deepest stage of non-REM sleep, marked by less response and lack of awareness to sounds and stimuli. It’s here that the body begins to repair tissue, build bone and muscle, and strengthen the immune system.

• Stage 4 (REM), which stands for rapid eye movement is the stage when our heart rate increases, breathing becomes more rapid (near waking levels), our brain is most active and we experience vivid dreams. REM is super important because it is the restorative part of the sleep cycle. During this stage, muscles relax to the point of becoming paralyzed and unresponsive. This process, in which our brain impulses control muscle movement, is thought to be a built-in safety measure to protect us from physical harm as we act out our dreams. It is also here that we will process our thoughts and emotions - this is so incredibly important, especially when we are going through tricky times.

To summarise, sleep is crucial for both our mental and our physical health and wellbeing. It’s also incredibly tricky to master how to consistently get a great nights sleep.

I will be looking at this over the next few weeks, so keep coming back!