Dr Sarah Jarvis
My Weekly’s favourite gp from tv and radio writes for you DEPRESSION CAN HAVE A MAJOR IMPACT ON YOUR SLEEP AS WELL AS YOUR MOOD. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT BE DEPRESSED, SEE YOUR GP
Sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture for good reason. 1 in 5 of us suffer from sleep problems.
If pain is stopping you sleeping, tablets may be the answer – but for other causes of insomnia, they rarely are.
For many of us, the obvious answer to sleeping problems is to reach for a sleeping tablet – 9 million prescriptions for them are written a year in the UK. But while these may offer a quick fix, you’re storing up trouble for the longer term.
Research has linked even occasional use of sleeping tablets (once every 3 weeks or more) with an increased risk of death. Taken regularly, they stop working as effectively, and the “hangover” effect can make it hard to function.
Fortunately, simple behavioural techniques will have most people sleeping again in a few short weeks.
In the first week, keep a sleep diary each day. Jot down when you went to bed; when you turned the lights off; about what time you fell asleep (don’t spend too much time clock-watching); how often you woke, and for how long; how long you were in bed; and the quality of your sleep (1– dreadful, 5 – bliss!). The averages over this week will tell you what’s normal for you. In the second week, look at your daily patterns and see if they could be thwarting your hope for a peaceful night. Exercise can help you sleep, but not if it’s too close to bedtime.
Find a few minutes every day for some relaxation techniques. Some people are sensitive to caffeine, which can be found in tea,
ALCOHOL BEFORE BED MAY HELP YOU GET TO SLEEP, BUT YOU’LL WAKE UP EARLIER AND THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP WILL BE POOR
DON’T GET HUNG UP ON THE IDEA THAT EVERYONE NEEDS 8 HOURS’ SLEEP’’
chocolate and cola drinks as well as coffee – cut it out completely from lunchtime on. Heartburn is often worse when you lie down, so avoid heavy meals late at night.
If you have to get up in the night regularly to visit the toilet, try restricting fluid intake close to bedtime. If you’re on water tablets for high blood pressure or heart failure, take them first thing in the morning. If you’re still struggling, see your GP.
In the third week tackle some bad sleep habits. Make sure your bedroom is quiet and really dark. Banish digital or ticking clocks, and remove any electronic equipment with LED lights, which can be particularly damaging for sleep. Don’t go to bed until you’re sleepy; avoid watching TV, working or using your mobile phone in bed; never eat in bed; and get up at the same time each morning. Don’t nap for more than half an hour and never after mid-afternoon.
Use your sleep diary to calculate how much time you actually spend sleeping, rather than in bed – and only spend this much time in bed. As you start to sleep better you can spend more time in bed, but you need to get your sleep pattern back on track first.
Finally, break the vicious cycle that leaves so many of us tossing and turning. If you’ve slept badly the night before, you may worry about it happening again. When you get into bed your brain goes on alert for problems sleeping. This floods the body with adrenaline which – surprise – keeps you awake.
Remind yourself that very few people “don’t sleep a wink” – even most insomniacs sleep at least an hour more than they estimate. Remind yourself of times when you slept poorly but managed fine next day. Don’t get hung up on the idea that you need 8 hours; Margaret Thatcher got by on just 4 and many people only need 6 or 7 hours a night. Next week: Hip Replacement