Struggling with sleep problems? Here are some strategies that can help.
Are you one of the 70 million Americans struggling with sleep problems? According to the American Sleep Association:
30% of U.S. adults experience periods of insomnia
10% of Americans suffer from long-term insomnia
40% of people report unintentionally falling asleep during the day
5% of drivers admit they have fallen asleep at the wheel
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found 30% of employees get less than six hours of sleep a night, well below the minimum seven hours needed to function effectively. The prime culprit causing sleep problems is worrying about work. Being tired the next day makes performing well at work even more stressful, creating a vicious cycle.
Many people push themselves to work extended hours rather than allowing themselves to rest and relax at night. They believe that working harder will enable them to get more done, but studies show that just the opposite is true.
Sleep deficiencies decrease both memory and motor skills. Job performance declines by 20% for every hour less than seven that a person gets the previous night. Persistent sleep problems have been shown to contribute to numerous medical disorders including high blood pressure, heart disease, and type II diabetes.
Lack of sleep also takes a terrible toll on a person’s ability to manage their mind and emotions. While it’s easy to see what happens to a child who is overly tired, adults suffer from a more sophisticated version of the same syndrome. While their behavior may be better masked, they too become irritable, demanding, and easily distressed.
Adults who struggle with sleep can easily become caught in a doom loop. Their work performance is adversely affected by lack of sleep and their personal life is contaminated by frequent negative reactions. They have no place to relax and rejuvenate. As their sleep debt accumulates, people become less able to cope and often suffer symptoms of anxiety and depression. In fact, recent research has revealed that problems with sleep are not a symptom of psychological disorders but are the very cause of those unhappy states.
While sleeping pills were a frequently cited treatment, the side effects people suffered often outweighed the gains. Although prescription drugs are approved for a maximum of 10 days of continuous use, 30% of people who were using those drugs stated that they had taken them at least 27 of the previous 30 nights. Research by Consumer Reports finds that “taking such medication for longer can lead to dependency and rebound insomnia, and it increases the risk of side effects such as next-day grogginess and reduced effectiveness over time.”
Fortunately, people who have a problem sleeping can usually find alternative approaches that will help. The best way to start getting better sleep is 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise at least five days per week. Exercise burns off stress chemicals that disrupt sleep. The challenge is to find the motivation to start exercising. Picture how your life would be different if you were sleeping well. What would you be doing differently? What would it feel like? Who could you recruit to exercise with you?
Another key factor in getting a good night’s sleep is to develop daily routines. People who are good sleepers share several practices. In addition to exercising every day, they wake up and go to bed at a set time. Sound sleepers typically follow a 30-minute ritual that helps them to unwind. Many regularly engage in sexual activity shortly before going to sleep at night.
Other bedtime behaviors practiced by people who get a good night’s sleep include:
Turning off cellphones and computers at least one hour before you want to go to sleep
Avoiding alcohol and caffeine for several hours before bedtime
Eating dinner earlier in the evening so you’re not going to bed feeling stuffed
Turning the TV off when you get into bed
Using a noise machine to provide soothing background noise
There are several strategies that people who have successfully overcome their sleep problems have found to be effective. Yoga stretches and deep, slow breathing through your nose can help relax your body. Loving-Kindness Meditation will help your mind shift worries into images of being at peace.
Cognitive behavioral therapy can stop troublesome thoughts that cause insomnia. Learning to change your thinking can stop you from ruminating about problems. The American Psychological Association maintains a website (locator.apa.org) that provides online assistance for finding a professional who specializes in using CBT to treat sleep disorders.