Sleep Guide

• The average adult sleeps about 7.5 hours per night
• Sleep requirements decrease with age, and the average 80 year old sleeps 5.8 hours per night
• Enough sleep for an individual is probably the amount required not to be excessively tired the next day.
• Sleep problems are common, and can be due to bad habits near bedtime, such as drinking caffeine, or eating large meals. It can also be a sign of an underlying medical disorder.
• Too little sleep may affect memory and concentration, and may affect operation of skilled equipment, such as driving a car. This in itself can be dangerous, and it is wise not to drive or operate skilled machinery if you feel sleepy.

Tips for Healthy Sleep

If you have problems sleeping, then if you could try the following suggestions, known as ‘sleep hygiene'. If these suggestions do not improve your quality of sleep, or if you think you have an underlying medical disorder or other reason for poor sleep, then you should consult a health professional for further advice.

These suggestions are aimed at healthy adults, who are not shift workers or night time workers.

During the evening

• Keep fit. Regular exercise can promote sleep. Avoid exercising too close to bed-time. It is best done during the daytime or in the early evening.
• Clear up any nagging problems from the day if possible. Make any relevant plans. Writing it down might help
• Stop smoking. This will result in improved oxygen flow throughout the body
• Avoid dozing earlier in the evening. If you want to have extra sleep, aim for a 10 minute power nap at lunchtime.
• Mentally wind down during the evening and avoid demanding work/study within 90 minutes of bedtime
• Avoid caffeine in the evening (therefore no tea, coffee, cola drinks and chocolate) as caffeine is a stimulant to the brain.
• Do not drink alcohol to help sleep, as it can actually disturb sleep. Alcohol also asks as a diuretic (promoting the production of urine) and therefore if you drink too much alcohol, your sleep might be disturbed by visits to the toilet.
• A hot bath or shower before bed can help you feel sleepy
• Some people find aromatherapy (such as lavender oil), acupuncture or massage may help promote sleepiness
• Avoid large meals too late in the evening

Preparing yourself for sleep at bedtime

• Around bedtime, make sure your bedroom is comfortable
• Keep your bedroom for getting ready for sleep. Avoid working, studying and watching television in the bedroom.
• Go to bed when you are feeling sleepy
• Go to bed at the same time every night
• Set your alarm for the same time every morning, even at weekends.
• Avoid oversleeping at weekends.
• Turn off the lights when you get into bed and make sure your room is as dark as possible
• Do not focus on having to sleep. Enjoy relaxing in bed even if sleep does not arrive straight away. Sleep will come when it is ready.
• Consider earplugs if your partner snores

If you still have problems falling asleep, then you should consider the following:

• If you do not fall asleep after 20 minutes, it is best to get up and go into another room.
• Do something that you find relaxing, and go back to bed when you feel sleepy again.
• Consider a cup of hot milk or herbal tea.
• Try not to worry about tomorrow when you can't fall asleep. Sleep problems are common, and many people still cope fairly well, even after a restless night.
• It may take several weeks before you establish a healthy sleep pattern, so persist with these suggestions
• Keep a sleep diary - many people get more sleep than they think

• Consider upgrading your bed to a more comfortable one, or even a larger bed if you share.

What to do if you still have problems with sleep

Consult with a health professional if you are still not able to sleep, especially if you feel sleepy during the day, or you think you have an underlying health disorder.

Problems such as depression and anxiety, or medical disorders such as heart and lung problems can all be to blame.

In addition, obstructive sleep apnoea is a common cause of sleep problems, and can cause other health problems. This is often seen in overweight individuals, but can occur in those that are not overweight. If you wake up many times in the night, have daytime sleepiness, and snore, then you may be suffering with obstructive sleep apoea, and should discuss this with a doctor or other health professional.

LINKS

www.sleepcouncil.com
www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/hu/groups/sleep/   (Loughborough university sleep research centre)
www.sleepfoundation.org/  (American non-profit organisation)
www.scottishsleepapnoea.co.uk

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