Sleep And Mental Health

Sleep

Sleep is part of life’s routine. It is the regular period in every 24 hours when we are unconscious and unaware of what is going on around us.

Functions of sleep include:

• Restoration of the body; the body wears out during the day hence need for sleep to put it back in shape.

• Preservation and protection; sleep preserves and protects the body during the time of day when there is little value and considerable danger

• Homeostasis; sleep is important for temperature regulation and energy conservation especially during hibernation.

Sleep is therefore very important to keep our minds and bodies healthy.

Types of sleep: There are 2 main types;

• Rapid Eye Movement (REM Sleep; the brain is usually very active during this time. Eyes move quickly from side to side and dreams occur, however the muscles are very relaxed. This makes up about a fifth of our sleep and comes and goes throughout the night.

• Non-Rapid Eye (non-REM) Sleep; the brain is usually quiet, but the body may move around. Hormones are released into the bloodstream and the body repairs itself after the wear and tear of the day.

There are about 4 to 5 cycles whereby one moves between REM and non-REM sleep throughout the night, dreaming more towards the morning. During a normal night, one will wake up for 1 or 2 minutes every 2 hours or so. One is not usually aware of this, but may remember them if they are anxious or something else is going on such as noises outside or a snoring partner.

Sleep requirement varies with age and persons:

Biological rhythm develops over the first 2 years of life; it is not present at birth.

• Babies; need about 17 hours of sleep a day

• Older children; 9-10 hours a night

• Adults; about 8 hours a night

• Elderly; about 8 hours, though have only one period of deep sleep in the night, usually in the first 3 or 4 hours after which they wake more easily. People tend to dream less as they get older.

Among adults, there are:

• Short sleepers; need less than 6 hours of sleep each night to function adequately. Such persons are generally efficient, ambitious, socially adept and content.

• Long sleepers; need more than 9 hours of sleep each night. They have more REM periods and more rapid eye movements within each period. Such people are generally mildly depressed, anxious and socially withdrawn.

The need for sleep increases with:

• Physical work

• Exercise

• Illness

• Pregnancy

• General mental stress

• Increased mental activity

• Stress

Lack of sleep:

Many people may experience lack of sleep, perhaps when worried or excited. This should resolve when things settle down. However, prolonged lack of sleep can be a real problem.

After several sleepless nights, one finds that they;

• are tired all the time

• feel irritable most times

• have difficulty in their attention and concentration

• find it hard to make decisions

• start to feel depressed

This can be very dangerous especially if one drives or operates heavy machinery. It can also predispose one to high blood pressure, diabetes, overweight and obesity.

Sleep problems include:

• Sleeping too little - insomnia

• Sleeping too much – hypersomnia, narcolepsy(excessive daytime sleepiness), sleep apnoea (interrupted sleep)

• Sleeping at the wrong time – shift work, parenting

• Other sleeping problems – nightmares (dream anxiety disorders), sleep walking, night terrors, restless leg syndrome (RLS)

Sleeping too little (insomnia):

One may not be getting enough sleep or, if they sleep the recommended hours, they are not getting a good night’s rest.

These could be because;

• one does not have a regular sleep routine

• the bedroom may be too noisy, too hot or too cold

• the bed may be uncomfortable or too small

• one’s partner having a different sleep pattern from them

• one is not getting enough exercise

• of eating too late, finding it hard to get sleep

• going to bed hungry and waking up too early

• using cigarettes, alcohol and drinks containing caffeine like tea and coffee

• pain, fever or other illnesses

• emotional problems

• difficulties at work

• anxiety and worry

• thinking over and over about problems

• depression- waking up early and difficulty getting back to sleep

Sleeping too much (hypersomnia):

One may fall asleep during the day at times when they want to stay awake. This may be due to lack of enough sleep at night.

Physical illness such as diabetes, viral infections or thyroid problems can cause sleeping too much.

If one continues to sleep a lot during the day even after a week or two of getting enough sleep, they may need to see a doctor.

Sleeping at the wrong time:

This may be due to working at night and staying awake when one would normally be asleep. If it is done occasionally, one can adjust easily. However, if it is done regularly, it might cause sleeping difficulty. These include doctors, nurses, shift workers and nursing mothers.

Jet lag due to rapid travel between time zones can also cause sleep difficulty because one is awake when others are asleep. One can try to wake up at the same time every morning irrespective of the time one slept at night. One could try not to go to bed before 10pm that night. Use of an alarm clock also helps. If one does this for a few nights, they can start falling asleep naturally at the right time.