May Newsletter
Improving Your Sleep: A Guide to Better Health and Wellbeing
Sleep is as essential to our wellbeing as food and water. Yet, in our fast-paced world, many of us skimp on sleep, often prioritising other commitments. But what most people don't realise is that chronic [...]
EAPs: A Lifeline for Employees Impacted by Domestic Violence
Living in fear due to domestic violence – whether physical, sexual, or psychological abuse – is a devastating reality for millions. The World Health Organization reports that one in three women globally experience some form [...]
Improving Your Sleep: A Guide to Better Health and Wellbeing
Sleep is as essential to our wellbeing as food and water. Yet, in our fast-paced world, many of us skimp on sleep, often prioritising other commitments. But what most people don’t realise is that chronic sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on our health, both physical and mental.
In the workplace, sleep deprivation or poor sleep can lead to decreased productivity, increased errors, and even safety hazards. Furthermore, it can have a serious impact on our health, increasing our risk for developing diseases and conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular problems, immune system dysfunction, and cognitive decline, warns Karine Scheuermaier, associate professor at the School of Physiology at Wits and chair of the Science Committee of the South African Society for Sleep and Health (SASSH) and a member of the World Sleep Society.
Scheuermaier emphasises that healthy sleep for adults involves getting between 7 and 9 hours per night. However, she highlights that it’s not just about the quantity of sleep, but also the quality. Even if you get seven to nine hours of sleep a day, it’s crucial that these hours are consolidated. If your sleep is constantly interrupted or divided up into short chunks throughout the night or day, you won’t effectively cycle through the four stages of sleep. These stages – light sleep, deeper sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep – are vital for allowing your body and mind to repair, rejuvenate, and function at their best.
During sleep, our bodies slow down. Our muscles relax, our breathing becomes steady, and our heart rate and blood pressure decrease. At the same time, our brains are incredibly active.
“When we go into deep sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep, we ‘crop out’ unnecessary information picked up during the day,” explains Scheuermaier.
This ‘brain cleanup’ is crucial for clearing out mental clutter and consolidating important memories – both the new things we learned during the day and the procedural memories that allow us to perform tasks smoothly and automatically, like driving a car or playing an instrument. By strengthening essential memories and discarding irrelevant ones, deep sleep frees up our minds to function more efficiently and effectively the following day.
If you don’t get enough deep sleep, your brain can’t do this cleaning properly. It’s like your computer’s hard drive is overflowing with junk files – you can’t save new documents, and it’s hard to find the ones you need.
When this happens, you start experiencing problems such as:
Decreased alertness and attention: This can lead to mistakes and accidents at work.
Impaired cognitive function: Sleep deprivation can make it difficult to think clearly, solve problems, and make decisions.
Mood swings and irritability: Sleep deprivation can make you more likely to feel stressed, anxious, or depressed.
Weakened immune system: Sleep deprivation can make you more susceptible to illness.
Increased risk of chronic health problems: Sleep deprivation has been linked to an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Throwing your circadian rhythm out of sync
“Many of us believe that six hours of sleep is sufficient, thinking, ‘I’m doing okay, I don’t feel that impaired. However, the reality is that you’re likely functioning at a significantly lower level than you would be with seven to eight hours of quality sleep,” says Scheuermaier.
Ensuring quality sleep also involves aligning your sleep schedule with your body’s natural circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that regulates our sleep-wake cycles. By consistently going to bed and waking up around the same time each day, even on weekends, you help to regulate this natural rhythm, making it easier to fall asleep and wake up feeling refreshed.
However, this is easier said than done. Various factors can disrupt sleep, including shift work, long on-call hours in the medical field, having to attend to small children during the night, noisy environments, and the use of electronic devices like smartphones and tablets before bedtime.
“The more chaotic your lifestyle is, the more your sleep is going to be disrupted,” remarks Scheuermaier.
To counteract these disruptions and optimise your sleep quality, several strategies can be employed:
Get some sunlight during the day: Aim for at least 30 minutes of sunlight exposure per day. This helps to regulate your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality.
Get daily exercise: Regular physical activity, such as a daily walk, not only promotes overall health but also plays a crucial role in regulating your sleep-wake cycle and improving the quality of your sleep. Combining exposure to sunlight with exercise is advisable.
Avoid using blue-light-emitting devices before going to bed: The blue light emitted from phones, tablets, and computers can trick your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, suppressing the production of the sleep hormone, melatonin. Disrupting melatonin production can shift our internal body clock, making it harder to fall asleep at our usual bedtime.
“As a result, we end up going to bed later than usual, but still need to wake up early, leading to significant sleep deprivation,” says Scheuermaier.
Optimise your sleep environment: Make sure your bedroom is dark, quiet and cool, ideally below 20 degrees.
Avoid stimulants before going to bed: It has been shown that stimulants such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol should be avoided after midday to ensure that they don’t interfere with your sleep.
Get your employer involved: Employees working shifts or irregular hours should proactively engage with their employers to discuss scheduling strategies that consider their circadian rhythms. Employers, in turn, can benefit from training on sleep science from sleep experts. This knowledge will empower them to understand how poor sleep quality impacts employee performance, leading to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, and potentially higher turnover. By prioritising employee well-being and supporting healthy sleep habits, employers can create a more engaged, productive, and satisfied workforce.
Consult a medical professional or sleep expert: If you’re struggling with persistent sleep issues, such as chronic insomnia or sleep apnoea, it’s crucial to seek professional guidance. Consulting a sleep specialist, a psychologist trained in sleep disorders, or even a sleep coach can significantly improve your sleep quality. Scheuermaier emphasises the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBTi) for insomnia in identifying and addressing the root causes of poor sleep in the context of insomnia disorder.
For individuals experiencing persistent sleep difficulties, self-help strategies may have limited success. Seeking professional help, whether through a sleep clinic, your employee assistance programme, or by contacting organizations like the South African Society for Sleep and Health (SASSH), is highly recommended. While sleep-related apps can offer some guidance, they are not a substitute for professional assessment and treatment, especially for severe or chronic sleep disorders.
Don’t fall into the sleeping tablet trap: Sleeping pills are not a long-term solution. They should only be used for short periods under strict medical supervision and for specific conditions like insomnia disorder. Sleeping pills can have serious side effects: They may not provide true restorative sleep, potentially hindering the brain’s ability to clear toxins, which could increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. People with sleep apnoea should not use sleeping pills as they can worsen the condition and even be life-threatening, warns Scheuermaier
Key takeaways:
Prioritise sleep: 7-9 hours of quality sleep is essential for optimal health and well-being.
Improve sleep quality: Maintain a consistent sleep schedule, create a relaxing bedtime routine, and optimise your sleep environment.
Minimise known sleep disruptors: Limit screen time before bed and avoid stimulants like caffeine and alcohol.
Seek professional help: If you consistently struggle with sleep, consult a health professional like a psychologist or sleep specialist or approach LifeAssist to get access to an expert.