Recently I’ve been researching sleep for a
series of mental health articles I’m writing for my local newspaper. The findings are pretty interesting. Here’s some of the information that went into
the first article. I’ll share more with
you in future as I progress through the articles.
Did you know that sleep deprivation was a
factor in several major disasters in recent history: for example the 1979
nuclear accident at Three Mile Island, the huge Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the
1986 nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl? Most
people who are chronically short of sleep don’t recognize the impact on their
cognitive and mental health.
Do you often forget things that you feel
you should know? Is it difficult to
concentrate on complex assignments? Do
you sleep fewer than six hours per night? If so, you’re probably not sleeping enough to
function well. Lack of sleep can slow
down clear thinking and emotional stability. Studies show that chronic excessive sleepiness
can hinder work performance, spoil important relationships, and lead to mood
problems like depression and anger.
You may, like many people, think of sleep
as a luxury, just a little downtime. And
you may be aware that you feel better when you’ve slept well and worse when you
haven’t. But when life gets busy, sleep
may be the first thing you sacrifice to get everything done. The truth is that
most of these tasks would be quicker and easier if you ensured that you slept
well and long enough every night. Consistent
sleep is essential to our health.
Research has shown that lack of sleep can
alter a person’s mood significantly causing irritability and anger and may also
lessen the ability to cope with stress in healthy ways. Studies have established a definite
correlation between the “walking tired” and the rising number of people who sit
and seethe in traffic jams or initiate quarrels with other people. A recent poll of sleep-deprived people showed
that they were also less likely than those who sleep well to exercise, eat a
healthy diet, have sex, and enjoy leisure activities because of their daytime sleepiness.
One expert on the impacts of sleep
deprivation summed it up, “Over time, impaired memory, mood, and other functions
become a chronic way of life. In the
long term, this can affect your job or relationships.”
Did you know that chronic sleepiness also puts
you at greater risk for depression? The
two conditions are so closely linked that sleep specialists can’t always
determine which came first in their patients. This is because sleep and mood affect each
other so greatly. Counsellors and mental health practitioners know that it’s
not uncommon for people who frequently don’t get enough sleep to become
depressed or for people who are already depressed to experience negative and
harmful changes in their sleeping patterns and habits.
You may think that if you’re keeping up
with most things in your life and not losing your temper too often, it won’t
really matter if you’re not sleeping enough. But sleep actually improves your energy
levels, learning capabilities, memory, and insight. That’s because on the cellular level, your
body is literally repairing and restoring itself when you sleep. Without that
regular repair and restoration, you’ll eventually find it more difficult to do
what you want – physically, mentally, or emotionally. Getting enough sleep is analogous to
depositing energy into your mental, emotional, and physical bank account. When you force yourself to carry on as usual
after poor or insufficient sleep, your energy becomes “overdrawn.” This can go on for only a very short time
before the effects begin to cripple your regular functioning.
Unfortunately, catching up on missed sleep
is not merely a matter of sleeping in on weekends. For example, if you get
fewer than six hours of sleep each night for a week, you’ve accumulated a full
night’s sleep deficit, too much to make up on the weekend. If you continue this
pattern for weeks or months, you may never catch up on your sleep. But the good
news is that you can catch up if you gradually change your habits and lifestyle
to make sufficient sleep possible again on a regular basis.
Happy snoozing!
