Everyone wants to sleep better. Problems with sleep are now pervasive in today’s society, and there are many culprits. Medical sleep experts are taking a deeper dive into the dynamics of sleep and are now starting to have a more comprehensive approach to issues. In the past, sleep problems were overly simple and only a few problems were considered. Sleep apnea was the main concern, then restless legs became another area. At sometime it became a matter of taking the correct sleep medication; the right pill was the answer, but we’re learning more about better techniques.
Poor sleep leads to multiple problems. The simple one is fatigue with difficulty functioning at an appropriate level. Compounding being tired is mood changes from anxiety to depression and even more severe psychiatric disorders. Sleep deprivation also leads to a large number of health problems including weight gain, hypertension, heart disease and possibly late neurological problems like dementia.
The New Science in Sleep
The new science in sleep is now paying closer attention to whether the person is trying to follow their normal circadian rhythm. Most people have normal sleep times and baseline cycles. Some people are morning people, while others like to stay up late and sleep in during the morning. These are natural cycles one is often born into, and trying to work against the natural tendencies often leads to additional sleep difficulties. Working within your natural cycle for sleep can diminish ongoing sleep problems. If you are a night owl, trying to be awake at the crack of dawn is likely just to cause problems.
Recognizing your own natural tendencies towards sleep can reduce anxiety and improve the quality. I am not a night owl at all, therefore when I chose a specialty in medicine I knew I wanted to be able to sleep at night. I knew I could not function well in the middle of the night so I needed a specialty where I could usually sleep at night. Throughout college I only pulled one all night routine. I almost always went to sleep before midnight and then awoke early to do whatever had to be done. My spouse is just the opposite and is up to all hours of the night routinely and hates mornings, and hates the cheerful me as I start exercising at the crack of dawn.
During the daytime our brains are processing new information and making new connections. At night the brain is doing its housekeeping, removing toxins and cementing into place the information acquired during the day. Nighttime also is the time the brain works on processing emotional connections. Time spent asleep is when the brain does all the background work to maintain health and is not interrupted by functions that are needed when alert and awake.
For healthy sleep and general ability to stay awake during the day, maintaining a regular circadian cycle is necessary. There are multiple things that one can do to improve your sleep. The first thing is to consider using a 10,000-lux light box in the morning to mimic sunlight for 30 minutes. This will help stimulate the brain to wake up and be less tired. At night, go to bed when you are tired. Do not lie around in bed waiting to fall asleep. Bedtime preparation is important. Stop working 1-2 hours before bed and avoid thinking about provocative topics prior to sleep. As part of the wind down, do something calming like reading or listening to music. Avoid looking at screens and social media. Lastly, avoid caffeine and stimulants late in the day as well as alcohol within two hours of sleep. Alcohol after the first hour of a sedative effect tends to make the brain alert after it is metabolized.
Having good sleep habits as well as working with your natural circadian rhythm improves the ability to successfully sleep and feel rested. It improves brain function and overall health in many ways. When sleep is a problem and the simple issues are addressed, then working with a medical sleep specialist is important to identify and address the causes of poor sleep.