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Scientists say that lack of sleep can be fatal

Filed in Lifestyle on January 20, 2012 with no comments

Scientists say that lack of sleep can be fatal Getty

New research suggests that long-term sleep deprivation can be fatal – and it is rarely identified or treated by doctors.

The Daily Mail reports that at least 86 medical sleep disorders have been identified, all of which raise the risk of developing illnesses such as depression, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Consequently a review in Online First in The Lancet medical journal says that doctors should routinely ask patients about their sleeping habits as this may be at the root of other health problems.

The review says that around one in four adults in Britain have sleeping problems, with one in ten suffering from an insomnia disorder.

The authors, Charles Morin from the Université Laval, Québec City, Canada and Ruth Benca from the Univeristy of Wisconsin, Madison, USA said that insomnia has “substantial long-term effects” on people’s physical and psychological health.

They said: “Despite advances in diagnosis and management insomnia is still under-recognised and often goes untreated.

“In view of the high prevalence and substantial morbidities of insomnia, patients should routinely be asked about sleep problems by health-care providers.”

Research shows that people who sleep for between six and eight hours sleep per night are likely to live longer and enjoy better health. People who sleep for less than six hours are at more risk of premature death.

Figures suggest that around one third of UK adults regularly sleep for less than five hours per night, with the average being seven hours.

People with insomnia are five times more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression and are twice as likely to develop congestive heart failure and diabetes.

The review says that doctors should be more willing to treat insomniacs with cognitive behavioural therapy and drugs that haven’t been approved for combating sleeping problems, such as antidepressants and antihistamines.

Sleep expert Dr Neil Stanley, who is the ex-Chairman of the British Sleep Society, said that insomnia is “completely neglected by doctors the NHS and the Government.

He says: “Government policy makers always have something to say about diet and exercise, why don’t they get into the bedroom and tell people about the value of sleep.”

He adds: “We urgently need to pay more attention to sleep with clear advice to children in schools, parents and throughout adult life.”

How many hours do you sleep each night? Let us know below…

Click on the image below for 20 tricks to improve your sleep…

How to sleep: 20 simple tricks

Sleep your way to a pay rise

According to research by mattress and pillow brand, Tempur, getting seven hours sleep is the key to getting a pay rise. The study revealed that the chances of getting a salary increase rose according to the number of hours’ sleep achieved, with the perfect night’s kip for getting a bonus being seven hours. However, heavy sleepers were less likely to get a pay rise. Those who got seven hours sleep each night took home a total cash boost of £3,960 per person last year.
Take a herbal nightcap… in emergencies only

Dr Ramlakahn suggests sleeping aids should only be used as a last resort when other avenues have been exhausted and then only occasionally. "Valerian (tablets, tincture or tea bags) is sometimes called nature’s Valium and can aid sleep for most people. Passionflower and hops also have mild sedative effects."
" href="http://www.blogcdn.com/lifestyle.aol.co.uk/media/2011/07/sleep-music-alamy.jpg" data-photo-src="http://www.blogcdn.com/lifestyle.aol.co.uk/media/2011/07/sleep-music-alamy.jpg" data-credit="Alamy">Sound asleep

Research has shown that background music can help ease the symptoms of insomnia and tinnitus so invest in an alarm clock with a docking station and make a soothing playlist. Or take things one step further with a blanket, pillow or even headboard with built-in speakers from sleep aid specialists, <a href=”http://www.soundasleeppillow.co.uk/”>Sound Asleep</a>.
Separate the work/home boundaries

"Talking about your work when you get home can be a good thing and a positive way of gaining support from family and friends," says Dr Ramlakahn. "However, try not to let the work talk spill over into your whole evening and bedtime. If necessary, set some rules about when you stop talking about work and allow your mind to wind down and switch off."
Look into my eyezzzzzzzzz…

Following a 20-year study of insomnia, <a href=”http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sleep-Like-Log-Mckenna-Paul/dp/1900148110″>Paul McKenna</a> has written a book that shows how easy exercises and simple changes in your thinking and behaviour can have a significant impact on your sleep. The accompanying hypnosis CD aims to re-set your body’s natural sleep mechanism so that you will automatically find it easier to get deep restful sleep and increased energy.
Get your beauty sleep

Research suggests that after sun damage, one of the biggest causes of skin ageing comes from sleeping on traditional cotton, linen or polyester pillowcases. These fabrics absorb moisture, leaving the skin dehydrated. Silk pillows are said to minimise dehydration, which means they’ll leave your hair smoother and glossier, too! Try <a href=”http://www.silkperfect.com/”>SilkPerfect Luxury 100% Pure Silk Pillowcases</a>.
Have a brainwave

The <a href=”http://www.neurosky.com/People/WhatWeDo.aspx”>NeuroSky Mindwave headset</a> reads your own brain activity and transmits it to your laptop so you can visibly measure your levels of activity, which helps your mind to relax. Is this the future of controlling your own sleep patterns?
Exercise!

"Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways of reducing stress hormone levels (mainly adrenaline) thus enabling you to sleep more deeply. The American College of Sports Medicine guidelines recommend three or four sessions of aerobic exercise (swimming, cycling, jogging, fast walking) for 20-30min per week," says Dr Ramlakahn. But beware of battling out on the tennis court before bed: "Competitive exercise can cause the production of stimulating hormones (eg endorphins) making it more difficult to get to sleep so it might be worth delaying sleep by 45mins or so to wind down properly before getting in to bed."
Avoid bedtime battles

In a recent survey conducted by OnePoll, on behalf of <a href=”http://climsom.com/eng/ClimsomIndex.php”>Climsom</a>, it was revealed that 83% of people in relationships argue over sleeping habits. The majority noted their partners sleeping habits as the main contributor to a bad night’s sleep. Why not take a tip from the Scandinavians where couples each have their own duvet and would never dream of sharing. Alternatively, try a duvet from <a href=”http://www.theduvetstore.co.uk/”>The Duvet Store </a>that has each side custom-filled separately to cater to your own needs.
Break the morning coffee/evening wine cycle

"Caffeine has a direct impact on reducing sleep quality. The half-life of caffeine is approximately five hours. This means that it can take up to 10 hours to completely remove all of the caffeine from your body if you drink a cup of tea or coffee," explains Dr Ramlakahn. "If you are having problems sleeping or are waking up, feeling tired no matter how much sleep you get, minimise caffeine and increase your fluid intake by drinking more water, herbal teas and dilute fruit juices. Remember, alcohol can also impair deep sleep quality so you are likely to wake up feeling tired and fuzzy-headed if you have overindulged the night before."
Cool down, chill out

When we sleep our body temperature drops and if the environment doesn’t correspond to this, the body struggles to achieve its desired temperature for a comfortable sleep. Like air-con for your bed, <a href=”http://climsom.com/eng/ClimsomIndex.php”>Climson</a> cooling and warming mattress toppers
Manage your time

"Write your to-do list before leaving work instead of at the beginning of the day," suggests Dr Ramlakahn. "This stops you worrying about work in the evening and you are less likely to wake up during the night thinking about tasks that have to be done the next day. If you are planning to take work home, make a commitment about whether you are really going to do it or whether it is just going to sit in your briefcase all evening creating guilt and anxiety. Ensure weekend work is done first thing on Saturday morning so that the rest of the weekend is available for rest and relaxation."
Good rest vs. poor sleep

"To sleep well we almost need to let go of wanting to sleep well. In other words, the more pressure we put on ourselves to sleep, the less likely we are to actually fall asleep," explains Dr Ramlakahn. "This may particularly be the case before big events (eg getting up early to catch a plane, the night before an important meeting or presentation). In these situations it might be helpful to dispel with using the word ‘sleep’ and to use the word ‘rest’. So tell yourself the night before any big event ‘it doesn’t matter if I don’t sleep tonight, I’m just going to use the time to rest’. It’s a bit of trickery but you’ll be surprised how quickly you then get to sleep – particularly if you use the technique regularly."
Get some funky black-out blinds

Light is one of the most important external factors that affects sleep. If traditional black-out blinds don’t fit with your aesthetic vision, <a href=”http://www.velux.co.uk/”>Velux</a> has teamed up with Karim Rashid to create these funky designs.
How to get back to sleep

"If you wake up during the night, try to avoid looking at your clock and registering the time. Otherwise, you are more likely to start worrying about how little sleep you will get if you don’t fall asleep again," warns Dr ramlakahn. "This then reduces your chances of getting back to sleep even further! Instead, lie on your back and try to consciously relax each part of your body starting from your toes and working up to your head and face. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm and tell yourself that it doesn’t matter if you don’t fall asleep and that you will just use the time to rest and relax."
Take a power nap

"Short naps of five to 15 mins duration have been proven to be very effective at promoting energy renewal and increasing cognitive function," explains Dr Ramlakahn. "A nap involves sitting or lying comfortably in a well-ventilated room, progressively relaxing muscles and breathing deeply from the stomach. You will approach a near sleep state without actually falling asleep and will be conscious of their surroundings during this time. The more adept the individual becomes at practising this technique, the more readily they are able to rapidly achieve a state of relaxation and rejuvenation. Incorporating visualisation techniques into your power nap – e.g. relaxing scenes – can make it even more effective.
Take regular breaks during the day

"Regularly seeking rest and recovery throughout the day is one of the most effective ways of improving sleep quality," says Dr Ramlakahn. "Even a three to five minute break can be sufficient to enable the body to renew energy physically and mentally," she recommends. "Use the time to go for a walk, stretch, change channels mentally, drink a glass of water or eat a piece of fruit. Also, try to take a lunch break of at least 20 to 30 minutes every day. Use the time to recharge mentally and physically and avoid checking emails or surfing the Internet during this time."
Unplug and recharge

It’s a miracle of modern technology that we’re now able to communicate pretty much anywhere, 24/7. But this doesn’t help when it comes to switching off. To disconnect from external pressures, unplug your phone and laptop and keep them well away from your bedside.
Delay bedtime until you’ve relaxed

"Get into the habit of winding down before going to sleep. Read a book, listen to relaxing music, have a bath and use some relaxing essential oils such as lavender to help promote sleepiness," Dr Ramlakahn suggests. "Delay going to bed if necessary – you are more likely to be able to access efficient deep sleep if you have allowed the mind and body to relax than if you rush to bed feeling anxious about trying to get good sleep. You are more likely to feel rejuvenated if you have had five or six hours of efficient sleep than seven or eight hours of shallow, restless sleep."
Feed your sleep

"In order to get good sleep, we need a good balance of the hormones serotonin and melatonin in our system," explains Dr Nerina Ramlakahn, Sleep and Energy Coach at Capio Nightingale Mental Health Hospital in London. "Adequate amounts of vitamin B6 and tryptophan are needed to boost these hormone levels and they are found in chicken, cheese, tofu, tuna, eggs, nuts, seeds and milk. So drinking a glass of milk before going to bed can help to induce sleep. Other sleep-inducing foods are oats and lettuce."