“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.” -  F. Scott Fitzgerald

I used to think that waking up for an hour or so in the middle of the night was caused by work stress.  Then I left my career in the public service and guess what?  I continued to wake up in the middle of the night.  I felt much less stress as I pursued a Masters in Psychology but I continued to wake up for an hour or two in the middle of the night.  During the years I was in business as a lifestyle retirement planner, the same was true.  When I closed down my business and retired, I thought “OK”.  Now I’ll sleep through the night.  It was not to be.  As I have aged, I seem to sleep less and less and now have trouble even falling asleep. This topic is, therefore, close to my heart.

I do appreciate that understanding why we sleep, how we sleep and why it is so good for our health involves a complex equation.  In this article, I hope to highlight some of the current thinking about sleeplessness and also suggest some resources you might want to consult if sleeping is a problem for you. There has been considerable research on sleep.  First of all, there is a general view that as we age, we need somewhat less sleep.  Statistics Canada suggests that for seniors, a minimum of 7 hours is appropriate.  In one of their surveys, researchers found that about a third of those over 65 reported getting less sleep than this.  A review of the downsides for those who do not get enough sleep is alarming.  Lack of sleep can affect your health in many different ways.  Obesity, Type II diabetes, and cardio issues, among others, can result from poor sleep, not to mention being tired during the day when you have not had a good night’s sleep.

In his book, Why We Sleep, Matthew Walker explains in detail why sleep is important, why many of us do not sleep well, and what we can do about it.  His work is based on extensive neurological studies on why sleep is so critical to good health.  Given the rate of sleeplessness in North America, it is not surprising that he has become a “star” in the great search for the answer to sleeplessness.  If you want to have a solid understanding of the nature of sleep, and how important a good night’s sleep is for our overall wellbeing, then this book is highly recommended.  If you just want the highlights from his work, he has given many presentations and interviews on the topic and you can find some of these on YouTube.

If you but do not want to read through a lengthy treatise, you might want to check out the Mayo Clinic’s clear and simple analysis of why many of us do not sleep well, the implications of sleeplessness, and some ideas for combatting it. 

It is clear that the issue of sleeplessness is being given considerable attention, at least by researchers.  Dr. Michael Mosely, a UK medical journalist, is the host of a documentary on why many individuals have trouble sleeping and some of the techniques that can be used to combat sleeplessness.

It has become clear to me, as I have researched this topic, that it can be helpful to understand, first of all, why sleep is important before deciding what strategy to adopt for improving it.  This includes such issues as:  understanding what causes us to sleep, the health issues associated with poor sleep, the role of light and dark in our sleep cycle and the sleep cycle itself.  Having a better understanding of sleep, can then lead you to the development of your own strategy for improving your sleep.  In some instances, you might want to consult with a sleep medicine doctor to assist you in developing this strategy.

Some Tips for Getting a Better Sleep

I am sure that, if you are someone with chronic sleep problems, you have already done considerable research on the topic.  To the extent this is true, some of the following will be quite familiar to you.  Hopefully, there may be a few tips that are new to you.

Dos:

1. Go to bed and get up at the same time.
2. Wind down at least an hour or so before going to bed.
3. Ensure that your bedroom is cool, dark and quiet with no electronic devices present.
4. Have a bath before going to bed.
5. Meditate before bed.
6. Exercise, preferably earlier in the day, rather than before bedtime.
7. Consult your doctor or one who specializes in sleep disorders.
8. Consult a behavioral therapist.
9. Eat 2 kiwis about an hour before bed; the serotonin and anti-oxidants will help with sleep
10. Get up and do something relaxing if you cannot fall asleep.  Go back to bed when you feel sleepy.
11. Have genetic testing done to see if there are any genetic reasons for your sleeplessness.

Don’ts:

1. Do not have alcohol, caffeine, or nicotine from mid-afternoon on.
2. Do not eat anything substantial in the evening, especially simple carbohydrates.
3. Avoid naps after mid afternoon
4. Do not have a clock in your bedroom; avoid checking the time.

Given the prevalence of sleeplessness, especially in older adults, I thought it would be useful to ask you, the reader, for your thoughts on this issue.  Please take the time to fill out our short survey and I will report back in the next edition.