We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat,” but have you ever considered how the same can be said about your sleep?
Quality sleep is a cornerstone to our overall health and without enough of it, people can experience increased stress levels, mental health issues like depression or anxiety, and a lack of focus and energy.
Despite the importance of sleep for our overall health, millions of Canadians simply don’t get enough. In fact, 50 percent of Canadians have trouble going to sleep and staying asleep, and 1 in 5 don’t find their sleep restful.
How Much Sleep Should you be getting?
We all need a different amount of sleep. The National Sleep Association recommends the following amount of sleep based on age.
| School-aged children (6-13 years) | 9-11 hours |
| Teens (14-17 years) | 8-10 hours |
| Young adult (18-25 years) | 7-9 hours |
| Adult (26-64 years) | 7-9 hours |
| Older adult (65+ years) | 7-8 hours |
What is a Sleep Disorder?
A sleep disorder is a medical condition that affects your ability to get enough quality sleep. Someone with a sleep disorder might have problems falling asleep, or they may have a condition that interrupts the deep stages of restful sleep, causing fatigue.
Types of Sleep Disorders
There are more than 100 recognized sleep disorders. Here are some of the more common disorders people can encounter:
Insomnia
People with insomnia have a persistent, difficult time falling asleep or staying asleep. Chronic insomnia is diagnosed when someone has difficulty falling asleep more than three times per week for a period of three or more months. Short-term insomnia occurs when someone has difficulty falling asleep three times a week, for less than three months.
Restless Leg Syndrome
People with restless leg syndrome have an uncontrollable urge to move their legs, which persists even in sleep. Restless leg syndrome often causes an itchy, crawling, or burning sensation in the legs that is often worse in the evenings, or while in bed. Restless legs can cause a person to have trouble falling and staying asleep.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when a person experiences breathing interruptions while they are asleep. It might not be noticeable at first because it happens when the individual is asleep, but it often causes fatigue during the day because they are constantly woken before they can enter deep, restful sleep. Sleep apnea needs to be diagnosed by conducting a sleep study in order to measure how often breathing is interrupted.
5 Ways to Get Better Sleep
Whether you’ve been diagnosed with a sleep disorder or just want to improve how much sleep you are getting, there are many ways you can improve your sleep.
1. Practice Good Sleep Hygiene
Sleep hygiene is the practice of having a regular bedtime and structured sleep routine. So even if you go to bed late, it’s important to stick to your routine and get up at the same time you would normally. Good sleep hygiene also means only using your bedroom for sleep and intimacy by ensuring your bedroom is free from distractions like phones, loud noises and light sources.
2. Limit Screen Time Before Bed
The light from electronic devices is blue light, which suppresses melatonin (our sleep hormone) and throws our circadian rhythm (biological clock) out of whack. You should avoid looking at any bright screens — including televisions — three to four hours before bed for optimal sleep quality.
3. Regular Exercise and the Right Diet
People who exercise and eat a healthy diet rich in melatonin have better sleep. Exercise helps make you physically tired so by the end of the day your body is more ready to sleep. Eating melatonin-rich foods like fruit or nuts before bed can help you feel more sleepy. Melatonin is also available as a supplement but consult your healthcare provider before taking this.
4. Avoid Napping and Taking Stimulants
Even if you’re tired during the day, napping can make it harder to fall and stay asleep at night. Likewise, if you’re taking stimulants like caffeine from tea and coffee to help fight daytime tiredness, you are making it even harder to get a good quality sleep. As a rule of thumb, caffeine consumption should cease by noon because it can stay in your system for up to 24 hours.
5. Seek Help from a Mental Healthcare Provider
Therapy, like cognitive behavioural therapy, can help you improve your sleep if your sleep is being disrupted by intrusive or ruminating thoughts or unhealthy behaviours.
Do you need the support and tools to improve your sleep? Speak to our Care Team about the best treatment options.
Article sources:
Government of Canada: Are Canadian adults getting enough sleep?
American Psychiatric Association: What are sleep disorders?
American Psychological Association: Sleep
Canadian Mental Health Association: Sleep and your mental health
Harvard Health Publishing: Blue light has a dark side
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