Sleep - the forgotten dimension of good health

"People tend to forget that sleep is the third dimension of health and wellbeing after exercise and a healthy diet. It is no surprise that more than half of Australians report that they don't get enough sleep. Sleep experts recommend that adults get 7-8 hours sleep each night with teenagers needing up to 10 hours. With many students currently sitting their Year 12 exams, getting a good night sleep is as important as last minute study." Dr Christine Bennett, MBF's Chief Medical Officer.

Why is sleep important?

Sleep is a time when the body repairs and recuperates and allows the brain much needed 'down time'. The effects of regular sleep deprivation can be cumulative.

Sleep deprivation can result in reduced cognitive function and short term memory, irritability, decreased energy levels, decreased libido and may even present as attention deficit disorder. It can be dangerous when operating machinery or driving a car. It affects the immune system, respiratory system and increases hunger, giving rise to obesity problems.¹

How much sleep do we need?

People vary in the amount of sleep they need, depending on their age, lifestyle, diet, habits and environment. We generally need less sleep as we get older. Newborn babies tend to sleep for around 16 hours out of every 24, while adults average seven hours and the elderly only six. These are averages however and some people regularly manage with less sleep, while others need more.

Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs up to 10 hours of sleep every night yet 25% of teenagers get less than 6.5 hours of sleep on school nights. This is more than the amount a child or an adult needs. Yet most teenagers only get about seven or eight hours and 25% of teenagers get less than 6.5 hours of sleep on school nights. 2,3 Much of the body's growth occurs during sleep and adolescence is the time the body is growing at an accelerated rate.

Regularly not getting enough sleep (chronic sleep deprivation) can have dramatic effects on a teenager's life, including reduced academic performance at school.

Why can't we sleep?

The degree of sleepiness experienced depends not only upon the quantity of sleep, but also upon its quality and timing.

There are a number of common factors that affect sleep including:

• Life events
• Depression
• Illness
• Bad sleep habits
• Medication use
• Physical or hormonal changes
• Lack of awareness
• Work stresses
• Full schedules

In addition, millions of people suffer from an ongoing sleep disorder some of which include insomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, snoring, and nightmares, which often remain undiagnosed. A range of medical illness can also keep you from being able to sleep well. ⁴

What's happening with sleep in Australia?

According to the latest national MBF Healthwatch Survey, 51% of Australians say they are not getting enough sleep and blame a range of factors including full schedules, going to bed too late, job stress, family issues such as having young children, and poor sleep patterns. 46% of Australians have tried to get more sleep in the last 12 months.

On average Australians get just under 7 hours sleep a night; the 18-24's get the most sleep at an average of 7.2 hours and 35 to 44 year olds, the least at an average of 6.5 hours. Half of us think this is not enough sleep.

Those who work full time and those who are dissatisfied with their levels of stress sleep the least at an average of about 6.5 hours.

Those having less sleep were more concerned about their health and less likely to rate their health as excellent. (Those who slept 7 hours or more had higher levels of satisfaction with aspects of health and wellbeing including their life as whole, health, weight, happiness and stress levels than those who slept 6 hours or less).

Concern about Health vs Length of Sleep ⁵

Oxford University sleep experts say that teenagers are wired to stay up late and wake up late suggesting that a 9am start for school is too early. In a local study experts said that up to 40% of teenagers were sleep deprived. Two Victorian schools have acted by putting their start time back to 9:45am and 10am with promising results. ⁶

New research by Pfizer Australia has shown that 10 per cent of Australians are turning to sleeping tablets to help them cope with lack of sleep. A third of these admit to taking them every night. ⁷

General statistics:

• As many as 80% of Australians are experiencing some issue with sleeping ⁷
• 20% of Australians report being disturbed 3 - 5 times every night ⁷

Tips for good sleep ²

• Ensure regular sleep patterns by going to bed at the same time each night aiming for eight hours a night
• Limit alcohol and caffeine intake
• Resist the temptation to nap during the day
• Learn how to relax. Stress is a major cause of insomnia so find a relaxation technique that works for you
• Avoid sleeping pills. They don't address the cause of the sleeping problem
• Improve your sleeping environment. Make it dark, quiet and comfortable
• Seek professional help when you suffer symptoms of mood swings, restless sleep, snoring and feeling unrefreshed on waking

Tips for parents and teenagers ²

• Allow your child to sleep in on the weekends.
• Encourage an early night every Sunday. A late night on Sunday followed by an early Monday morning will make your child drowsy for the start of the school week.
• Decide together on appropriate time limits for any stimulating activity such as loud music, homework, television or computer games. Encourage restful activities during the evening, such as reading.
• Keep bedrooms dark at night since exposure to lots of light wakes the brain up. Similarly exposure to daylight in the morning will help with alertness.
• Avoid early morning appointments, classes or training sessions for your child if possible.
• Help your child to better schedule their after-school commitments to free up time for rest and sleep.
• Assess your child's weekly schedule together and see if they are overcommitted. Help them to trim activities.

Sources:

1. Uptodate (www.uptodate.com)
2. Better Health Channel, Victorian Government
3. Carskadon
4. Journal SLEEP, the official journal of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC; 1 October 2007
5. MBF Healthwatch Survey 2007
6. Oxford Neuroscience, Oxford University (www.neuroscience.ox.ac.uk)
7. Pfizer Australia and Australasian Sleep Association National Sleep Study

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