Healthier Sleep
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Robert J. Thomas, MD
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By World Sleep Society Staff
If you want to look and feel your best today and long term, prioritize your sleep. Quality sleep is a foundational pillar of health along with a proper diet and exercise. There are multiple factors for obtaining quality sleep, involving more than getting the recommended eight hours. To get the most out of your sleep, prioritize it.
Just like diet and exercise, sleep plays a major role in health and helps:
Support memory and learning
Clear waste from the brain to promote brain health
The immune system to clear bacteria and viruses
To recycle old cells and maintain our bodies and energy levels
Not only does quality sleep provide these immediate benefits, it also promotes longterm health. Poor sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular mortality. Furthermore, poor sleep can lower immune response, making the body more susceptible to infections. Poor sleep can also result in reduced reaction times, impaired judgement, and cognitive impairment, similar to the effects of alcohol intoxication. Drowsiness because of poor sleep can impair safe driving even if the driver does not fall asleep.
You may think all you need is to get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep. But there are other key components to consider when seeking quality sleep.
Duration
How much do you sleep in 24 hours?
Efficiency
How well do you fall asleep and stay asleep?
Timing
When do you sleep?
Regularity
Do you have consistent sleep and wake times?
Alertness
Do you maintain good focus and attention during waking hours?
Quality
Do you feel satisfied with your sleep?
Prioritize your sleep by planning for optimal sleep. Each of us has different schedules, demands, and personalities so make a plan that works for you. When making a sleep plan consider the following four factors :
1. Sleep Environment
Minimize light (especially phone screens), keep the temperature cool, and keep it quiet. This may include using “white noise” to control sounds.
2. Bedtime Plan to make it consistent each day. Regularity is essential!
3. Duration Make at least seven hours per night of sleep your goal.
4. How You Feel Do you feel rested when you wake? How do you feel throughout the day? Record your answers to these questions and track your progress.
Prioritizing sleep is an investment in your health. By recognizing its importance and implementing simple strategies to improve sleep quality, you can enjoy the many benefits of a wellrested life.
When you think of improving your sleep, temperature may not be the first thing that comes to mind. However, creating the right sleep environment, including temperature, is vital for improving sleep duration and overall sleep quality.
By MaryAnn DePietro, CRT
Have you ever woken up in the middle of a cold winter night to pull the blankets up tighter or struggled to fall asleep on hot summer nights? If so, the extreme sleeping temperatures may be to blame.
The temperature of your bedroom can significantly impact your sleep. For instance, if your bedroom is too warm, it can decrease rapid eye movement, slow-wave sleep, and increase wakefulness. If your sleeping environment is too cold, it may make it difficult for you to fall asleep.
Even a sleep environment that is too humid may have an adverse effect on your sleep. A sleep environment that is too humid may make it difficult to cool down which makes falling and staying asleep challenging. High humidity can also increase respiratory issues for individuals with conditions such as asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), disrupting sleep. Low humidity can dry out your nose and throat, which may lead to discomfort when sleeping.
Researchers have not identified a perfect indoor humidity level for optimal sleep. However, some experts, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, recommend keeping indoor humidity levels between 30% and 50%.
Your body's core temperature decreases a few hours before sleep. This decrease tells your body that it's time to prepare for sleep and helps trigger the release of melatonin. If your sleep environment is too cold or too warm, it may disrupt the drop in your body's internal temperature, disrupting sleep.
Different sources cite varying temperatures as ideal for sleep. However, multiple studies have indicated that sleep is the most restful and efficient when nighttime bedroom temperatures range between 15 and 19°C (59-66 degrees Fahrenheit).
Although there is no consensus on the ideal temperature, it appears cool is better than hot when it comes to sleep. For example, one study published in the journal The Science of the Total Environment found that a five to ten percent drop in sleep efficiency occurred when bedroom temperatures increased to 30°C. Keep in mind that babies and older adults may sleep better in bedroom temperatures that are a little warmer than those listed above. Additionally, individual preferences also vary.
Most people sleep better in a cool environment. To create the right temperature both personally and in your bedroom, there are a number of things you can do.
Consider taking a warm shower or bath a few hours before bed. This can raise your body temperature, which then drops as you cool down, helping prepare your body for sleep.
In the summer, choose pajamas that help keep you cool. Sleepwear made of materials such as linen, silk, and cotton are breathable and may help keep you cool at night.
Open windows on opposite sides of bedroom. Opening windows on opposite sides of the room a few hours before bed can help encourage airflow and start cooling the room down.
Consider fan placement. Place your fan near a window to push the hot air out and pull the cool air into the room. If you're using a ceiling fan, set it to spin counterclockwise, pushing air down and creating a cool breeze.
Set thermostat to drop during sleeping hours. Running the air conditioning overnight when you sleep may help keep your room cool for the entire duration of the night.
Improve airflow under your bed. If you use the area underneath your bed as storage, you may be preventing adequate ventilation under your mattress. Keeping the area underneath your bed frame clear allows air to pass through and may prevent your mattress from heating up.
Getting quality sleep is vital for your mood, health, and overall well-being. Creating the right temperature in your bedroom is one step towards getting the rest you need!
The term social jetlag is used to describe the mismatch between biological time and social time. Everyone has two clocks they live by – a social clock and a biological clock. The social clock revolves around time. This includes work schedules, events, and gatherings that you attend at a given time of day. Your biological clock or circadian rhythm revolves around an internal body clock. An internal body clock instinctively lets you know when you are tired or hungry without an outside time clock. Some people have an early circadian clock, and others have a later clock. Social jetlag occurs when sleep is inconsistent between the biological clock and the social clock.
If you have an early circadian clock, you may wake up early ready for work or school during the week. But, when the weekend comes, you stay up late with social engagements or extended screen time. Or, if you are like most people, and your circadian is late, you may struggle to wake up for work or school all week and then sleep late on the weekends. If you need an alarm to wake you up, you are likely experiencing a circadian misalignment. Social jetlag can leave you feeling irritable and tired. Aim for a consistent sleep-wake schedule aligned with your circadian rhythm to feel your best.
Research 2022 section 3.1.1
The 83 classified sleep disorders are not always to blame
By Gina Dewink
In the world of medicine, Sleep Medicine is a relatively young subspecialty, but it’s evolving at a rapid pace. Sleep Medicine is a subspecialty of practice and research devoted to understanding sleep and its complicated importance in our overall health, as well as treatments for the sleep disorders keeping you from a good night’s sleep.
The International Classification of Sleep Disorders cites 83 known sleep disorders but what if it’s not a sleep disorder keeping you awake? What if it’s just the misconceptions you believe about your sleep? If you believe any of the following untruths, it may be time to rethink sleep.
The truth is, even if you’re not getting that many hours and studies show many of us are not, this is a myth disguised as a guideline. Sleep experts agree that healthy sleep hours range from seven to nine hours of sleep per night, depending on the person. Your optimal sleep duration requirement is largely determined by heredity. ‘Long Sleeper’ and ‘Short Sleeper’ are both listed as sleep disorders, meaning you may need more or less than the standard eight.
Because our heredity plays such a large part in our sleep needs, we are unable to train ourselves to sleep less. Though you may test various lengths of sleep to find your optimal amount, you will not be able to convince your body that less is needed. Sleeping your optimal amount is only one-third of the “magic.” Dr. Clete Kushida, MD, PhD, FAASM explains, “A truly restorative sleep depends on duration as well as continuity and depth of sleep.” It’s a three-pronged approach to obtaining the perfect amount of sleep.
Following your body’s circadian rhythms is important. This means sleeping at your body’s optimal and natural time. Preserving regular circadian rhythms has been found to lower the risk of sleep disorders, mental health disorders, and chronic health issues such as obesity and diabetes.
Professor Debra Skene of the University of Surrey, United Kingdom has over 25 years research experience studying human circadian rhythms in health and disease. Dr. Skene explains, “Synchronization between our body clocks and the external environment ensures optimal timing of events. If there is misalignment between the circadian timing and behavior, such as during night shift work or following travel across time zones, then one is sleeping and eating at the wrong time of day. This has acute consequences (daytime sleepiness; reduced performance and
Preserving regular circadian rhythms has been found to lower the risk of sleep disorders, mental health disorders and chronic health issues such as obesity and diabetes.
increased risk of accidents) as well as long term consequences (increased risk of metabolic disorders).”
Untreated sleep disorders causing multiple wakeups have been linked to several chronic diseases, mood disorders, anxiety, and more. Poor sleep affects every aspect of life, including one’s vitality and general outlook. Symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness predispose the growth of traffic accidents, traumatism in the workplace, and the development of mental illness. In addition to the multitude of health risks that accompany sleep disturbances, a study by RAND, a research organization, found that lack of sleep is costing the United States economy $411 billion per year. The data can be found in droves, and it explains why sleep disturbances have consequences many of us do not consider, and why they should be placed at the same level as other health concerns.
In a culture that works 24/7, sleeping can seem like a low priority. But in reality, by sleeping your optimal amount, you will push yourself ahead by functioning your best. Research shows again and again how sound sleep can improve memory, cognitive function, academic performance in children, sports performance, mental health, and even beauty. But until we place sleep at the top of our priority list, it will always seem there just isn’t time for this routine activity. And that’s the hard truth about sleep.
*Citations available on healthiersleepmag.com.
Lesser-known sleep disorders may alter how long you sleep.
By Leila Emami, MD
At 5:00am sharp, my daughter's eyes fly open. After just six hours of sleep, she's bouncing with energy, eager to start her day. Meanwhile, her non-identical twin brother burrows deeper into his blankets—he won't emerge happily until he's logged a solid nine hours. As their exhausted parent, I used to wonder: How can two children who share the same home, routine, and some DNA, have such opposite sleep needs? The answer reveals a fascinating truth about human sleep.
It is difficult to recommend a fixed amount of sleep at any age. Experts agree the normal duration of required sleep for adults is seven to nine hours. However, bodily processes vary from person to person, including the normal hours of needed sleep. On the other hand, how long you sleep is not just a personal preference, but it is a window into your health. Sufficient sleep has a critical role in brain and body function. Recent studies have illuminated elevated mortality associated with both insufficient and excessive sleep durations.
According to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, third edition (ICSD-3), a short sleeper is a person who routinely obtains less than six hours of sleep or fewer per night on an average, yet still functions normally. Short sleepers feel refreshed and well-rested with a shorter amount of sleep and without the need to catch up on sleep. In contrast to short sleepers, people with sleep deprivation, sleep restrictions or insomniacs feel tired and irritable the day after a poor night’s rest. Habitual or diagnosed short sleepers go to sleep and wake up easily, while keeping their own routine pattern. Short sleepers tend to sleep for four to six hours a night on both weekdays and weekends. These people keep the same habits throughout their lives, from childhood to old age.
Around one percent of the population are short sleepers, but the prevalence may be increasing in some countries. Some research studies indicate that rare mutations and specific genes are more common among these people. Short sleepers are usually not the only people in their family who have this sleep pattern, leading us to believe short sleepers can run in the family.
Short sleepers normally do not seek help. The reason is that, unlike insomniacs, they are functioning and behaving normally and feeling well. We should keep in mind that although short sleepers feel fine subjectively, we are not sure they are doing fine objectively. Some functional MRI imaging studies have indicated that short sleepers show signs of inaccurate perception in comparison to people who sleep for normal time durations.
Many studies have proved that reduced hours of sleep (fewer than six hours) are accompanied by negative outcomes in the following areas:
• Cardiovascular health: Hypertension & heart disease as well as cerebrovascular events
• Mental health: Mood & psychiatric disorders
• Metabolic health: Obesity, diabetes mellitus type 2 and appetite dysregulation
• Immunologic health: Immune cell dysfunction, infection susceptibility following germ exposure such as higher risk of long Covid infection and vaccine immune response
• Cancer: Elevated risk of some types of cancer such as stomach cancer
• Pain: Reduced pain tolerance
It is highly recommended that everyone create the proper time and environment for sleeping at night. Many people cannot seem to dedicate enough time to get the proper amount of sleep their body needs because of family responsibilities, stress, or high-pressure jobs.
Long sleepers are people who need more hours of sleep to function well compared to the typical person of the same age. According to ICSD-3 definition adults are called long sleepers if they need 10 hours or more each night. The quality and architecture of sleep is normal in this group.
If habitual long sleepers get 10 hours of sleep per night, they feel refreshed and have no complaints. This amount of sleep is usually not doable because of social and work restraints, so they show symptoms similar to insomnia or sleep deprivation such as excessive daytime sleepiness, irritability, and impaired function. Long sleepers are more prevalent than short sleepers.
First, they should consult a sleep specialist to make sure they are true habitual long sleepers and that they do not have a different sleep disorder. In order to diagnose these normal variants correctly, doctors need a complete history, physical exam, completed two-week sleep diary, and required lab tests or sleep studies.
These are necessary to rule out other causes of excessive daytime sleepiness such as sleep deprivation, depression, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, iron deficiency anemia, and hypothyroidism. It is important to note that for teenagers, the normal requirement for sleep is longer than adults— around eight to 10 hours. Because they have to restrict their sleep during school days, they catch up by sleeping long hours on weekends.
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> Short Sleeper & Long Sleeper continued from page 13
Experts agree the normal duration of required sleep for adults is seven to nine hours. However, bodily processes vary from person to person, including the normal hours of needed sleep.
If other causes of sleepiness have been ruled out, then long sleepers should simply get the proper amount of sleep their body needs. Some studies have shown increased prevalence of negative health consequences, such as stroke, coronary heart disorders, obesity and even some types of cancers. On the other hand, surprisingly, some studies show that sleeping for long hours can possibly have some protective effects such as a compensating effect for consequent sleep deprivation or protection against some cancers in long sleepers. ............................................................................................
Leila Emami, MD is a boardcertified anesthesiologist and sleep specialist working as assistant professor of sleep medicine in the anesthesiology program of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in Iran. She is also a faculty member at World Sleep Academy. She has been working in the field of sleep medicine and research for over 10 years.
Understanding the definition and why it’s important for our health.
By Robert J. Thomas, MD
Regular sleep can be explained as being “not irregular” and vice versa. Sleep is naturally prone to be irregular, as it occurs in “chunks” that are loosely linked together, and these chunks occur preferably during the time we typically sleep. Though more than an hour of variability in night-to-night sleep timing is probably abnormal.
*Citations available on healthiersleepmag.com
The timing of sleep during the night is largely dependent on the light-dark cycle and the various rhythms linked to the 24-hour cycle, also known as circadian rhythms. Every day, there is a small “jiggling” of this overall positioning of the sleep chunks (or sleep cycles). Thus, what we consider regular sleep is actually a little bit irregular. Each night is not exactly the same.
Exposure to light, noise, and too much temperature change while sleeping can also result in less regularity of sleep. Regular sleep most importantly needs a regular wake time and ample exposure to light on awakening. Darkness in the late evening after 8:00pm and during sleep is also important.
Spending too much time in bed will make sleep less regular as the links between these sleep chunks will loosen and periods of wakefulness will emerge during the night. Some healthy individuals are naturally very regular, while some are irregular. Variable wake times and bedtimes make sleep irregular, somewhat like jetlag without the need to travel. The extremes of age are less regular, with newborns sleeping in chunks around the clock and the elderly at risk for irregularity.
However, diseases such as depression, bipolar disease, pain, restless legs syndrome, and sleep apnea can make sleep irregular. Increased irregularity of sleep timings have been associated with weight gain, depression, diabetes and heart disease.
Regularity of sleep can be tracked in many ways. Examples include sleep diaries, activity monitoring devices, smartphone applications, cell phone/e-mail/social media use, smart mattresses, and noncontact devices which use Wi-Fi or radar technology to track breathing, heart beats and body movements and estimate sleep and wake. Simple ways to ensure regularity of sleep are to keep a stable light/dark cycle, have a consistent wake and bedtime, avoid eating late or during the night, and not spending more
time in bed than one can sleep. Reducing time watching movies or using electronic media in bed—and certainly avoiding these if there is an awakening at night.
Sleep promoting drugs such as “sleeping pills” make sleep more regular, but we do not know if this is good or bad as more research is needed in this area. But what research has shown is that regular sleep leads to a healthier future.
Robert J. Thomas, MD is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He has been working in the field of sleep medicine and research for over 30 years.
By World Sleep Society Staff
Is napping good or bad? How long should you nap? When should you nap? Do kids need naps?
These are some of the questions that Dr. Anne Marie Morse commonly hears. Morse is a neurologist at Geisinger in Pennsylvania, specializing in child neurology and sleep medicine. Although it can be complicated, Dr. Morse gives guidance on the best practices for napping.
Sleep patterns change with age. Daytime naps are developmentally normal in childhood. For instance, a one-year-old child relies on napping to foster learning and development. But by the time the child is 5-yearsold, they don’t need naps. At this stage, longer nocturnal sleep cycles provide a better environment for learning and recovery. For adults, the ideal is seven to nine hours of sleep a night and 16-17 hours awake.
Infants and young children need to nap to optimize growth, development, mood, and behavior. Ideally, adults with no sleep disorders shouldn’t need to nap. However, not every day is ideal. A good question to ask yourself is, “Why am I napping?” There are good reasons to take a nap, such as an occasional night of poor sleep, travelling across time zones, or being sick with a cold or flu. However, if you are consistently needing to nap, there may be an unrecognized sleep issue affecting your sleep. Do some digging to determine if you are getting the right duration, timing, and regularity, as well as quality of sleep you need.
If you need a nap, timing and duration is important. Naps should be short, 20-30 minutes, and early enough in the day so as not to interfere with nighttime sleep. The danger of napping too long, or too late in the day is the inability to fall or stay asleep at night. This can create a vicious cycle of again needing a nap the following day, creating a pattern of interrupted sleep.
Recovery happens when growth hormones are active, which usually occurs during longer sleep periods. Naps are good for restorative energy, but muscle recovery happens with longer sleep at night.
Sleep plays a critical role in learning, reaction time, judgement, and recovery. For otherwise healthy adults with no sleep disorders, short naps can help restore energy after insufficient sleep. However, generally it is better to get solid blocks of sleep and wake cycles. If someone takes frequent naps, they should seek advice from a sleep doctor as there may be other sleep issues.
Dr. Anne Marie Morse is a neurologist at Geisinger Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Pennsylvania and serves as director of the pediatric sleep medicine and child neurology programs. She is also a researcher, educator, administrator, and advocate for sleep.
10. Avoid hanging out in your bed. It should be reserved for sleep and sex.
9. Block out all distracting noise and eliminate as much light as possible.
1. Establish a regular bedtime and waking time.
8. Find a comfortable sleep temperature and keep the room well ventilated.
6. Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. 7. Use comfortable, inviting bedding.
5. Choose a bedtime snack that won’t disrupt your sleep
2. Allow yourself to take a nap if tired, but do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep.
3. Avoid excessive alcohol ingestion 4 hours before bedtime and do not smoke.
4. Avoid caffeine 6 hours before bedtime.
The length of sleep should be sufficient for the sleeper to be rested & alert the following day.
Sleep should be deep enough to be restorative.
Sleep loss is a significant contributing factor to the public health crisis of loneliness.
By Gina Dewink
Perhaps you’ve noticed in your own life that when you sleep less, you are less likely to call up a friend or go out to a social gathering. But would it surprise you to know that this loneliness caused by a lack of sleep is contagious? A group of researchers at UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science directed by Professor Matthew Walker found just that. Dr. Ben-Simon explains, “We were initially interested to know if people were less inclined to interact with others if they did not sleep. So, our first question was more focused on becoming socially withdrawn following sleep deprivation. We soon realized that both loneliness and social withdrawal pose major risks to health and are linked to worse sleep.”
With the knowledge that lack of sleep can cause feelings of loneliness, the group studied further, using functional MRI and electrical brain recordings to take a closer look at neural processes that trigger lower socioemotional functioning following lack of sleep, as well as how to restore these processes back to regular levels after healthy sleep.
“Our discoveries demonstrate that sleep loss acts as a social repellant, in which both sides of the social interaction turn away from each other,” Dr. Ben-Simon states. “In an analysis of more than 1,350 research participants, we observed this effect across behavioral, brain and societal levels.” This research identified several new ideas.
Less sleep leads to less social interaction.
“Sleep loss—both total deprivation and moderate night-to-night reductions—leads individuals to become more antisocial as it enforces the feeling to have distance from others.
This sleep-loss effect includes over- and under-performing in parts of the brain.
The neural processes involved in this antisocial sleep-loss effect include hypersensitivity in the brain regions that warn of incoming social contact (also known as the “near space network”). At the same time, the brain regions that normally encourage social engagement and understanding of another’s intent (known as the “theory of mind network”) are impaired.
Strangers are more likely to mistake the sleep-deprived as lonely.
Of real societal importance, independent judges with no prior knowledge of sleep deprivation’s brain connection view sleep-deprived participants as being significantly lonelier. When those same participants are well-rested, they are perceived as less lonely.
Strangers do not want to connect with the sleep-deprived.
When the independent judges were asked if they would like to connect with the study participants in either a social way or a collaboration, they were less likely to when the participant was sleepdeprived. “This demonstrates that the state of sleep loss is a powerful social repellant,” Dr. BenSimon concludes.
by a lack of sleep is contagious.
Finally, the group of researchers made the key discovery that the antisocial impact of sleep deprivation is transmissible. When the independent judges came in contact with a sleep-deprived participant, the judge reported feeling lonelier as a result. This strange finding was true even if the judge spent as little as 60 seconds interacting with the participant. Dr. Ben-Simon says, “I have been studying sleep for about a decade now and I was surprised to find evidence that loneliness caused by a lack of sleep is contagious.”
Given that poor sleep can trigger feelings of loneliness and vice versa, it is especially important to protect our sleep. Going to sleep and waking up at roughly the same time every day (including weekends) is a great way to ensure we get all the sleep that we need every single night.” Sleep can be viewed as something that takes us away from social activity, such as turning down a social gathering in order to get the sleep we need. Dr. Ben-Simon concludes by saying, “We human beings were not designed to be alone. Sleep is a glue that, biologically and psychologically, glues us together as a species. Sleep reconnects us with our social circle; with our friends, colleagues, partners and even with strangers.”
Eti Ben-Simon, PhD is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Center for Human Sleep Science at the University of California Berkeley. She has been working in the field of sleep medicine and research for over 10 years. Her fascination with sleep started as a child when she was amazed at how a good night of sleep could make everything feel magically better the next day.
Poor sleep can trigger feelings of loneliness.
Getting healthy sleep makes a person more socially attractive.
A healthy sleep schedule can better feelings of loneliness, sadness and depression.
Being lonely increases your mortality risk by over 45% (double that associated with obesity).
Sleeping better can improve feelings of social isolation and loneliness.
Have you ever travelled somewhere and couldn’t sleep well the first night? If so, you are not alone.
By World Sleep Society Staff
Healthier Sleep spoke with Dr. Björn Rasch from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, a psychologist specializing in the sleeping brain. He tells us the First Night Effect (FNE) was noticed years ago. People recorded significantly poorer sleep the first night compared to the second and subsequent nights in a sleep lab. This first night effect is significant enough that sleep lab data from the first night is usually dismissed as an adaptation night, and only data from the second and subsequent nights are analyzed. Sleep labs may have been the first environment where FNE was recorded, but it can occur in any new environment. With newer equipment, sleep can be tested outside of sleep labs making it possible to track FNE regardless of location. Any change in environment, especially new or unknown environments, can affect your sleep the first night.
Dr. Rasch explains, “One can think of it as an old mechanism that enables us to wake up more easily if we don’t know if we’re in a potentially dangerous environment.” It may sound odd when most sleeping environments are safe, but those adaptive mechanisms are part of human nature. This is why FNE causes difficulties in falling asleep, frequent awakenings, and other changes in sleep architecture.
Not everyone will experience FNE, and those that do may experience it to varying degrees. Researchers don’t know exactly why this is. It may be genetic, or it may follow your ability to sleep well. If your sleep is generally good, you may not notice any change in your sleep regardless of your environment.
If you experience poor sleep the first night in a new environment, it is not something to worry about. Most likely the second and third night will be better. In fact, worry is a key factor in not getting good sleep.
To reduce FNE, Dr. Rasch recommends:
1. Don’t anticipate a night of poor sleep as worrying about it will only make it worse.
2. Reassure yourself that it is safe to sleep – this can be done through relaxation or meditation.
The First Night Effect is a natural response to being in a new environment. While it can be frustrating, knowing why it happens can make it easier to manage. If you experience poor sleep the first night in a new environment, don’t worry as good sleep will likely return the second night.
Dr. Björn Rasch is a professor in the department of Psychology at the University of Fribourg in Switzerland and has been researching sleep for over 20 years.
By Monika Haack, PhD
Conventional wisdom suggests that sleep helps fight infections. On the other hand, not sleeping enough can make us more susceptible to infection. There is something happening during sleep that makes the immune system stronger or more successful in the fight against viruses and other pathogens or germs.
Many animal studies done over the past decades clearly show that sleep helps an animal survive an infection. In humans, the chances of being infected by respiratory viruses are much higher in those with short sleep (generally fewer than six hours per night) or who suffer from insomnia.
Short sleep or no sleep for just one night can lead to lower antibody responses to vaccinations. In some people, the antibody response is so low that they are not sufficiently protected against the virus. Good sleep before and good sleep after a vaccination promotes a strong antibody response against pathogens.
There are different ways sleep can support immunity. Sleep protects against the development of low-grade inflammation. If inflammatory markers increase, as seen with short or disturbed sleep, immune cells are much less efficient in fighting viruses and other pathogens. Many hormones—such as cortisol, melatonin, or epinephrine— can suppress or promote inflammation. The secretion of these hormones is, to a certain degree, sleep-dependent which is one more way sleep can affect pathogen defense.
Lastly, recent evidence suggests that sleep promotes optimal functioning of T cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell that are key to the immune system. If sleep deprived, T cells have difficulty attaching to virusinfected cells and consequently, cannot destroy them as they should.
Make more time for sleep so the immune system can function at its best.
Researchers have manipulated the amount of sleep that animals or human participants receive. They either reduce sleep to four hours or fewer on one or more nights or eliminate sleep entirely. This has been done prior to and/or after exposure to a virus or vaccine to study how sleep-deprived cells respond. In addition to studying immune responses, researchers also look at the development of classic sickness symptoms, such as fatigue or body pain, when sleep deprived.
Another important area of study is recovery from illness. There is more and more data suggesting that recovery of biological processes from insufficient sleep can take longer.
Slow wave sleep is considered to be the sleep stage that is the most critical for the immune supportive actions of sleep. Some suggest that deep or slow wave sleep can be intensified through acoustic stimulation. This all aims to further understand the connection between sleep and immunity.
People can take control over their own immune health by making more time for sleep so the immune system can function at its best. For the average adult, this means seven or more hours of undisturbed sleep per night. It is best with regular bed and wake times. Many people know this already, but don’t do it because behavioral changes can be difficult to make and maintain. Let’s choose to better our sleep and to better our immunity.
Monika Haack, PhD is an
Associate Professor
of Neurology at Harvard Medical School Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who has been working in the field of sleep medicine & research for over 20 years.
Chances of getting infected with viruses are higher in those with fewer than six hours of sleep per night.
Short or poor sleep leads to lower antibody responses to vaccination, meaning it could be less effective.
Sleep promotes optimal functioning of T cells, the white blood cells key to destroying virus-infected cells.
We have heard it all before, the numerous reasons that are made as to why we are not prioritizing sleep. When people break a bone, they go to their doctor to have it assessed. Why is it any different for sleep? Broken sleep should also result in a doctor visit to determine the problem and to address it quickly before it begins to interfere in one’s daily living tasks.
Forget the excuses. There is no substitute for good sleep and the positive impact it will have on your life and your health. If sleep is an issue, schedule an appointment with a sleep specialist to get it addressed and you will see the benefits of healthier sleep.
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It’s just sleep (I will sleep when I die). This could not be any further from the truth. Research has shown that sleep deprivation leads to cardio-vascular problems, drowsiness, depression, obesity, and even irritability to name a few. Sleep needs to be a priority in our lives.
I have always slept like this.
If you have become accustomed to feeling sleepy through the day due to your sleep issues at night, that is a problem. For some, they do not remember how great they felt with a good night’s rest, as they have turned sleepiness into their new norm. It is time to break that cycle.
Everyone is sleepy, how is mine worse?
We have all sat in the lounge room at work and discussed being tired or even exhausted. However, for many people, that is not their everyday feeling. If you are sleepy every day and it is affecting your work/life, there is a bigger issue that needs to be addressed.
I am just stressed.
While stress can be a catalyst for poor sleep, it is important to speak with your healthcare providers to address the underlying cause. If your sleep issues are due to stress, then the stress should be addressed.
I work hard and play hard.
It is important to maintain a healthy balance in life. Our days should not consist of all work and no play, nor should they consist of all play and no work. However, part of maintaining that healthy balance is also making sure you are getting enough sleep at night to be able to live your life to the fullest. Making sleep an afterthought will catch up with you as we must allow our bodies the opportunity to disconnect and heal.
