By Susan Stephens Counselling Psychologist Medall Mind
Why is sleep important and what are the signs, symptoms and complications in lack of sleep?
Sleep is a state of lessened consciousness and decreased physical activity during which the body slows down and repairs itself. Just like how when an electronic gadget stops functioning and slows down when there is no charge, so is the body. The body needs adequate amount of sleep to function and to perform day to day activities. When the body does not get the adequate amount of sleep it needs, the consequence manifests in the form of physical, psychological concerns. Deprivation in sleep mainly affects the brain and in turn affects our thinking, concentration and memory retention. Hence it is very important to have a good sleep in order to have healthy sleep hygiene.
Everyone’s individual sleep needs vary. Most healthy adults are tuned for 16 hours of wakefulness and need an average of 7-8 hours of sleep at night. However, some individuals are able to function with as little as six hours of sleep.
Signs and symptoms regarding sleep may vary with children and adults. A child who is sleep deprived may seem cranky, have temper tantrums, lack of concentration, drop in academic performance, poor intake of food, whereas in adults, mood swings, lack of energy, reduced attention span, daytime sleepiness, poor or risky decision making.
The complications involving around sleep has two-fold effects on the body and also has short term and long-term effects. The short-term effect that sleep has on an individual could be difficulty in alertness and memory as mentioned before along with concerns relating to quality of life. However, when these short-term effects are not met and addressed it could lead to long-term serious health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, increased heart risk and eventually can lead to mental health concerns as well during the process like anxiety, depression, insomnia.
What makes you sleep?
A number of factors plays a role in the process of sleep and wake. An “Internal body clock” plays an important role in the regulation of the sleep cycle, controlling when the body feels tired or refreshed. This internal clock works on a 24-hour cycle known as “Circadian Rhythm”. One of the key function of this internal clock is responding to light cues, production of the hormone melatonin at night, and switching it off when it senses light.
Another mechanism/factor that is involved in sleep is “Sleep-Wake Homeostasis”. It keeps track of an individual’s need for sleep. The homeostatic sleep drive reminds the body to sleep after a certain time and regulates sleep intensity. This drive gets stronger every hour the individual is awake and causes them to sleep longer and more deeply after a period of sleep deprivation.
Factors that influence the sleep-wake needs include medical conditions, stress, sleep environment, and what we eat and drink. One of the greatest influences is the exposure to light. Exposure to light can make it difficult to fall asleep and return to sleep when awakened.
Apart from these two major mechanism/factors, the other contributors to sleep, the bedroom environment can have a significant influence on sleep quality and quantity. Especially the kind of lighting inside the bedroom matters, too much light at night can shift the sleeping patterns and makes restful sleep difficult to achieve.
When it comes to noise, some people find it relaxing to have some mild background sounds but too much can also disrupt the sleeping pattern of the individual.
The optimal temperature to sleep widely differs among individuals. People simply sleep best at the temperature that feels most comfortable for them. Extreme temperatures in sleeping environments tends to disrupt sleep
The process of falling asleep and wake also changes with age as well, where teens may sleep during the later hours at night and sleep more in the morning while adults fall asleep early and wake up earlier
Have the sleeping patterns of Indians changed during the lockdown and after unlock?
The pandemic has caused a lot of chaos and disruption in individuals as a whole. Working from home although a blessing but it has also raised a lot of concerns for individuals both physically and mentally. Few concerns that were noticed are changes in eating patterns, change in weight, feeling fatigued, uncertainty, feeling stressed and anxious, financial concerns which, all leads to changes and disturbance in the sleep-wake cycle.
In a survey conducted by a sleep solutions firm, over 1500 respondents from pan-India the working population had reported that work from home was not the blissful experience that most Indians expected it to be. While 67 per cent reported that working from home has altered their sleep schedule, 50 per cent believed it has disrupted their sleep patterns. Interestingly, 81 per cent respondents felt that their sleep schedule will get better once the lockdown ends.
The survey data also indicates a 40 per cent increase in people who were late night sleepers since the lockdown, 25 per cent respondents reported going to bed post mid-night. The duration of sleep clocked in by people also showed a drastic change.
As mentioned earlier, the various changes in routine, the uncertainty, the stress and anxiety regarding work life balance and health concerns has definitely taken a toll on every Indian which has contributed to the change is sleeping patterns which individuals struggle to strike a balance.
Although the unlock does give people a sense of hope and relief that things are getting better but the fear of contamination and spreading continues to affect people leading to a continued sense of panic. With the increased awareness and emphasis on mental health people are more aware and forthcoming in reaching out to help and involved in the process of change towards a healthy body and mind