Sleep deprived? Hit the sack successfully
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A new study examines the sleep patterns of Canadians, causes of sleep deprivation and shows that too many of us are not so sound asleep when we doze off for the night.
Have you ever caught yourself nodding off away from the bedroom, maybe while riding the subway or sitting in a movie theatre? Sleep deprivation affects one in four Canadians, according to a recent study, and it plays havoc with your energy, your emotions and your health.
Using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a tool used by physicians to diagnose sleep disorders, the study found that 23 per cent of Canadians are clinically sleep deprived and that they experience energy peaks and valleys throughout the day and week, with 37 per cent of people most energetic between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., crashing between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. and then getting a second wind after dinner; further, Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays are our sleepiest days.
Meanwhile, Canadians are playing catch-up with their sleep needs in atypical places, with about 19 per cent saying they snooze on the transit system, be it boat, plane or train, and 13 per cent citing slumber in an outdoor public place like a park or stadium. The study was released by the Better Sleep Council Canada, an organization made up of 450 manufacturers, retailers and suppliers from the mattress industry.
Sleep quantity versus quality
Interestingly, it's not the quantity of sleep but the quality of sleep that is leaving people sleep-deprived. Most people reported almost nine full hours of sleep, going to bed around 10 p.m. and rising just before 7 a.m. "A lot of it is environmental," explains David MacDonald, vice president of Environics Research Group, which conducted the study.
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24 per cent of the telephone-interview respondents blamed street noise for interfering with their sleep, 14 per cent mentioned babies or kids, 13 per cent cited food/what they ate, eight per cent blamed their mattress, and another four per cent said alcohol.
Another reason for getting a bad night's sleep stems from your actual sleep pattern, such as going to sleep and rising later on weekends.
"It's far better to get up, and go to bed, at the exact same time every day of the week than it is to sleep in on the weekends and then try to get up early again Monday morning," explains MacDonald. "It's like experiencing daylight savings time every week, and that can compromise the quality of sleep because the body is expecting a certain rhythm to the sleep patterns."
Health and happiness
A lack of sleep can cause a host of health problems. "If you're falling asleep or dozing in and out when you're supposed to be working, then you're not getting the job done, and that can elevate your stress levels, reduce your productivity or cause you problems at work, that you then have to catch up and compensate for," explains MacDonald.
Furthermore, bad sleep can result in weight gain and extra fatigue on the cardiovascular system. "These are consequences that may not show up immediately but over a lifetime can take a toll and create more serious health problems later in life."
Sleep deprivation also plays with your emotions, according to recent research from the University of California, Berkeley, and Harvard Medical School. Published in the journal Current Biology, the study shows a connection between lack of sleep and negative thinking, irrational decisions, road rage, loss of concentration and memory, and overreaction to emotional challenges.
