Are You Struggling With Sleep Deprivation?

Sleep deprivation can have profound health consequences ranging from irritability and daytime fatigue to memory problems and a weakened immune system. We all experience the occasional night of tossing and turning, but for some, lack of sleep is a frequent concern.

There are many causes of sleep deprivation:

• Stress

• Hormonal fluctuations

• A room too warm or too cold

• Too much light

• Too noisy

• Pain

• Effects of certain medications

• Too much caffeine

• Drinking alcohol in the evening

• Smoking cigarettes before bed

• Disrupted sleep/wake cycle from shift work

• Napping during the day

When sleep becomes elusive, we tend to focus on how much sleep we didn’t get, if we’re going to sleep tonight, how tired we’re going to be tomorrow if we don’t get to sleep. All this worrying about not sleeping actually triggers the insomnia cycle. How do we break this?

Start by removing the obvious offenders: 

1. Regulate the temperature of your room- sleep specialists suggest the room should be a little cool (65-68ºF), just use an extra blanket

2. Use room darkening shades or curtains and cover the clock light (you shouldn’t be checking the time anyway)

3. No caffeine after lunch

4. Check with your physician to see if your medication(s) could be a cause

5. Talk to your Gyn about your hormone levels

6. If pain is an issue and an over the counter pain reliever has not worked, ask your physician about better pain relief to allow adequate sleep

7. Although very tempting when you’re tired, don’t nap, go to bed a little earlier (or if you must nap, no longer than 15 minutes)

8. For noisy rooms and those working different shifts, a “white noise” machine works well

9. Alcohol can make you sleepy, but it disrupts sleep cycles 10. Nicotine is a stimulant

11. Lastly, learn a stress reduction technique.

There are many modalities to try: progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, breath work, yoga, journaling, exercise, talking to a trusted friend, and guided imagery.  A very important step in peaceful slumber is developing a nighttime routine that helps signal the mind/body to prepare for sleep. We do it for our children, why not for ourselves?

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