Quality not quantity

IT’S not just about getting eight hours sleep; the key to a good night’s shuteye is quality, not quantity. SuperLiving spoke to Sleep Disorders Australia’s Ron Edmiston to find out more about the importance of a quality slumber.

Recently at an SDA meeting, Edmiston said one person raised the point that he was only getting five hours sleep a night, but he felt great the next day. “Some people think that you have to get eight hours sleep, you don’t. What you need is uninterrupted quality sleep.”

The secret to quality shut eye is through making sure we have good sleep hygiene. Most of these tips are common sense, but with the busy lifestyles we lead these days, it is often neglected.

The first tip is to try to go to sleep at the same time every day. Our bodies have a natural clock, and we should try not to ignore it.

Waking up at the same time each day is another tip, as it helps our body clock synchronise with what’s going on. We should also try to avoid the temptation of sleeping in if we have had a poor night’s sleep the night before.

Exercise is important for our physical health and there is evidence that proves it can improve a restful sleep. The best time to exercise is in the morning or before dinner. “If you run a couple of kilometres before you go to bed you will find it difficult to fall asleep as your body is stimulated,” he said.

Caffeine and alcohol can also cause problems with our sleep as both are stimulants. “Some people say you should not drink coffee [caffeinated drinks] after 2pm in the afternoon as it could affect you throughout the night.”

Other activities that can stimulate our bodies and minds include watching an exciting television program or engaging in an important discussion. In addition, if we are on medication, follow the instructions so our sleep is not affected.

Edmiston said think about babies, when we want to put them to bed we give them a bath, some milk and read them a story. “They are relaxed when they go to bed. The same goes for us as adults.”

Some specialists suggest not having a television in the bedroom, as it is distracting, Edmiston says. “While others say not even a clock. This is because some people tend to look at the clock and worry that they have not fallen asleep. If you need an alarm, experts suggested that is kept outside of the room.”

Some of us tend to have afternoon naps. “The thing with afternoon naps is, if you have had a two hour nap and have been aiming for eight hours sleep per night, you’ll only need six.”

If we can, we should try to avoid the afternoon siestas and get a good night’s sleep instead.

Age can also play a part in the amount of quality sleep we are get.

“As we get older a few things from our youth tend to catch up with us,” he said. “Say if you played a sport and you had injuries, you will feel the little aches and pains as you are trying to go to sleep, which makes it hard.”

Medical conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson’s, osteoporosis, heart and lung disease, as well as asthma can also affect our sleep.

Waking up during the night as we get older is also normal, as melatonin levels become shallower and fragmented with age. The bladder and menopause are other conditions that can affect sleep.

Sleep apnea is another condition that can affect the quality of sleep we get a night. It occurs when the airway from the mouth to the lung collapses during sleep. A person who is suffering from sleep apnea could have hundreds of these episodes a night. Edmiston was diagnosed with the condition about 17 years ago.

“At the time I was really tired all the time and I thought it was just the pressure of the job I had at the time,” he said. “Eventually, [after seeing a specialist] we found out that I just was not getting quality sleep.”

“Basically I was not getting enough oxygen and you don’t know it half the time. The only way you will find out is if your partner tells you about your loud snoring or if the boys don’t invite you to go fishing with them again.”

Since his diagnosis, Edmiston says his quality of sleep has improved significantly.

Individuals who think they have sleep apnea should visit their local general practitioner or specialist as it can cause heart attacks and strokes. There is evidence that people have died prematurely from one of these conditions due to sleep apnea.

Insomnia is another condition that affects our sleep. “There are two forms of insomnia, long-term and short-term,” he said. “Short-term could be related to an event, for example, say you have lost your job and you lay in bed at night worrying.”

“There is medication for people with short-term insomnia, however, people who do take sleeping pills should only be taking it for a short time. If you have been taking sleeping pills and can’t give it up, you might need to see a specialist to find out what the underlying problem is.”

Long-term insomnia is similar to short-term insomnia – it just lasts for a longer period of time. Putting into practice the sleep hygiene techniques discussed earlier should help deal with this condition.

Waking up early is also a form of insomnia.

Shift work can affect our body clocks and affect our sleeping pattern. If we are on a shift roster, we need to make sure that we get enough quality sleep during the day. Insufficient rest could cause accidents.

“If you work on a night shift, you will find it harder to go to bed during the day as there is more activity and distractions around you,” Edmiston said. “You need to find the quietest and darkest possible area and try to get some sleep.”