The Big Sleep

With more demands on our time, sleep is becoming a poor relation. Jane Dawson investigates the associations between health, feeling good, and that all-important eight hours sleep a night.

- Jane Dawson

At some point in most people’s lives, sleep becomes a luxury. Whether this is due to family demands, shift patterns at work, stress, or just simply burning the candle at both ends, many of us complain about being tired. And while it is tempting to ignore the detrimental effects, recent research suggests that a lack of Zzzs is something to be taken seriously.

According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, we should devote one-third of our time to sleeping.1 However, with at least 30 per cent of the population suffering from sleep disturbance, a significant number of people clearly aren’t getting their quota.2 The effects of insufficient sleep are well documented. For adults, sleeping for less than seven hours a day has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity,4 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and mental distress.5

Dave Gibson, co-author of The Art of Falling Asleep, is a naturopath, osteopath and a hypnotherapist who specialises in sleep and weight-loss. He describes a range of effects associated with reduced sleep. “The main short-term issue with lack of sleep that I come across is its mental impact. This includes tiredness at work, reduced work output, memory and concentration decreases.

“Another short-term problem with decreased sleep is reduced immune function. This leads to susceptibility to illness, especially in the winter.”

According to Gibson it is hard to ascertain when sleeplessness becomes a long-term concern, but a sudden change of diet is a key indicator — such as consistently sleeping for under six hours and then getting cravings for fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods. Other signs to watch out for, he says, are frequent problems with short-term memory recall or drifting off to sleep during the day, whether it’s at the desk or struggling to stay awake while travelling.