Sweet dreams are made of this

Sleeping is an essential part of a healthy routine, “powering the mind, restoring the body, and fortifying virtually every system in the body”, according to the Sleep Foundation.

The amount of sleep needed varies largely depending on age group. NHS guidelines indicate that typically, adults need seven to nine hours, children need nine to 13 hours, whilst toddlers and babies need 12-17 hours – although this can fluctuate depending on the individual. 

Many people will experience sleep problems at some point in their life which is often solved when a certain situation or worry has been alleviated, says The Sleep Charity. Sometimes, however, these problems can persist, forcing an individual into a significant sleep deficit often known as insomnia. 

Insomnia is a sleep disorder where people have difficulty getting to sleep or staying asleep for long periods of time. It is usually classed in two categories: short-term insomnia (less than three months) or long-term insomnia (over three months). 

The most common causes of insomnia are: 

• Mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety or depression
• Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine or recreational drug usage
• Jet lag 
• An overactive thyroid
• Menopause. 

Mind games 

There’s a significant relationship between sleep and mental health, where living with a mental health problem can influence how well you sleep and vice versa, according to mental health charity Mind. 

Stress and anxiety are the two key influences. “Stress is our body’s reaction to pressures from a situation or life event,” says Samantha Ross, Kalms product manager. “In many everyday situations stress can be seen as a normal reaction that helps keep us awake and alert, but when stress becomes excessive or persists over a period of time the opposite effect happens.”

“When our internal neuro-chemical systems are working normally, they regulate biological processes like sleep, appetite, mood and energy levels,” explains Dr Irshaad Ebrahim, neuropsychiatrist and co-founder of The London Sleep Centre. “If we are stressed, the adreno-cortical system is dysregulated and our energy sources are diverted, resulting in sleep disruption and mood changes.

“Before we sleep it’s important to de-stress, reducing levels of cortisol, and replacing them with increased levels of melatonin, the hormone released in the brain that signals to the body it’s time to sleep.”

As an individual continues to have disturbed sleep, a cycle is created where not getting enough sleep deteriorates mood, productivity and ability to concentrate, which in turn emphasises feelings of stress and anxiety. Physical aspects of stress can also lead to an increased risk of respiratory problems, heart disease, diabetes and obesity. 

“Many peoples’ sleep issues are worsened through anticipatory stress, whereby we fear an outcome before the event has taken place,” adds Dr Ebrahim. “The stress-sleep cycle is when feelings of stress stop you from achieving a sufficient night’s sleep, or when the thought of not achieving a good night’s sleep intensifies feelings of stress, thus exacerbating the cycle and making it harder to break.”