Sleep: What disturbs it, what helps it, and why can't we be friends forever?

Ah, sleep. We tend to think we don’t need it as kids, and crave it as adults. We know we need it and yet, never seem to get enough of it. And usually when we want it the most, it completely evades us. What a frustrating, finicky thing, this sleep business. It’s quite an odd phenomenon when you really think about it. We let our bodies lay still for a fraction of our lives to recharge and release hormones as our minds float into mysterious dream worlds where we basically hallucinate all sorts of happenings. As much as I’d love to get into dream states, lucid dreams, and the meaning of those strange happenings that take place behind closed eyes, I’m going to save that exploration for the experts, which I am not. While I may not be qualified to write on dreams, I do feel well-equipped and quite excited about sharing some interesting truths about sleep.

Sleep and I were not always best friends, and for the longest time I sought many remedies trying to reconcile the relationship until I realized, hey-it’s not always my fault! It was a relief to learn that there are a multitude of reasons why I wasn’t getting good sleep. Of course, there are things one can do to assist with sleep, but personally, it was nice to know there was a scientific reason why I couldn’t sleep. So, I’d like to shed a little light on those multitude reasons why we can’t sleep, as well as discuss some tried and true solutions, some questionable remedies, and those wacky last resort ideas that we try when we are desperate.

Of course, I’d like to start by sharing that I am not a medical practitioner and this article should not be taken as medical advice in any way. If you struggle with insomnia or are having trouble with your sleep, please consult your doctor first and foremost. Lack of sleep can lead to heart disease, stroke, and depression. It is a very big deal when we are not sleeping properly. While reading this article is a great start to building a better relationship with sleep, it does not replace seeing a doctor. So, one more time for those that didn’t read it- if you can’t sleep-go see a doctor. :)

Okay, so not to scare you, but if you’re about to stop reading because you don’t think sleep is that important; think again. Multiple studies confirm that poor sleep has some major health risks. The Heart Foundation reported that, “not enough sleep, or having too much, increases the risk of heart disease”. According to the Sleep Foundation, one study showed that “people sleeping less than six hours per night had a 20% higher chance of a heart attack.” Not sleeping well takes a very real toll on the body. On the opposite side of things, a good nights sleep comes with all kinds of benefits including weight loss, reduced inflammation, and immunity boosts. Bottom line: sleep is important. However, as most of you know, it doesn’t always come easy even when you know how paramount it is. Why is that?

The list of variables that play a role in one’s lack of sleep is long and complex. From my understanding there are three main causes to poor sleep or lack of sleep: environmental factors, the physical body, and lifestyle. Let’s break those categories down.

Environmental Factors

There are three main environment factors: work, light exposure, and bedroom setting.

Work

Work environment has a huge impact on our overall health, and plays a big role in our sleep cycle. According to an article in Occupational and Environmental Medicine the demand or lack of physical exertion necessary in the work environment will affect sleep, but it’s not just whether or not your work is physical that affects sleep. Unsurprisingly, the biggest work-related element linked to poor sleep is stress induced from the work environment. I’m sure we all know how a stressful deadline can lead to a sleepless night, or maybe two. However, when it comes to understanding how stress at work, it’s more than just deadlines and important projects. A study on the effect of work environment on sleep disturbances found that, “the psychosocial work variables of social support at work, control, and organizational justice were related to fewer sleep disturbances, while high work demands, job strain, bullying, and effort-reward imbalance were related to more future sleep disturbances.” In other words, a sense of support, community, and fairness in the work setting has less of an impact on sleep, while difficulty with co-workers, feeling under appreciated and under valued can negatively affect sleep. I’d love to tell you to quit your job if you are experiencing this, but I know this is not feasible for many people. Unfortunately, when it comes to these environmental factors, sometimes we are limited in our ability to control them.

Light Exposure

Light exposure is another environmental element that affects sleep a great deal. According to a Harvard study, “Light is one of the most important external factors that can affect sleep.” How much light we are exposed to throughout the day, and at night before bed will influence your sleep. Too much light can mess with our natural circadian rhythm, which controls sleep. The Sleep Foundation asserts that, “Light exposure at night can hinder transitions between sleep cycles, reducing the quality of sleep. Too much light can cause repeated awakenings, interrupting the sleep cycle and reducing time spent in deeper, more restorative sleep stages.” Natural light is not the only type of light to affect sleep. Exposure to any blue light, which includes computers and cell phones has the potential to disturb your circadian cycle, and thus affect your sleep.

While we can control light exposure to an extent there is some exposure that cannot be controlled. For instance, people in Alaska who deal with an increased light exposure over a 24 hour cycle tend to have difficulties with sleep. It is recommended to rise with the sun and go to bed a couple hours after the sun sets, but we can’t really do that when the sun doesn’t set. However, uncontrollable light exposure doesn’t just affect people in Alaska. What about people who work night shifts? It isn’t always possible for night shift workers, or people who have odd working hours to wake with the sun. And as mentioned, computers can be a part of this light exposure that messes with sleep. Blue light glasses may help, but again, when it comes to lack of sleep-it’s not always our fault. Sometimes, we are limited in our ability to control these external factors.

Bedroom Setting

The last environmental factor is the bedroom atmosphere. According to a Harvard study, “The bedroom environment can have a significant influence on sleep quality and quantity.” Where your sleep takes place, the temperature of the air, and noise within the area all affect sleep. This cause of lack of sleep is a little more controllable than the other two environmental factors, but still, it is limited. I feel for anyone who lives near a train or doesn’t have air conditioning. You may not be able to change where you live or turn off that neon sign outside your apartment window, but there are things you can do to optimize the bedroom setting like keeping a clean space, having fresh sheets, and reducing light where you can. Check out this article for more tips on how to create an ideal bedroom setting for sleep.

Environmental factors can be frustrating because of how limiting we are in our ability to control them. When it comes to the physical body, it can be equally as frustrating.

Physical Factors

There are three main physical components that affect sleep: Hormones, age, and lifestyle. Let’s start with the one that we don’t talk about enough: hormones.

Hormones & Age

I knew hormone function was a crucial aspect to overall health, but I had no idea how much unregulated hormone cycles, hormone fluctuations, and hormone deficiency impacted sleep. According to WebMD, “Hormonal changes can wreak havoc on sleep. In turn, sleep deprivation can affect hormone levels in a sleepless vicious cycle.” This can be especially problematic for women, who deal with hormone changes monthly, as well as with pregnancy, and even more dramatically as they reach menopause. Estrogen drops as women near menopause. This decrease in Estrogen make women more vulnerable to sleep problems. One article states that, “women experience more sleep problems and depressive symptoms around times when sex hormones change, such as puberty and menopause.” A study by Yale showed that women spend less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, yet still feel rested. Despite feeling rested, not reaching this dream state (REM) stage of sleep has consequences. While muscles are relaxed during REM sleep, the brain is active and there is research that suggests this is where we process information from the day, retain it to memory, and create space for the development of new skills. This REM stage of sleep is extremely important, but lack of proper sleep doesn’t just affect women, and low estrogen isn’t the only hormone that influences sleep.

It is well known that “sleep plays a major role in neuroendocrine function and glucose metabolism.” But when it comes to other hormones and sleep, the hormone that has the biggest potential to affect sleep is the Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Research shows that, “a solid amount of sleep (7-9 hours) will boost the amount of Human Growth Hormone (HGH) that is released in the body. The release of HGH during sleep is a critical part of the way your body is restored while you are sleeping.” HGH helps the body build muscle, metabolize fat, and regulate lipoproteins. While sleep assists HGH production, HGH helps to regulate sleep . Unfortunately, our bodies naturally slow down HGH production as we age. It is suggested that, Growth Hormone secretion declines significantly for all genders between the ages of 25-35. While women may not get good REM sleep due to low estrogen, studies show that men see a decrease of REM sleep when this HGH begins to decline. One study argued that, “in healthy men, the distinct changes in sleep quality that characterize the transitions from early adulthood to midlife… from midlife to old age… are each associated with specific alterations in hormonal systems that are essential for metabolic regulation”, such systems being that of the Human Growth Hormone. So, how do we maintain healthy sleep as we age and our hormones change on us?

The most common answer is Hormone Replacement Therapy. Of course there are natural ways to assist the hormones. However, there are limits to both methods. Estrogen and other hormone replacement can be a controversial therapy. Although, most studies assure they are safe, and that it is only popular opinion, and not fact or research that makes the therapies controversial. While I do not want to dishearten anyone, I do believe lack of sleep as we age is simply part of the process that we must embrace as best as we can, hence, why we can’t be best friends with sleep forever. Personally, I think we can exhaust ourselves trying out one remedy after the other. It can lead to more stress, and less sleep trying to control what is somewhat out of our control. I find it comforting knowing that there are biological reasons why our sleep changes, and…that’s okay! So, we are aging and can’t sleep. Maybe we can take refuge in the commonality of this. Or maybe we want to rage and wage war against it. That’s okay, too. Again, I don’t want to leave anyone feeling helpless, maybe just a little less alone, and a little less stressed about trying to fix what might be out of your control. And part of reducing that stress means altering what you can control. So, let’s turn our attention to that.

Lifestyle

While we can’t remedy the aging process that includes poor sleep entirely, there are things we can do to help us build a better relationship with sleep. Lifestyle is the third contributing factor to optimal or poor sleep, and this one is entirely in our control. Lifestyle includes habits. food, routine, and de-stressing practices. Rather than share more on studies of lifestyle and sleep, let’s just get right to the possible solutions, shall we?

Popular Solutions

Routine- Tried and True

There is a lot of evidence to support that a consistent bedroom routine can support a healthy night of sleep. This include things like going to bed and waking up at the same time, limited screen time before bed, and creating a comfortable bedroom setting. A less talked about routine that can assist with falling to sleep is to journal before bed. A study found, “journaling reduced bedtime worry and stress, increased sleep time, and improved sleep quality.” You might start with a gratitude journal, or a just a few minutes of stream of consciousness, or jotting down whatever’s on your mind. My personal favorite is to write out your stresses. This suggestion varies depending on the article. It might not be suitable right before bed, but research shows that writing out your worries before bed may help put the mind at ease so that sleep comes easier. An article in Psychology Today, proposes that you write out your to-do list for the next day. Regardless of what you write, adding a 5 minute writing session to your bedtime routine may be just what you need to help you fall into a quick and peaceful sleep.

Edibles- Questionable

I’m not talking about marijuana edibles. Even though some claim such edibles help with sleep, neuroscientist and sleep expert, Matthew Walker, insists that it actually does not serve the body well for a good nights sleep. What I mean by edibles is actual food and supplements you can take for sleep. When it comes to food there a handful of items that may help with sleep. The Sleep Foundation suggests that rice, milk, kiwi, nuts, and fatty fish may support your sleep. Cherries and/or cherry juice is also on the list due to the fruits’ high contents of melatonin. The foundation also recommends staying away from alcohol and caffeine, and not eating too late. A new favorite article of mine suggested that pasta and carbs are actually very good for sleep. That’s right, pasta and carbs are good for sleep! Best news ever, right?

Sometimes, we need more support for sleep and that’s when supplements come in. One of the most popular supplements for sleep is melatonin. According to an article from Today, “Melatonin is a hormone that the brain produces in response to darkness, which helps regulate the body’s internal clock and sleep-wake cycle”. However, that same article insists that, “there’s little evidence melatonin supplements can help with insomnia or other sleep disturbances.” Moreover, most other countries classify it as drug that may only be obtained by a prescription from a doctor. This is quite disconcerting considering how many people are reaching for the over-the-counter medicine in the States. Medicine News Today argues that not only should everyone be consulting a doctor before taking melatonin, it is only meant to be used on a short-term basis. While Live Science does affirm that melatonin helps sleep, the article also asserts that it is not a cure, and is really only beneficial if a lab work from a medical professional shows that the person experiencing poor sleep has a melatonin deficiency. An article in the Psychiatric Times encourages people to try natural remedies to boosting melatonin first. The article suggest that, “Maintaining regular sleep-wake hours, plenty of daytime activity and light exposure, and early meal timing should aid in stabilizing the circadian cycle. Avoiding bright light in the evening for a few hours prior to bedtime should limit the suppression of melatonin.” Other studies suggest, once again, hormone replacement therapy, before ingesting a supplement you’re not sure will help. Ultimately, when it comes to melatonin it is best to consult a doctor to see if it’s right for you.

Another common supplement used to aid with sleep is magnesium. Psychology Today explains that “healthy magnesium levels protect metabolic health, stabilize mood, keep stress in check, promote better sleep, and contribute to heart and bone health.” However, another study says that it is questionable whether or not ingesting magnesium will help will sleep. On a personal level, I’ve taken a magnesium supplement and did find it helpful. Again, I must insist on consulting your doctor first, but my favorite magnesiums supplements are Moon Juice Magnesium, and Natural Vitality’s Calm.

The Wacky

Okay, so let’s chat a little about some of those far-fetched, wives-tales solutions. Have you ever slept with a rock under your pillow? Some argue that certain crystals under your pillow or on your nightstand may support your ability to sleep. I know it’s a strange one, but what do you have to lose? More sleep? Check out this article for a list of crystals that may help you sleep. As someone who is into crystals, I’d suggest a rose quartz. It’s one of the more affordable crystals.

Oils are another alternative solution. Here’s a list of a couple different oils that can benefit sleep, but the most popular one is lavender. Lavender can be used in many ways depending on what company the oil was purchased from. You may place a few drops on. your pillow, spritz in the room, or dab it on your wrists. If you purchase an ingestible variation of lavender you can even put a bit of it under your tongue. Before you knock this one, you should know it’s a little more well-founded than you might think. A case study examined a group of people that incorporated lavender into their bedtime routines, the results showed that the group “demonstrated better sleep quality” than the group that did not use lavender. So, not so wacky after all, huh? Lavender is getting quite popular and I like to make sure I am getting mine from an ethical and sustainable based company, while also not breaking the bank. My favorite lavender comes from Mountain Rose Herbs.

Last, but not least on wacky solutions is sound. There is an endless amount of resources for this one: theta wave beats, white noise, and nature sounds can all be found in excess on Youtube, Spotify, and/or iTunes. But, does it actually help? When it comes to background noise while we sleep, there are multiple studies that show continued noise while we sleep has a negative impact sleep. However, if the sound is cancelling out other sounds (cars/sirens/ect.) then, it may be beneficial. Healthline breaks down the different types of noise and which is most helpful when it comes to sleep. While continued noise throughout sleep has its controversies, listening to binaural beats or theta wave frequencies has been known to help shorten the time it takes to get to sleep. If you’re wanting to give sound a try, my suggestion would be to set a time for how long the music plays so that it doesn’t continue through your whole nights sleep.

In conclusion, sleep is important, we definitely want to make an effort to try to create a healthy relationship with sleep. However, there are some physical and environmental factors that affect our sleep that we have limited control over. It’s important to consult your doctor to pinpoint the reason why you are not sleeping before trying any extreme remedies. Absolutely try changing up some lifestyle habits like building a consistent bedtime, eating some pasta and cherries, limiting light exposure, and journaling out your stress before bed. But remember to be gentle with yourself. Sometimes, stressing about sleep just creates more anxiety and less sleep. One person suggested to me to stop trying so hard. Some nights the mind just isn’t ready to turn off. Maybe instead of beating yourself up about it, give yourself permission to watch some TV, read a book, or play a game until you get tired. As important as sleep is and as much as we love it, we are all bound to have more than a handful of nights in our life when sleep evades us. Don’t add to the stress by getting mad at yourself. On those once in a blue moon nights where the rock under your pillow and the lavender isn’t working- take a deep breath and be gentle with yourself. It’s not your fault. Besides, sleep and you can’t be best friends all the time. Of course, if the sleeplessness persists- seek medical help.

Article by: Bridget Lavin

Nest Health Connections

Nest Health Connections is a corporate wellness company revolutionizing health and happiness in the workplace. We create holistic customized wellness programs for employers and their employees.

SOURCES:

Importance of sleep:

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/06/05/the-dangers-of-sleep-deprivation

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/how-disrupted-sleep-may-lead-heart-disease

https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-deprivation/how-sleep-deprivation-affects-your-heart#:~:text=In%20one%20study%2C%20people%20sleeping,stages%2C%20increasing%20heart%20attack%20risk.

https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/about-us/news/blogs/how-does-sleep-affect-your-heart

10 Basic Benefits

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-reasons-why-good-sleep-is-important#5.-Affects-sugar-metabolism-and-type-2-diabetes-risk

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6033330/

Work https://journals.lww.com/joem/Abstract/2019/12000/The_Physical_Work_Environment_and_Sleep__A_Latent.8.aspx#:~:text=For%20example%2C%20certain%20physical%20work,timing%20and%20quality%20of%20sleep.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25645126/