How To Sleep Like a Baby

Insomnia can contribute mental health problems and mental health problems can cause issues with sleep. Therefore, treating insomnia will benefit overall psychological health.

The 3 key regulators of sleep

• Sleep Drive

• Circadian Rhythm

• Arousal Levels

Sleep Drive

Sleep drive or a biological need for sleep is a process that increases desire to sleep. For instance, if you accidentally fall asleep in the late afternoon your need to sleep at your usual bedtime will be decreased.

Things that decrease your need for sleep are:

· Sleeping in

· Napping

· Hyperarousal: a process that can occur when you are under a lot of stress. I can also be a symptom of PTSD, depression and anxiety as hyperarousal can trigger the ‘fight or flight’ response to make you feel more alert and awake.

Circadian Rhythm

Circadian Rhythm is your internal biological clock (body clock) that responds to external cues in your environment, such as light, to influence what times you fall asleep and wake up. Circadian rhythm also regulates other biological processes such as body temperature and digestion. When individuals are struggling with low appetite, I usually recommended they eat regular meals at the same time each day to strengthen their internal clock which will then send signals to the brain at times throughout the day that are feeling hungry.

If you have ever travelled to a place where the time zones are different you will notice that you might feel tired throughout the day or conversely have difficulty getting to sleep at night until your circadian rhythm adjusts. For example, you normally go to bed at 10:30pm but 10:30pm in the new place is 6:30pm so by 6:30pm you’re feeling tired and like you need to go to bed. Once you adjust and then fly back home you have the opposite problem - 10:30pm comes and you’re wide awake as your body clock is telling you it’s only 6:30.

The most important thing you can do regulate your circadian rhythm is to keep regular sleep and wake times (even when you have poorly slept the night before and on weekends). When you keep a regular sleep schedule your body sends signals to your brain that you’re tired at bedtime and will also help you wake up feeling refreshed as your body clock knows that it is time to get up. Wake up at 5am in the morning to do a workout and I know longer need an alarm clock (most of the time) to wake me up. Similarly, I go to bed a roughly the same time every night and I feel tired around my bedtime which will assist in getting to sleep.

Melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone in your brain that is released when it is dark to make you feel sleepy. When you’re exposed to light it gets turned off so you feel awake. Sunlight can turn off your melatonin switch but that’s not the only thing. Light from your phone, computer screen and TV also reduces melatonin. In fact, a common practice in these days is to look at the time on your phone if you wake up during the night. The bright light from your phone can turn off your melatonin switch telling you that it’s time to wake up.

Arousal System

Feeling on edge or anxious. When you worry or perceive a threat of any kind, our arousal levels increase, and we can feel tense in our body.

Thinking – when or the most common reasons for insomnia in mental health and those experiencing stress. When you think and ruminate about negative events, we can feel angry, upset, frustrated etc and this sends signals to the brain that we are in danger. The body then reacts by activating the body’s fight or flight response.

For many people when their head hits the pillow, this is the first opportunity to process the day’s events and ponder any problems or difficulties. This makes it difficult to switch off, relax and go to sleep. People often report that their brain goes into overdrive, or they can’t stop thinking.

Many people with insomnia and associated mental health symptoms also develop and association between going to bed and not sleeping. Then, going to bed becomes a trigger for worry and frustration about not sleeping. This, of course, increase arousal making it harder to sleep.

There’s 2 types of thoughts that effect your sleep

1. General worry – worry about things that are causing you stress

2. Sleep worry – worry about the consequences of not sleeping.

How to Get Better Sleep

Have regular consistent sleep and wake times - Even if you had a poor night sleep or it is the weekend.

Limit daytime napping and sleeping in regularly.

An occasional sleep in or nap if your body needs it will not do your sleep any harm but if this becomes a regular practice you may find difficulties getting to sleep as your sleep drive fluctuates.

Avoid exposure to light at bedtime and during the night. Alternatively, try to expose yourself to sunlight when you wake up by opening curtains and blinds or going outside.

See your GP for an assessment and management.

Avoid caffeine, energy drinks and other stimulants after 3pm and don't drink too much water before bed either.

Exercise is great for sleep.

Keep your environment cool, dark and comfortable.