Sleep

In our fast paced, modern world, sleep is often not prioritised. In fact, a conscious limiting of sleep to the bare minimum is often equated with strength, hard work or productivity. People have been conditioned to wear their lack of sleep like a badge of honour. It is our hope that, by educating on the importance of sleep, we will change this perception and help people to reclaim their sleep! Lifestyle Medicine explores how our daytime lifestyle habits can set us up for nighttime sleep, and how we can optimise this.

Why is good quality sleep so vital?

Although there is still much we do not understand about sleep, we do know that sleep has a multitude of important functions for living a long, healthy and happy life. Sleep is important for maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels, and it moderates anxiety and mood issues, prevents lethargy, improves immune function and much much more (1).

In general, most of us require 7-9 hours sleep per night for optimal functioning. While we can survive on less, not getting enough quality sleep is a risk factor for many chronic diseases (1, 2, 3, 4), such as :

  • Type 2 Diabetes

  • Obesity

  • Metabolic Syndrome

  • High blood pressure and increased risk of cardiovascular disease

  • Dementia

  • Cancer

Long-term poor sleep can impair the activity of the immune system, impairs learning and memory, and may also contribute to depression and anxiety (5, 6). In turn, poor mental health can also lead to sleep disturbance and lead to a vicious circle of further low energy and insomnia. 

Sleep deprivation has also been associated with increased accidents and road traffic accidents.

References

  1. Chasens E, Imes C, Kariuki J, Luyster F, Morris J, DiNardo M et al. Sleep and Metabolic Syndrome. Nursing Clinics of North America. 2021;56(2):203-217.

  2. Reutrakul S, Van Cauter E. Sleep influences on obesity, insulin resistance, and risk of type 2 diabetes. Metabolism. 2018;84:56-66.

  3. Khan M, Aouad R. The Effects of Insomnia and Sleep Loss on Cardiovascular Disease. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2017;12(2):167-177.

  4. Shi L, Chen S, Ma M, Bao Y, Han Y, Wang Y et al. Sleep disturbances increase the risk of dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2018;40:4-16.

  5. Silva E, Ono B, Souza J. Sleep and immunity in times of COVID-19. Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira. 2020;66(suppl 2):143-147.

  6. Brownlow J, Miller K, Gehrman P. Insomnia and Cognitive Performance. Sleep Medicine Clinics. 2020;15(1):71-76.