Lisa Artis
Deputy CEO, The Sleep Charity
Find insights on sleep disorders, their impacts, common types and lifestyle changes to improve sleep quality. Learn when to seek professional help.
The Sleep Charity estimates that 40% of the population will suffer from sleep issues, and most of those won’t seek support, which can lead to ongoing issues and undiagnosed sleep disorders.
What are sleep disorders?
Various sleep disorders impact sleep quality and daily functioning. Many can be identified by one or more of the following:
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Struggling to stay awake during the day
- Imbalances in circadian rhythm, which disrupt a healthy sleep schedule
- Prone to unusual behaviours that disrupt sleep
Some common sleep disorders
- Insomnia: struggling with sleep for more than three nights a week, for longer than three months
- Delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS): misalignment between the body clock, local clock time and the light/dark cycle
- Sleep apnoea: pauses of breathing during the night
- Restless leg syndrome: tingling/crawling sensations in the leg when resting
- Narcolepsy: feeling excessive tiredness during the day
- Parasomnias: unusual behaviours during the night (sleepwalking, sleep talking, night terrors)
40% of the population will suffer from sleep
issues, and most of those won’t seek support.
Lifestyle changes and sleep
Ensure your bedroom is conducive to sleep. A restful bedroom environment should ideally be cool, quiet, dark and free from distractions. Comfort — perhaps the bed or bedding — can significantly optimise sleep.
Factor in a bedtime routine; aim to wind down at least an hour before bed. Do something you find relaxing, such as listening to soothing music, reading or meditating. Don’t try to sleep; it needs to find you. Try to adopt a carefree, accepting attitude to wakefulness, and avoid clock-watching. [AO2]
How to look after our sleep
Try to wake up at a similar time and avoid lengthy lie-ins to strengthen the body clock. Where possible, expose yourself to natural light in the morning to suppress melatonin and boost alertness.
Consider what you do during the day that may impact sleep. For instance, if you are sensitive to caffeine, avoid it 8 hours before bed so it doesn’t interfere with sleep. Exercise is great for sleep and mental health, but try to do it earlier in the day rather than before bedtime.
When to contact a GP with sleep problems
If you’ve had difficulty with sleep for over four weeks and it’s affecting your wellbeing, you are experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness or your bed partner (if applicable) notices you snoring loudly and/or making gasping noises, make an appointment to see your GP.
