Making sense of slimming

Are you feeling sleepy? Many of you will spend a lot of time yawning today. As you read this, you may be struggling to keep your eyes open. It might be because you find this article boring (we hope not!). Or, it could be that you are one of the 25% of the UK population who regularly find it hard to get a good 40 winks.

You may put this down to the food you eat, over tiredness, stress or even an uncomfortable bed. But then, the monster under the bed could actually be a sleeping disorder.

If you have a sleeping disorder or are living with someone who does, it takes more than counting sheep to get some shut eye.

How can I get a good nights sleep?

Up all night

Disturbed sleep due to sleep disorders often means a frustrating night time battle, desperately needing rest but somehow staying wide-eyed and annoyingly awake all night long.

Sleep disorders can make day-to-day life difficult. For the people living with them, sleep disorders mean constant tiredness, poor concentration, frustration and poorer performance at work or school.

Sleep plays an important part of life, especially since the average night’s sleep in the UK is around 90 minutes less than it was in the 1920s, when it was nine hours a night.

Types of sleep disorders vary from one of the most common conditions, snoring, to conditions like sleep walking, insomnia and sleep apnoea. These are more than embarrassing problems; they can be very serious conditions that may have strong consequences.

Noisy in bed?

Snoring is a common sleeping disorder because so many factors can cause it. Being overweight, taking sleeping tablets, drinking alcohol, and merely ageing can all bring on snoring.

It may not necessarily be a nuisance for you, but you can bet your partner or neighbours find it a bother now and again. To help combat the sounds of sleep, you can try cutting down on your alcohol intake, sleep on your side and maintain your ideal weight.

Get tips on coping with snoring

Sleep talking and walking are other disorders that can affect your sleep pattern and that of others. There isnt a reason why people sleep walk or talk, but it seems to happen more frequently if someone is stressed or ill.

If your partner sleep talks, dont worry about what is said. Theres no proof that true feelings or secrets come out, it is usually just a dream being talked about. As for sleep walkers, try to ensure the home is safe to avoid any injuries happening.

Breathing & relieving

Sleep apnoea is a sleep disorder in which a person has irregular breathing at night and is extremely sleepy during the day. In sleep apnoea, the upper airway collapses repeatedly at irregular intervals during sleep, causing the airway to block.

When the airway closes, it is common for the person to wake up momentarily. This can either cause problems getting back to sleep or happen several times each night, disrupting the sleep pattern.

Overweight men between 30 and 65 are most commonly affected, but it may also occur in children with enlarged tonsils or adenoids.

Read more about sleep apnoea

Children can also have disturbed sleep caused by bedwetting. Bedwetting is very common, especially in children under the age of six or seven. Children usually grow out of bedwetting, but occasionally the problem continues into adulthood.

Avoid drinking after 6pm and go to the toilet just before going to bed. You may also want to use waterproof sheets.

Best for rest

Not getting enough sleep can be dangerous. Tiredness during the day can cause carelessness and distraction when driving or operating machinery.

Sleep deprivation can also drain your energy and make it hard to concentrate. Tiredness also affects mood, which can make you feel depressed and easily stressed. If this is the case, you should try to have a 15 minute catnap during the afternoon to refresh you. Napping for any longer takes your body into a deep sleep which is harder to wake from.

Some of our top tips for getting a good nights sleep include keeping to a regular routine at bedtime. Go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time the next day.

Try eating a banana before you go to bed as they contain an amino acid called tryptophan which is thought to change into a calming, sleep-inducing chemical called serotonin. Make sure your bedroom is cool, dark, and quiet.

If you are still concerned, see you GP for advice.

Find out more about insomnia