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Why Barnaby Joyce’s TV diagnosis of insomnia plus sleep apnoea is such a big deal

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> The <a href="https://theconversation.com/view-from-the-hill-how-does-david-littleproud-handle-the-latest-barnaby-joyce-embarrassment-223289">health</a> of Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce is in the news again, this time with a diagnosis of a sleep disorder made <a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/media-and-marketing/barnaby-joyce-to-be-diagnosed-with-a-sleep-disorder-on-live-tv-20240223-p5f79q">while filming</a> a TV documentary. Joyce’s diagnosis of insomnia plus sleep apnoea arose while filming <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/whats-on/article/australias-sleep-revolution-with-dr-michael-mosley/nuyko305b">Australia’s Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley</a> in 2023. SBS has confirmed episode three, in which my Flinders University colleagues reveal his sleep disorder, is set to air on March 20. I was not involved in the program and have no knowledge of Joyce’s <a href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/australias-sleep-crisis-has-flinders-university-cracked-the-code-to-a-better-nights-sleep/news-story/d3b82617af33fff82487da2534722733">ongoing health care</a>. But I was part of the research team that in 2017 <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.04.004">coined the term COMISA</a> (co-morbid insomnia and sleep apnoea), the official name of Joyce’s on-screen diagnosis. Since then, I’ve led research into this <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.01.004">common</a> sleep disorder. Here’s why it’s so important to diagnose and treat it. <h2>What was Joyce’s diagnosis?</h2> People can be diagnosed separately with <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/insomnia-2">insomnia</a> or <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/obstructive-sleep-apnoea">sleep apnoea</a>. Insomnia includes frequent difficulties falling asleep at the start of the night or difficulties staying asleep during the night. These can result in daytime fatigue, reduced energy, concentration difficulties and poor mood. Over time, insomnia can start to impact your <a href="https://theconversation.com/insomnia-and-mental-disorders-are-linked-but-exactly-how-is-still-a-mystery-212106">mental health</a> and quality of life. Sleep apnoea (specifically, obstructive sleep apnoea) is when people experience repeated interruptions or pauses in breathing while they sleep. This reduces oxygen levels during sleep, and you can wake up multiple times at night. People with sleep apnoea may be aware of loud snoring, gasping for air when they wake up, or feeling exhausted the next morning. However, not all people have these symptoms, and sleep apnoea can go undiagnosed for years. But in Joyce’s case, both insomnia and sleep apnoea occur at the same time. We’ve known this could happen since <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.181.4102.856">the 1970s</a>, with <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-006X.67.3.405">evidence growing</a> over <a href="https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.120.6.1923">subsequent decades</a>. Since then, sleep researchers and clinicians around the world have learned more about how <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.01.004">common</a> this is, its <a href="https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01958-2021">consequences</a> and how best to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13847">treat it</a>. <h2>How do you know if you have it?</h2> Many people <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2005.08.008">seek help</a> for their sleep problems because of fatigue, exhaustion, physical symptoms, or poor mood during the day. If you think you have insomnia, a GP or sleep specialist can talk to you about your sleep pattern, and might ask you to complete <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/assessment-questionnaires">brief questionnaires</a> about your sleep and daytime symptoms. You might also be asked to fill in a “sleep diary” for one to two weeks. These will allow a trained clinician to see if you have insomnia. If you or your GP think you may have (or are at risk of having) sleep apnoea, you may be referred for a sleep study. This normally involves sleeping overnight in a sleep clinic where your sleep patterns and breathing are monitored. Alternatively, you might be set up with a recording device to monitor your sleep at home. A trained medical professional, such as a sleep and respiratory physician, will often make the diagnosis. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101519">Up to 50%</a> of people with sleep apnoea report symptoms of insomnia. About <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101519">30–40%</a> of people with insomnia also have sleep apnoea. <h2>What are the consequences?</h2> Insomnia and sleep apnoea (individually) are associated with reduced <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-short-history-of-insomnia-and-how-we-became-obsessed-with-sleep-211729">sleep quality</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/insomnia-and-mental-disorders-are-linked-but-exactly-how-is-still-a-mystery-212106">mental health</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-check-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-sleep-apnoea-26402">physical health</a>. Importantly, people with both at the same also tend to <a href="https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci9120371">experience</a> worse sleep, daytime function, mental health, physical health and quality of life, compared with people with no sleep disorder. For instance, we know having both conditions comes with an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13563">increased risk</a> of diseases of the heart. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S379252">In</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1183/13993003.01958-2021">three</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleepe.2022.100043">studies</a>, we found people with both insomnia and sleep apnoea have about a 50–70% higher risk of dying early from any cause, compared with people with neither sleep condition. People with insomnia alone and sleep apnoea alone did not have an increased risk of dying early. However, there are effective treatments to reduce these health consequences. <h2>How is it treated?</h2> In general, it is best for people to access evidence-based treatments for both disorders. These treatments vary according to the patient and the severity of their condition. For instance, wearing a <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/cpap-continuous-positive-airway-pressure">CPAP mask</a> while sleeping improves breathing during sleep and reduces many of the daytime consequences of obstructive sleep apnoea. However, other effective treatments may be recommended based on each person’s symptoms, such as weight management, avoiding sleeping on your back, <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/oral-appliances-to-treat-snoring-and-obstructive-sleep-apnoea-osa">oral devices</a> (which look a bit like a mouthguard), or surgery. The <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-get-some-sleep-which-treatments-actually-work-212964">most effective</a> treatment for insomnia is cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, also known as <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/cbti">CBTi</a>. About four to eight sessions often lead to improvements in sleep, daytime function and mental health that are maintained for many <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/16506073.2021.2009019">years</a>. This can be delivered by trained therapists such as psychologists, nurses or GPs, as well as via <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/cbti/referral-to-digital-cbti-programs">online</a> programs. Last year, we drew together evidence from more than 1,000 people with both conditions. We found CBTi is an <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13847">effective treatment</a> for insomnia in people with treated and untreated sleep apnoea. <h2>New treatments and approaches</h2> <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frsle.2024.1355468/abstract">We</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-022-06753-4">other teams</a> internationally are developing and testing new ways of delivering CBTi. Several groups are testing devices, which <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002%2Flio2.761">stimulate</a> the tongue muscles during sleep, to treat sleep apnoea in people with both disorders. And we’re still working out the best order for patients to access treatments, and the best combination of treatments. <h2>The power of TV</h2> Joyce’s public diagnosis of both insomnia and sleep apnoea will no doubt raise awareness of what we suspect is an underdiagnosed condition. Based on how common insomnia and sleep apnoea are in Australia, we estimate Joyce is one of about <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2021.03.023">5–10%</a> of Australian adults to have both at the same time. The Conversation contacted Joyce’s spokesperson for comment but did not hear back before deadline.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224616/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, Research Fellow, College of Medicine and Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-barnaby-joyces-tv-diagnosis-of-insomnia-plus-sleep-apnoea-is-such-a-big-deal-224616">original article</a>.

Body

How can I get some sleep? Which treatments actually work?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jen-walsh-1468594">Jen Walsh</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-grivell-1468590">Nicole Grivell</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> Do you have difficulty falling asleep? Do you stay awake for a long time at night? Do these sleep problems make you feel fatigued, strung-out, or exhausted during the day? Has this been happening for months? If so, you’re not alone. About <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/special-sleep-reports/chronic-insomnia-disorder-in-australia">12-15%</a> of Australian adults have chronic insomnia. You might have tried breathing exercises, calming music, white noise, going to bed in a dark and quiet bedroom, eating different foods in the evening, maintaining a regular sleep pattern, or reducing caffeine. But after three to four weeks of what seems like progress, your insomnia returns. What next? <h2>What not to do</h2> These probably won’t help: <ul> <li> spending more time in bed often results in more time spent awake in bed, which can make <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-stop-my-mind-racing-and-get-some-sleep-207904">insomnia patterns worse</a> </li> <li> drinking coffee and taking naps might help get you through the day. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/nope-coffee-wont-give-you-extra-energy-itll-just-borrow-a-bit-that-youll-pay-for-later-197897">caffeine</a> stays in the system for many hours, and can disrupt our sleep if you drink too much of it, especially after about 2pm. If naps last for more than 30 minutes, or occur after about 4pm, this can reduce your “sleep debt”, and can make it <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-fall-asleep-on-the-sofa-but-am-wide-awake-when-i-get-to-bed-208371">more difficult</a> to fall asleep in the evening </li> <li> drinking alcohol might help you fall asleep quicker, but <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1300/J465v26n01_01">can cause</a> more frequent awakenings, change how long you sleep, change the time spent in different “stages” of sleep, and reduce the overall quality of sleep. Therefore, it is not recommended as a sleep aid. </li> </ul> <h2>What to do next?</h2> If your symptoms have lasted more than one or two months, it is likely your insomnia requires targeted treatments that focus on sleep patterns and behaviours. So, the next stage is a type of non-drug therapy known as cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (or <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/cbti">CBTi</a> for short). This is a four to eight week treatment that’s been shown to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101687">more effective</a> than sleeping pills. It involves education about sleep, and offers psychological and behavioural treatments that address the underlying causes of long-term insomnia. You can do this one-on-one, in a small group with health professionals trained in CBTi, or via self-guided <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/cbti/referral-to-digital-cbti-programs">online programs</a>. Some GPs are trained to offer CBTi, but it’s more usual for specialist <a href="https://psychology.org.au/find-a-psychologist">sleep psychologists</a> to offer it. Your GP can refer you to one. There are some Medicare rebates to subsidise the cost of treatment. But many psychologists will also charge a gap fee above the Medicare subsidy, making access to CBTi a challenge for some. <a href="https://doi.org/10.12703%2Fr%2F11-4">About 70-80%</a> of people with insomnia sleep better after CBTi, with improvements lasting <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.08.002">at least a year</a>. <h2>What if that doesn’t work?</h2> If CBTi doesn’t work for you, your GP might be able to refer you to a specialist sleep doctor to see if other sleep disorders, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.04.004">obstructive sleep apnoea</a>, are contributing to your insomnia. It can also be important to manage any mental health problems such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51200">depression and anxiety</a>, as well as physical symptoms such as pain that can also disrupt sleep. Some lifestyle and work factors, such as shift-work, might also require management by a specialist sleep doctor. <h2>What about sleeping pills?</h2> Sleeping pills are <a href="https://www.sleepprimarycareresources.org.au/insomnia/pharmacological-therapy">not the recommended</a> first-line way to manage insomnia. However, they do have a role in providing short-term, rapid relief from insomnia symptoms or when CBTi is not accessible or successful. Traditionally, medications such as benzodiazepines (for example, temazepam) and benzodiazepine receptor agonists (for example, zolpidem) have been used to help people sleep. However, these can have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.38623.768588.47">side-effects</a> including a risk of falls, being impaired the next day, as well as tolerance and dependence. Melatonin – either prescribed or available from pharmacies for people aged 55 and over – is also often used to manage insomnia. But the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2022.101692">evidence suggests</a> it has limited benefits. <h2>Are there new treatments? How about medicinal cannabis?</h2> Two newer drugs, known as “orexin receptor antagonists”, are available in Australia (suvorexant and lemborexant). These block the wake-promoting pathways in the brain. <a href="https://doi.org/10.4088/PCC.22nr03385">Early data suggests</a> they are effective in improving sleep, and have lower risk of potential side-effects, tolerance and dependence compared with earlier medicines. However, we don’t know if they work or are safe over the long term. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab149">Medicinal cannabis</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jsr.13793">has only in recent years</a> <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.048">been studied</a> as a treatment for <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleepadvances/zpac029.005">insomnia</a>. In an Australian survey, <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/nss.s390583">more than half</a> of people using medicinal cannabis said they used it to treat insomnia. There are reports of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272241">significant benefit</a>. But of the four most robust studies so far, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsab149">only one</a> (led by one of us, Jen Walsh) has demonstrated an improvement in insomnia after two weeks of treatment. So we need to learn more about which cannabinoids – for example, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol or cannabinol – and which doses may be beneficial. We also need to learn who can benefit most, and whether these are safe and effective over the long term. <h2>What now?</h2> If you’ve had trouble sleeping for a short time (under about a month) and nothing you try is working, there may be underlying reasons for your insomnia, which when treated, can provide some relief. Your GP can help identify and manage these. Your GP can also help you access other treatments if your insomnia is more long term. This may involve non-drug therapies and/or referral to other services or doctors. <hr /> For more information about insomnia and how it’s treated, see the Sleep Health Foundation’s <a href="https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-disorders/insomnia-2">online resource</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212964/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alexander-sweetman-1331085">Alexander Sweetman</a>, Research Fellow, College of Medicine and Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jen-walsh-1468594">Jen Walsh</a>, Director of the Centre for Sleep Science, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-grivell-1468590">Nicole Grivell</a>, Research Coordinator and final year PhD Candidate at FHMRI Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> Image credits: Shutterstock This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-get-some-sleep-which-treatments-actually-work-212964">original article</a>.

Body

How dangerous is insomnia? How fear of what it’s doing to your body can wreck your sleep

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leon-lack-1142">Leon Lack</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lovato-60684">Nicole Lovato</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> I (Leon) have recently seen several patients who were concerned their insomnia symptoms would increase their risk for dementia. They were in their 70s and were awakening two or three times a night, which they took to be insomnia. But they were not impaired in the daytime in a way typical of insomnia. Their brief awakenings are normal for most people and <a href="https://theconversation.com/broken-sleep-its-a-rollercoaster-ride-1792">completely harmless</a>. Brief awakenings emerge from the periodic phases of light sleep that occur naturally between the four or five 90-minute deep sleep cycles. If you’re unaware of this “rollercoaster” of 90-minute cycles, you might think such awakenings are a sign of disease. In fact, they are perfectly normal and experienced more as people age when sleep naturally becomes lighter and shorter – <a href="https://theconversation.com/mondays-medical-myth-you-need-eight-hours-of-continuous-sleep-each-night-5643">with no ill effect</a>. Therefore, I reassured them their sleep patters were normal and they did not have insomnia. This requires daytime impairments – fatigue, cognitive problems, mild depression, irritability, distress or anxiety – in addition to night time symptoms. I trust they were reassured, and so they avoided the type of fear and worry that would have triggered a cascade of events leading to insomnia. <h2>Is it really insomnia?</h2> So where did my patients get the notion their sleep symptoms could lead to dementia? Let’s pick apart this tsunami of alarming information. It usually starts with very <a href="https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12888-018-1623-0">large surveys</a> that find a statistically significant relationship between measures of sleep problems and subsequently developing dementia. First, most of these studies ask participants to report how long they typically sleep. Those reporting less than six hours a night show a small but statistically elevated risk of developing dementia. These studies do not say if people have clinical insomnia diagnosed by a health professional. Instead they rely solely on participants guessing how long they’ve slept, which <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/25/5/559/2750164?login=false">can be inaccurate</a>. The studies would have also included many people without insomnia who are not allowing themselves adequate opportunity for sleep. Perhaps they’d been in the habit of socialising or playing computer games late at night. In other words, we don’t know what proportion of these short-sleepers are simply over-estimating their sleep problems, or restricting their sleep and experiencing chronic sleep loss rather than insomnia. <h2>What do the numbers really mean?</h2> A second problem is with interpreting the meaning of “statistically significant”. This only means the results were unlikely to be due to pure chance. If a single study shows a 20% increased risk of a physical health problem associated with insomnia, how worried should we be? This single finding does not necessarily mean it’s worth considering in our everyday lives. Studies relating insomnia to health risks are also typically inconsistent. For example, although some studies have found small increases in dementia risk with having insomnia, a very <a href="https://mentalhealth.bmj.com/content/ebmental/26/1/e300719.full.pdf">large UK study</a> did not find any relationship between the amount of sleep or sleeping difficulties and dementia risk. <h2>What’s the context?</h2> A third problem is communicating a balanced perspective to the public about the potential dangers of insomnia. Some in the mainstream media, with the help of the researcher’s institution, will report on studies showing a statistically significant increase in the risk of a frightening disease, such as dementia. But <a href="https://theconversation.com/essays-on-health-reporting-medical-news-is-too-important-to-mess-up-68920">not all media reports</a> ask about how clinically meaningful the risk is, whether there are alternative explanations, or how this result compares with what other researchers have found. So the public is left with no context to temper the scary, “increased risk” narrative. This narrative is then shared on social media, amplifying the scary finding. <h2>Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure</h2> We’ve used dementia as one example of how fears about potential risks to physical health from insomnia arise and are magnified. But we could have used a potential increased risk of obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure. All have been associated with shorter sleep, but researchers are debating whether these links are real, meaningful or related to insomnia. When we looked at the impact of sleep problems on life expectancy, we found <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30529432/">no evidence</a> sleep symptoms alone shorten your life. Only when daytime symptoms such as fatigue, memory problems and distress are included is there a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-36016-4">small increased risk</a> of dying prematurely. However, it’s difficult to know if that excess mortality can be explained by undiagnosed heart, kidney, liver or brain disease causing those daytime symptoms. <h2>We should be talking about mental health</h2> However, there is stronger evidence of increased <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-link-between-insomnia-and-mental-illness-49597">mental health</a> problems, especially depression, with insomnia. The typical daytime impairments of fatigue, distress, cognitive impairments and irritability certainly lower the quality of life. Life becomes more of a challenge and less enjoyable. Over time, this can trigger <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-link-between-insomnia-and-mental-illness-49597">hopelessness and depression</a> in some people. This is enough reason to seek help to improve sleep and quality of life. People with these problems should seek help from a health practitioner. The good news is there is an effective, long-term, non-drug treatment with no side effects – cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia <a href="https://bmcprimcare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2296-13-40">or CBTi</a>. Even better, successful CBTi also <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945720303828">decreases</a> symptoms of depression and other mental distress. What is not helpful is unnecessary fear triggered by reports suggesting serious physical health dangers of insomnia. This fear is only likely to increase insomnia rather than mitigate it. <hr /> If this article has raised issues for you, or if you’re concerned about someone you know, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212248/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/leon-lack-1142">Leon Lack</a>, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nicole-lovato-60684">Nicole Lovato</a>, Associate Professor, Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/flinders-university-972">Flinders University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-dangerous-is-insomnia-how-fear-of-what-its-doing-to-your-body-can-wreck-your-sleep-212248">original article</a>.

Body

“Our absolute worst nightmare”: Nine reporter reveals devastating family diagnosis

Channel Nine reporter Hayley Webb has shared how she and her brother Lachlan have been struck down with a terrifying terminal illness. The siblings have spent their entire lives living with Fatal Familial Insomnia (FFI) lying dormant in their bodies. The devastating illness, which has already claimed the lives of three aunts and uncles as well as their mother, will eventually leave the siblings unable to ever fall asleep again. From there, symptoms progress to, but are not limited to, the inability to walk, loss of sight and speech and an eventual total shutdown of the body's ability to keep itself alive. Hayley and Lachie first discovered they had the gene in 2016, and decided to take part in a study of the disease in California to end the generational curse of the genetic disorder. But tragically, earlier this year, Lachlan began having symptoms at just 35 years old, and discovered his condition had rapidly worsened. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CycA3kxBDGi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CycA3kxBDGi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by thetodayshow (@thetodayshow)</a> </div> </blockquote> "The months leading up to it, I thought something was wrong - my memory was getting worse and I just knew something was different," Lachie told Karl Stefanovic on Today. "I put it off for a month or two just in case it was something else, but once I got tested I realised my fears were confirmed." Lachlan was diagnosed in April, just one day after his son's first birthday, which Hayley described as “just our absolute worst nightmare”. The diagnosis triggered the disease's rapid shutdown of the mind and body, now Lachie struggles to sleep, requires a wheelchair to get around and his speech is starting to go as well. "Lach and I have always been so close - best mates our whole life," Hayley said. "The thought of not having him around is just too much to bear." Sitting in front of the pair, Hayley's heartbreaking admission brought Karl to tears. "I don't think I've ever done a story like this, and certainly never met anybody like you two in my life," the Today host said. With Lachie being officially diagnosed with the disease so young, Hayley has started to wonder about her own mortality. The disease has an average duration of 18 months, ultimately leading to death, making the siblings worry about their families and their futures. “It's just, like, been such a stark reality check that it's not a guarantee that we're gonna get to 60, it's not a guarantee we'll make it to 50,” she said. “I've got a three-and-a-half year-old and a baby on the way who I desperately want to see grow up.” While no doctor or test can predict how long Lachie has - his wife Claire and Hayley, who is expecting, have done something extraordinary, taking their family's fate into their own hands. "We both underwent IVF and through that process we were able to conceive children who won't have the gene, so the family curse stops here," Hayley said. Image credits: Today

Caring

What’s insomnia like for most people who can’t sleep? You’d never know from the movies

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aaron-schokman-1463327">Aaron Schokman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-glozier-94435">Nick Glozier</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Hollywood appears fascinated by sleep’s impact on the mind and body. Blockbuster movies featuring someone living with insomnia include <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108160/">Sleepless in Seattle</a> (1993), <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/">Fight Club</a> (1999) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278504/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Insomnia</a> (2002). But how well do these and other portrayals compare with what it’s really like to live with insomnia? As we’ll see, most movies tend to either minimise or exaggerate symptoms. Insomnia is rarely depicted as a treatable illness. And these portrayals have implications for the estimated <a href="https://www.sleep.theclinics.com/article/S1556-407X(22)00022-4/fulltext">one in three</a> of us with at least one insomnia symptom. <h2>Back in the real world</h2> Insomnia is a common <a href="https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.14-0970">sleep disorder</a> where a person struggles to fall asleep, stay asleep, or wakes up too early – despite having adequate opportunity for sleep. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00845.x">Around 5%</a> of adults experience significant insomnia to the degree that it causes distress or impairs daily life. It’s a common misconception that insomnia is only a night-time issue. <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/insomnia">Insomnia</a> can impact your ability to stay awake and alert during the day. It can also affect your <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-link-between-insomnia-and-mental-illness-49597">mental health</a>. At work, you might be more prone to accidents, more forgetful, or make poorer decisions. At home, you might be irritable or short with your friends and family. So what is it like living with insomnia? Apart from the effects of poor sleep quality, many people experience <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2021.101583">anxiety or dread</a> about the night ahead from the moment they wake up. From early in the day, people plan how they can improve their sleep that night. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2016.01.003">A review</a> found people living with insomnia felt their sleep concerns were often trivialised or misunderstood by health-care professionals, and stigmatised by others. <h2>Movies can minimise symptoms …</h2> Nicholas Galitzine’s character in the recent romcom <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10172266/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Red, White and Royal Blue</a> (2023) has insomnia. We’re briefly told he struggles to fall asleep at night. However, we never see any meaningful impact on his life or depiction of the difficulty living with insomnia entails. That said, minimising the impact of insomnia can have benefits. It shows insomnia is an invisible illness, doesn’t have obvious visual symptoms and anyone can have it. But this can perpetuate the expectation someone with insomnia should be able to function unencumbered. Or it can fuel the misconception having insomnia may be beneficial, as in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050543/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Insomnia Is Good for You</a> (1957). <h2>… or exaggerate symptoms</h2> But most Hollywood portrayals of insomnia tend to depict the most extreme cases. These usually feature insomnia as a symptom of another condition rather than a disorder itself, as is commonly experienced. These movies tend to be psychological thrillers. Here, insomnia is often used as an enigma to keep the audience guessing about which events are real or figments of a character’s imagination. Take <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0361862/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">The Machinist</a> (2004), for example. The main character is emaciated, ostracised and plagued by paranoia, hallucinations and delusions. It’s only towards the end of the movie we learn his insomnia may be the result of a <a href="https://doi.org/10.9740/mhc.n101819">psychiatric disorder</a>, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-R4rQMImHwE?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>In The Machinist, the main character has paranoia, hallucinations and delusions.</figcaption></figure> Hollywood’s focus on extreme cases of insomnia is a recurring pattern (for instance, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/">Fight Club</a> 1999, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434165/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3">Lucid</a> 2005). It’s understandable why Hollywood latches onto these extreme portrayals – to entertain us. Yet these portrayals of insomnia as something more severe or threatening, like psychosis, can increase anxiety or stigma among people living with insomnia. While it’s true other medical conditions including <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-the-link-between-insomnia-and-mental-illness-49597">mental illnesses</a> can lead to insomnia, insomnia often exists on its own. Insomnia is often <a href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-insomnia-and-what-can-you-do-about-it-36365">caused by</a> more mundane things like too much stress, lifestyle and habits, or longer daylight hours at higher latitudes (such as in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278504/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Insomnia</a>, 2002). Something these exaggerated portrayals do well is highlight the impact sleep deprivation can have on safety, albeit extremely dramatised. Regardless of profession, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/xge0000717">not getting enough sleep</a> at night can substantially impact cognitive function, increasing the chance of making a mistake. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/emIHzg4VH8A?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>In Insomnia, one character has insomnia because of extended daylight hours.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Movies rarely depict treatment</h2> It is rare to see insomnia depicted as a health condition requiring medical care. Very few characters struggling with insomnia seek or receive help for it. An exception is the narrator in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137523/">Fight Club</a> (1999). But he has to pretend to have other illnesses to receive therapy, again suggesting insomnia is not a legitimate condition. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BdJKm16Co6M?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>The narrator in Fight Club pretends to have other illnesses to receive therapy for insomnia.</figcaption></figure> <h2>Why does accurate representation matter?</h2> Many people only learn about the symptoms and impact of sleep disorders through pop culture and film. These portrayals can affect how others think about these disorders and can impact how people living with these disorders think about themselves. Uniform and stereotypical portrayals of insomnia can also impact people’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2011.620671">likelihood of seeking help</a>. Most of these films show young or middle-aged men experiencing insomnia. Yet women are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/29.1.85">more likely</a> to have insomnia than men. Insomnia is also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsmc.2022.03.003">more common</a> in older adults, people with a lower socioeconomic background and those living alone. People at higher risk of developing insomnia might not recognise their risk or symptoms if their experience doesn’t match what they’ve seen. <h2>We can do better</h2> While the reality of living with insomnia may not be particularly cinematic, filmmakers can surely do better than using it as a convenient plot point. There are a number of main characters living with different health conditions across pop culture. For instance, the movie <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4034228/">Manchester by the Sea</a> (2016) features someone with <a href="https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/news-and-features/blogs/detail/cultural-blog/2017/07/08/manchester-by-the-sea">prolonged grief disorder</a> and the TV series <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6315640/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_q_Atypical">Atypical</a> (2017-2021) features someone’s experience living with autism. But if you’re looking for an accurate portrayal of insomnia, Hollywood still has some way to go. It’s about time insomnia is depicted in a way that accurately reflects people’s experiences.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211823/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/aaron-schokman-1463327">Aaron Schokman</a>, PhD Candidate, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-glozier-94435">Nick Glozier</a>, Professor of Psychological Medicine, BMRI & Disciplne of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-insomnia-like-for-most-people-who-cant-sleep-youd-never-know-from-the-movies-211823">original article</a>.

Body

6 common factors that are impacting your sleep

While we all do our best to make sure we’re get our eight hours every night, at times it can feel as though we’re our own worst enemies. And while we’re all aware of the importance of sleep, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what the root of the problem is. Here are six common factors that may be negatively impacting your ability to get shut eye. Correct these and you’ll be on your way to enjoy a good night sleep. 1. Light Studies have shown the exposure to light can wreak havoc in terms of our internal circadian rhythm. Try to avoid having your vision obstructed by any light when you’re about to get to sleep and keep the use of mobile and computer devices to a minimum. 2. Food Asides from the correlation between poor quality sleep and processed foods, it’s generally not recommended you have large, heavy meals just before you’re about to go to bed. Also, try to avoid sugar and caffeine in the few hours leading to bedtime. 3. Noise Noise can also affect the pattern of your sleep as anyone who’s tossed and turned at the sound of a neighbour’s party. Earplugs are one option you can explore. It’s also an idea to perhaps try a light fan to drown the noise out somewhat, or some sort of gentle recording. 4. Temperature Each person has an optimal temperature for falling asleep and it varies between people. If you’re feeling a bit hot under the collar (or too cool to start sleeping) it’s worth experimenting with the temperature in your room until you find one that better suits. 5. Schedule Are bodies are fiends for routines, so try to go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekend. Not only will this help integrate your body into a regular sleep/wake pattern, it will also make the actual process of falling asleep seem much easier. 6. Naps While there’s nothing quite as nice as an afternoon nap during the day, it can actually significantly disrupt out sleep patterns during the night. If you really do have to nap during the day, try to keep it short and avoid napping too much in the later parts of the day. Image credits: Getty Images

Body

Counting the wrong sheep: why trouble sleeping is about more than just individual lifestyles and habits

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-breheny-1269716">Mary Breheny</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rosie-gibson-1051224">Rosie Gibson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806">Massey University</a> Sleep may seem straightforward – everyone does it, after all. But as many of us know, getting enough sleep is not necessarily a simple task, despite what you might read in the media. How to sleep “properly” is a favourite topic of self-help articles, with <a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/health/expert-advice-good-nights-sleep-27900333">headlines</a> such as “Expert advice to get a good night’s sleep whatever your age” promising the answer to your nocturnal awakenings. Older people are commonly the audience of these messages. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnad058">Our analysis</a> of articles published in the New Zealand media between 2018 and 2021 found sleep is presented as inevitably declining with age. At the same time, sleep is portrayed as a cure for everything: a good night’s sleep is depicted as a way to maintain productivity, ward off illness and dementia, and ultimately live longer. But most of these articles are aimed at the individual and what they can do to improve their sleep. Often missing is any reference to the external factors that can contribute to poor sleep. <h2>Personal choice and sleep</h2> A key message in many of the articles we examined is that sleep is a simple matter of making the right choices. So, if you’re not getting enough sleep it’s probably your own fault. People are lectured about poor “<a href="https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/%7E/media/CCI/Mental-Health-Professionals/Sleep/Sleep---Information-Sheets/Sleep-Information-Sheet---04---Sleep-Hygiene.pdf">sleep hygiene</a>” – staying up too late looking at their phone, having too many cups of coffee, or not getting enough exercise during the day. And it’s true, drinking too much caffeine or staring at a screen into the small hours might interfere with sleep. It’s also true that good sleep is important for good health. But things are a bit more complicated than this. As anyone who has struggled to maintain good sleep knows, simple tips don’t always overcome the complex situations that contribute to these struggles. <h2>Awake to other factors</h2> Good sleep is not just a matter of “making the right choices”. Internationally, there’s a growing body of research showing sleep is affected by much more than individual behaviour: it’s often shaped by a person’s <a href="https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-040119-094412">social and economic circumstances</a>. New Zealand research is adding to this pool of knowledge. <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235272181600019X?via=ihub">One study</a>, based on survey results from just over 4,000 people, found insufficient sleep was more common among Māori than non-Māori, partly due to higher rates of night work. International <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6524484/">research</a> has also found women are more likely to experience insomnia due to their caregiving roles. One US study found unpaid caregivers for children or parents (or both) reported shorter sleep quantity and poorer sleep quality than paid caregivers or people without such roles. A <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1471301220915071">survey</a> of 526 carers in New Zealand showed two-thirds reported mild or severe sleep disturbance. We also know lack of sleep is <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/about_sleep/chronic_disease.html">linked to serious disease</a>, including diabetes and heart disease. Sleep duration and quality have been identified as predictors of levels of haemoglobin A1c, an important marker of blood sugar control. And hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease and irregular heartbeats have been found to be more common among those with disordered sleep than those without sleep abnormalities. Failure to acknowledge the social context of poor sleep means sleep messages in the media ignore the fundamental causes in favour of the illusion of a quick fix. <h2>The commodification of sleep</h2> Sleep is also increasingly characterised as a commodity, with a growing market for products – such as sleep trackers – that claim to help improve sleep quality. Sleep trackers promise to measure and enhance sleep performance. However, their reliability may be limited – <a href="https://mhealth.jmir.org/2021/6/e26462">one study found</a> the tested tracker did not accurately detect sleep, particularly in older adults who had greater levels of nighttime movement. Framing public health problems as matters of personal choice is common. Alcohol and fast-food consumption, for example, are regularly presented as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1745691619896252">matters of individual responsibility</a> and poor personal choices. The <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hpja.737">role of marketing</a> and access to healthy food gets a lot less attention. Of course, simple tips for getting good sleep may be useful for some people. But ignoring the underlying social and economic factors that shape the possibilities for good sleep will not address the problem. Health promotion messages that focus on individual behaviour miss <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-9566.12112">the structural barriers to better health</a>, including poverty, low levels of education, high rates of incarceration, substandard or crowded housing and racism. We need to move beyond messages of individual behaviour change and start talking about inequities that contribute to the problem of who gets a decent night’s sleep and who doesn’t.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210695/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mary-breheny-1269716">Mary Breheny</a>, Associate Professor of Health Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/te-herenga-waka-victoria-university-of-wellington-1200">Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rosie-gibson-1051224">Rosie Gibson</a>, Senior lecturer, School of Psychology, Massey University, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/massey-university-806">Massey University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/counting-the-wrong-sheep-why-trouble-sleeping-is-about-more-than-just-individual-lifestyles-and-habits-210695">original article</a>.

Caring

How listening to music could help you beat insomnia

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/victoria-williamson-277929">Victoria Williamson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sheffield-1147">University of Sheffield</a> In our hectic world, a good night’s sleep is worth its weight in gold when it comes to improving <a href="http://www.apa.org/topics/sleep/why.aspx">physical and mental well-being</a>. Much more than a basic method of energy conservation, sleep is a state during which muscle and bone are generated and repaired, and memories and learning systems are updated. Sleep also allows the body and brain to clear out the toxic byproducts of the day’s waking activity that might otherwise build up and cause harm. <a href="http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/why-do-we-sleep">In short, good sleep is a cornerstone of human health</a>. Sadly, not all of us are blessed with the bounty of a good night’s slumber after a long and often tiring day. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1978319/">Around 30% of adults</a> experience chronic insomnia at some point in their life – where sleep is disrupted for more than a month. Estimates are even higher in older populations and those who experience regular stress. <a href="http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/10-results-sleep-loss#1">Insomnia can be devastating</a>, and has been linked to cognitive deficiencies – such as memory lapses, psychological problems including mood and anxiety disorders, and long-term health concerns including obesity and dementia. The most severe cases of chronic insomnia can even increase <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/290065.php">the risk of mortality</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TTDDK6goHVg?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The cost of insomnia goes well beyond just health. According to the National Sleep Foundation, insomniacs are two to four times more likely to have an accident – with over <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/features/dsdrowsydriving/">72,000 traffic accidents a year</a> in the US alone linked to sleep deprivation. Insomnia also costs US companies an <a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/12152327/ns/health-sleep/t/chronic-sleep-problems-costing-us-billions/">estimated $150 billion</a> in absenteeism and reduced productivity, every year. Given our need for regular and deep sleep, it is no surprise then that people with insomnia often reach for the medicine cabinet. Pharmacies in the UK regularly dispense more than <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2012/may/11/nhs-spending-sleeping-pills-50m">15.3m prescriptions for sleep aids</a>. But this is not the safest route to a good night’s slumber, as the use of over the counter and prescription sleep aids can lead to harmful side effects, dependency and withdrawal. <h2>Music for sleep?</h2> Research has shown that listening to “self-selected” music – music of your choice – can actually shorten stage two sleep cycles. This means people reach restful <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-listening-to-music-help-you-fall-asleep-49864">REM sleep – the restorative part of our sleep – more quickly</a>. In the study, students who listened to 45 minutes of <a href="http://lib.semmelweis.hu/sepub/pdf/2008/a18426457">music before bedtime</a> for three weeks saw a cumulative positive effect on multiple measures of sleep efficiency with similar effects reported in older citizens in Singapore. Following all this evidence, the NHS now recommends “<a href="http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Insomnia/Pages/Prevention.aspx">listening to soft music</a>” before bedtime as a method to prevent insomnia. With all this in mind, <a href="http://musicwellbeing.group.shef.ac.uk/">our research unit</a>, along with colleagues from the Sleep and Cognition Laboratory at the University of Lincoln and Goldsmiths, University of London, has embarked on a new music sleep project, to find out what people listen to when they are nodding off – and why people believe music helps their sleep. <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16722236/Final%20sleep%20infographic.pdf">The first phase of our music sleep survey </a> has been completed by 651 people, who have told us a great deal about the music that helps them to sleep. We discovered the top rated composer of sleep music in our sample is Johann Sebastian Bach. He was followed by Ed Sheeran, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Brian Eno, and Coldplay. Aside from those few top rated artists, there was an enormous variety of individual choices – with 14 different genres and 545 different artists named. And it is this data which will give us the basis to examine the features of effective sleep music. Using computer programs we will be able to pin down the consistent musical features that support sleep among these many diverse musical sounds. <h2>Face the music</h2> We also found out a lot about the reasons why people are turning to music in the first place. And they are varied. In our <a href="https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/16722236/Final%20sleep%20infographic.pdf">research</a>, people highlighted the importance of music for blocking disruptive external (such as traffic) and internal (like tinnitus) sounds, for filling uncomfortable silences, and providing a sense of companionship and security. This suggests that a one size fits all approach to music for sleep is unlikely to suit all insomniacs, because people are tuning into so many different types of music for so many different reasons. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTDDK6goHVg&feature=youtu.be">The next step for our research</a> will be to expand <a href="http://musicpsychology.co.uk/sleep/">our survey</a> to cover as many populations and cultures as possible. We will then test the music that people report to be consistently effective at different stages of sleep using advanced sleep recording techniques. Our aim is to develop personalised music selection technology, combined with advice on music sleep strategies, as a complete package for people who need to restore their sleep to normal for the sake of their health, quality of life and well-being. Until then, the best advice we can offer when choosing music to put you to sleep is to trust your own musical choices over generic “sleep” playlists. You know best what you are looking for in a bedtime track – based on what you like and what you need from the music at the time. And in the near future we will be armed with the necessary evidence that will allow us to move from this “instinctive approach” to a more informed and optimised application of music as an effective aid in the battle against insomnia.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/61622/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/victoria-williamson-277929">Victoria Williamson</a>, Lecturer in Music , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sheffield-1147">University of Sheffield</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-listening-to-music-could-help-you-beat-insomnia-61622">original article</a>.

Music

8 mistakes insomniacs make when they’re trying to fall asleep

<h2>Going to bed too early</h2> If you slept poorly the night before, you may want to slide into bed ahead of schedule. But this can actually make sleeplessness worse. People with insomnia frequently have irregular sleep-wake cycles. Sticking with a consistent sleep routine – a regular bedtime and a regular wake time – strengthens your body’s circadian rhythms and the biological cues (like melatonin release) that help you fall asleep. Hitting the sack unusually early may garner you some ‘extra’ sleep in the early part of the night, but you’re likely to wake up earlier than normal, throwing your sleep routine even more off-kilter. Aim to have your bedtime deviate by no more than 30 minutes from one night to the next. <h2>Getting in bed before you’re sleepy</h2> I recently had a patient who was often anxious and alert at bedtime – she described the feeling as “wired and tired”. She’d crawl into bed anyway, and lie wide awake late for an hour or more, frustrated and sleepless. I recommended she delay her bedtime until she felt ready to fall asleep. A restless, wired mind is one symptom of sleep deprivation. Learn to recognise the difference between being tired and being sleepy – and hold off going to bed until you feel ready to nod off. Take some extra time with your nightly routine, or find other ways to relax away from bright lights and screens near your face. <div> </div> <h2>Drinking alcohol to help you nod off</h2> Plenty of people are looking for ways to cut back on their drinking. It’s a good idea, according to the US National Sleep Foundation. The relationship between alcohol and sleep is complicated. One drink in the evening may help you fall asleep, but drinking more heavily can be stimulating, not sedating. Even if a nightcap does help you doze off initially, alcohol in your system at night disrupts your rest in other ways, causing lighter, more restless sleep, exacerbating snoring, and making you more likely to have to get up to use the bathroom. If you’re already having trouble sleeping, skip the before-bed glass of wine. <h2>Eating just before bed</h2> People with insomnia may be more prone to late-night snacking. Up later, they’re more likely to get hungry again after dinner. And the presence of stress – whether about daily life or sleep itself – does more than interfere with slumber. It also boosts the inclination for late-night eating, which can disrupt sleep. The evidence is growing about the hazards of late-night eating, and new research suggests that weight gain and rising insulin and cholesterol levels are among the risks. Make your last full meal two to three hours before bedtime, and don’t do a lot of snacking right before bed – or in bed. A light, sleep-friendly snack 90 minutes or an hour before turning in is OK, but eating right before sleep can keep you awake, especially if you have insomnia. <h2>Logging onto social media from bed</h2> Do you do a final check of social media right before lights out? This is a behaviour that often gets pegged to 20- and 30-somethings, but I have patients in their 40s, 50s, and 60s who share this sleep-disrupting habit. Holding your phone close to your face exposes you to bright, blue-wavelength light, which is especially disruptive to sleep. A new study by scientists at the University of Pittsburgh indicates using social media within 30 minutes of bedtime increases disturbances to sleep. Scrolling through Facebook and liking your friends’ Instagram stories will stimulate your mind and keep you alert, just when you need to wind down. Establish a social media cut-off time of at least 60 minutes before bed. <h2>Thinking negatively about sleep</h2> What causes insomnia? Chronic difficulty sleeping can stem from many factors, including health conditions, medications, poor sleep habits and stress. Anxiety about sleep itself often compounds the problem. Negative, distorted thoughts about sleep can trigger the body’s stress response, including raising blood pressure, heart rate and brain activity. This makes it harder to nod off, which further increases anxiety about your inability to sleep. To break this anxious, sleep-depriving cycle, replace negative sleep thoughts with positive ones – a technique known as ‘cognitive restructuring’. For example: “I’ll never be able to fall asleep” becomes, “As I allow myself to relax, sleep will happen.” Use mindfulness practices and relaxation breathing to help you re-focus your thoughts. <h2>Staring at the clock</h2> Sometimes my patients struggling to find a cure for their insomnia go in search of complicated solutions. Clock-watching is a common pitfall for people who struggle with sleep – and the remedy couldn’t be simpler, or more effective. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, stash your bedside clock. Constantly checking the time ratchets up sleep-related stress, and makes it almost impossible to drift off. “The later it gets, the more afraid I feel about the sleep I’m missing, and how tired I’ll be the next day,” a patient told me recently. Place the clock firmly out of your view, so you’re not tempted to check the time again and again. If you struggle to get to sleep, try these <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/10-relaxation-techniques-to-help-you-wind-down-for-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 relaxation techniques that help you to wind down for sleep.</a> <h2>Trying to get more sleep than you need</h2> The standard recommendation of eight hours of nightly rest is a good one, but it isn’t for everybody, all the time. Individual sleep needs vary. Some people who regularly experience insomnia aren’t built to achieve – or even need – a full eight hours of sleep. For some people struggling with sleeplessness, six or six-and-a-half hours might be a more realistic goal. By focusing too narrowly on hitting the eight-hour mark, you may inadvertently create stress that makes sleep harder to come by. Instead, put your attention on the quality of your rest. Practise good sleep hygiene, create a restful sleep environment, give yourself some relaxing night-time rituals, and pat yourself on the back for making high-quality sleep a priority. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/8-mistakes-insomniacs-make-when-theyre-trying-to-fall-asleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. Images: Getty

Body

5 tips to beat insomnia

At the very least, insomnia (or sleep deprivation) will make you feel tired, grumpy, and lacking that get-up-and-go. Fear not, we have some really simple tips that will help improve your sleep, overnight. The first step to ensuring you sleep well is to understand what a good night’s shuteye means. Generally speaking, if you’ve slept well you should feel refreshed the next morning and ready to face the day. As every person’s sleep needs are different, the amount of time required catching Zs can vary. The Sleep Health Foundation says most adults need between seven and nine hours sleep each day. But this may include naps and time spent dozing in front of the TV. A good rule of thumb is: if you’re getting less sleep than you used too but still feel rested and energetic during the day, you’re onto a winning formula. So why do over one-third of Australians experience trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep from time to time? Well, there's no hard and fast explanation. But the internet and texting have been proven to be major sleep distractions. Stress is another big sleep-stealer. So too is worrying about getting to sleep. Other issues to consider are life changes like moving, physical limitations due to illness, retirement, medication, or the death of a loved one which can cause stress. And then there’s conditions such as arthritis, heart failure, heartburn, sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome, an enlarged prostate, or Alzheimer’s disease which can all make sleeping and, staying asleep, harder. From expanding your waistline and making you reach for the higher-fat, higher-calorie foods, to reduced hand-eye coordination leading to accidents, experts now know that a lack of sleep can be more dangerous than first thought. Things like your attention span, learning and memory could be affected. A lack of sleep can also speed up the ageing process and take a toll on your skin by affecting collagen production. Top tips for improving your sleep: Stick to sleep schedule Sleep should be up there with food, water and exercise as one of the cornerstones of good health. Thus, you should look at sleep the way you do a healthy eating or exercise plan – and stick to it. With a little trial and error, work out how many hours you need a night. Then, create a sleep schedule by going to bed at the same time each night (preferably before midnight) and waking up at the same time each morning, even on weekends. This will help you develop a natural sleep/wake cycle. Create a sleep sanctuary Winding down after your day is important in ensuring you’re relaxed and in an ideal state for bed. Ban TV, computers and phones from the bedroom and for a little while before you go to bed. Instead, have a warm bath with your favourite essential oils, read under a soft light or do some deep breathing or gentle yoga poses. If you are prone to worrying, write a quick list of your problems and possible solutions that you can address the following day. That way you will be ready to sleep when you hit the pillow. Restrict your sleep Research suggests that one way to encourage a good night’s sleep after 60 might actually be to restrict your sleep. A study conducted at the University of Surrey suggests that a later bedtime could help you drift off sooner. The researchers also found that, of eight hours spent in bed, the over 65s group slept for an average of six hours and 30 minutes. This pattern could tell your body that it’s ok to drift in and out of sleep all night. Spend less time in bed. If you can, get up, don’t spend eight hours in bed when you’re only sleeping for six of them. And if you can’t fall asleep, but have been trying for around 20 minutes, get up and go to another room and try again when you feel sleepy. Don’t drink alcohol close to bedtime Despite popular opinion, alcohol will not help you get a good night’s sleep. Although it may make you feel sleepy and fall asleep, it actually disrupts your sleep. In the second half of the night, sleep after drinking alcohol is associated with more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares, headaches and is much less restful. Thus, avoid alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime. Furthermore, binge drinking will affect your levels of melatonin (which makes you feel sleepy at night and regulates your body rhythm) for up to a week. Try a herbal remedy Mother Nature can provide a number of herbs that have a gentle sedative effect. Things like valerian, ziziphus, chamomile, lemon balm, hops and lactium may help calm your mind so you can get a good night’s sleep. Seal the mattress The sneezing, sniffling, and itching of allergies can cause fragmented sleep - and your mattress may be to blame. Over time, it can fill with mould, dust mite droppings, and other allergy triggers. Avoid these sleep disturbers by sealing your mattress, box springs, and pillow. Visit the doctor! If nothing seems to work well for you, speak to your doctor about your sleep problems. There’s always the chance that a condition you have or medications you’re taking are affecting you’re sleep. The doc can also refer you to a sleep specialist or another professional who might be able to help you get the sleep you deserve. Image credits: Getty Images

Body

Tips to guarantee you the BEST night sleep of your life!

Getting a good night’s sleep (unfortunately) requires more than slipping on your comfiest pyjamas, turning down the bedding and plonking your head on your pillows. In fact, while we catch Zs we pass through several crucial stages of sleep – each which has its own functional purpose. For instance, we alternate between non-REM (rapid eye movement) for the purpose of restoring the body and also REM sleep which is when we dream and this is the stage in which the brain is restored. At different stages in life, the time we spend in these stages can vary, however, there is one constant: a good night’s rest means sleep should be continuous and uninterrupted. So no matter what age you are, you should always make it a priority to ensure a night in your bed makes you feeling well rested when you wake. While there is much written about what you should and shouldn’t be doing before bedtime to guarantee you have a good night’s slumber (for example, limit technology, relax and make sure you bedroom is a sanctuary), have you read about how what you eat can dictate how well you sleep? As well as there being some foods you shouldn’t eat before bed, there are also some that will help nudge you into a sweet slumber. Furthermore, the timings around putting food in your mouth can also impact your Zs. For instance, it’s a good idea to stop eating a couple of hours before lights out according to the Sleep Health Foundation as eating close to bedtime can affect your deep sleep function. Here are some things to do to better manage what you eat before bed: Cut the caffeine  If you’re having trouble with sleep, try eliminating caffeine from your diet by lunchtime. As a natural central nervous system stimulant, caffeine can rev you up, sometimes for hours and thus affect you easily gliding into a good night’s rest. Ban the booze  Whilean evening tipple may seem like a great idea to help you unwind from you day, it may also keep you up at night. At first, alcohol enhances the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical messenger in the brain, which signals you to relax and makes you sleepy. Because the effects are enhanced, the brain cells that secrete GABA stop making so much of it. Once the alcohol effects subside (usually within two or three hours), you will have a GABA deficiency that can result in poor sleep later in the night. Dine at “early bird special” time Nodding off too soon after you’ve just downed a sizable meal can make it hard to nod off into dreamland. Lying down slows the digestive process and can send stomach acids involved in digestion creeping back up into your throat, which can result in indigestion and acid reflux – so general un-comfortableness. Instead, keep your dinners small so you don’t have any pesky discomfort when you want to lie down and fall asleep. Hiatus the hot Spicy foods linger in the stomach for longer during the digestion process, which causes the stomach to secrete more acid. In turn you can end up with heartburn and reflux and the more acid there is in your stomach, the more uncomfortable you may feel when you are vertical. Image: Getty

Caring

Woman goes viral for sharing therapist’s simple tip to fall asleep

One woman has shared this simple yet effective tip to combatting your insomnia. Emily Bronchu took to TikTok to reveal her therapist’s trick to help you sleep better. “So a therapist gave me this trick for when you can’t sleep, I’m gonna share it with you for free cause I paid for the information,” she said. “So I was laying in bed and I can’t sleep. I put on my Sleep Stories, I went to bed at a normal time, I just couldn’t sleep. I was tossing and turning, tossing and turning, tossing and turning.” Emily says the key to fixing this is setting a “time limit”. “If you’re not sleeping within 20 minutes, get up and write down everything that you’re thinking about and do it until you’re tired and then go back to sleep. And it works,” she said. “The reason it’s important to get out of bed is that if you stay in bed your brain will eventually connect with ‘I’m supposed to be awake when I am here.’ You don’t want that connection to make you stay up super late, and when you go to bed you’re gonna be tired.” The post racked up over 98,000 likes and a number of comments from people sharing this trick had worked for them. Hundreds of people commenting on the clip, with many saying it had worked for them too. One person wrote, “I do something similar when I can’t sleep bc of stress. I get up and write down every single thing I’m stressed about, gets them out of my brain.” Another added, “I’ve recently been writing down all my thoughts in my journal before I go to bed and it helps me clear my mind so that I’m not thinking about every possibility.”

Caring

The 5 types of insomnia revealed

Having trouble getting some shut-eye at night? You may not be alone – one third of Australians will suffer from insomnia at some point in their lives. Treatments for insomnia vary from relaxation techniques to medication, but no cure has been found to be universally effective. And now a new research has discovered why. A <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(18)30464-4/fulltext">new study</a> published on the Lancet Psychiatry has found that the sleep disorder could be categorised into five different types. Researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience used the data of more than 2,200 volunteers aged 18 and above to create a report on different sleep complaints, brain mechanisms and treatment effects. “While we have always considered insomnia to be one disorder, it actually represents five different disorders,” said Dr Tessa Blanken, one of the researchers. Below is the breakdown for each type: <ul> <li>Type 1: Highly distressed; people who score high on neuroticism and are more prone to feeling down or tense.</li> <li>Type 2: Moderately distressed but reward sensitive (that is, more responsive to positive emotions and events).</li> <li>Type 3: Moderately distressed and reward insensitive.</li> <li>Type 4: Slightly distressed with high reactivity; stressful life events to environment and life events. Stressful life events would induce severe and lasting insomnia in this type.</li> <li>Type 5: Slightly distressed with low reactivity; stressful life events would have no effects on sleep for this type.</li> </ul> While these five type groups share the same sleep complaints – including difficulty falling asleep and early morning awakening – they react differently to treatments. For example, cognitive behavioural therapy was only helpful to group 2, while benzodiazepines benefited groups 2 and 4. The study also found that group 1 was most at risk of developing depression and other sleep disorders. “Subtyping now enables much more efficient research into the prevention of depression, by inviting specifically those with the highest risk,” the study said. Volunteers whose electrical brain activity was measured again after five years were found to retain their types, which suggested that sleep problems are “anchored in the brain”. This finding, the researchers said, “could be a new page in the history of insomnia, promoting discoveries on mechanisms and interventions”. Do you have insomnia or other sleeping problems? Share your story in the comment below.

Body

Carrie Bickmore opens up about her daily struggle

On the surface, Carrie Bickmore seems to have it all – a Gold Logie-winning hosting gig on The Project, a happy relationship and two beautiful children. But her busy life has taken its toll. In a candid article for The Daily Telegraph’s <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/stellar/why-carrie-bickmore-cant-sleep-at-night/news-story/a93e865cd114b1fcaeebb31ac0eff0bc" target="_blank">Stellar magazine</a>, the 37-year-old opened up about her biggest struggle – sleep. Bickmore, who revealed she’s struggled with insomnia since she was a teenager, says she envies “people who put their head on the pillow and pass out till noon the next day”. Having maintained an erratic work schedule since her university days, when she began working breakfast radio, Bickmore’s sleep struggles only worsened when she welcomed her son Oliver in 2007. “I gave birth to a sleeper,” she writes. “He slept through the night as a newborn from 7 pm to 7 am (you can imagine the look I got when I told my mothers’ group that), but I never reaped the benefits. “I would pop him down at night then lay in bed stressing about how I had to get up in the night to express milk before heading into work at 4am. That anxiety made it impossible for slumber. I got used to running on four hours a night. It’s fair to say I was not getting any much-needed REM sleep!” The mum-of-two confesses she lives in “a permanent sleep-deprived haze” and is “ecstatic” if a dinner date is cancelled, as it means she can get to bed early. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 658px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media"> <div style="padding: 8px;"> <div style="background: #F8F8F8; line-height: 0; margin-top: 40px; padding: 50.0% 0; text-align: center; width: 100%;"> <div style="background: url(data:image/png; base64,ivborw0kggoaaaansuheugaaacwaaaascamaaaapwqozaaaabgdbtueaalgpc/xhbqaaaafzukdcak7ohokaaaamuexurczmzpf399fx1+bm5mzy9amaaadisurbvdjlvzxbesmgces5/p8/t9furvcrmu73jwlzosgsiizurcjo/ad+eqjjb4hv8bft+idpqocx1wjosbfhh2xssxeiyn3uli/6mnree07uiwjev8ueowds88ly97kqytlijkktuybbruayvh5wohixmpi5we58ek028czwyuqdlkpg1bkb4nnm+veanfhqn1k4+gpt6ugqcvu2h2ovuif/gwufyy8owepdyzsa3avcqpvovvzzz2vtnn2wu8qzvjddeto90gsy9mvlqtgysy231mxry6i2ggqjrty0l8fxcxfcbbhwrsyyaaaaaelftksuqmcc); display: block; height: 44px; margin: 0 auto -44px; position: relative; top: -22px; width: 44px;"></div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BTRAkB7lCUL/" target="_blank">A post shared by Carrie Bickmore (@bickmorecarrie)</a> on Apr 24, 2017 at 4:04am PDT </div> </blockquote> “I have tried wine, warm milk, reading, sex, different beds, the couch — nothing cures my bouts of insomnia. My smug sleepy friends say things like, ‘Just get up and write down your thoughts.’ If I did that, I’d be writing an essay. Every tiny thought I have during the night becomes a state of emergency. I’ve literally woken my partner and/or my children from their deep slumber convinced something has happened to them in the night.” Bickmore says there are only two instances when she can fall asleep easily – in a movie theatre (“when I have just paid to stay awake”) and when she has jet lag. “I have fallen asleep on the shoulder of many a cameraman in the back of cars while driving through the back blocks of a foreign country, and yet I cannot snooze in my own damn comfy bed. “I have resigned myself to being a non-sleeper for life. It’s in the genes. As I write this, my two-year-old daughter is fighting going to bed, screaming at the thought of being stuck in that fluffy paradise for the next 12 hours. Guess she got those genes, too.” Do you have trouble sleeping like Carrie Bickmore? Tell us in the comments below. Image credit: Carrie Bickmore/Instagram.

Mind

We’re not sleeping enough and it is killing us

Inadequate sleep has a huge impact on how you function, feel and think, yet recent data has revealed that 50 per cent of people are failing to get enough shut-eye. Despite being exhausted, 75 per cent of people are also having difficulty falling asleep once they lay their head on their pillow. Most people will pin their sleep deprivation on either a busy schedule that physically removes you from your bed, or a busy mind that mentally keeps you alert during the night. It is recommended that adults get 7-9 hours sleep each night and Dr Nick Fuller has shared tips with <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/lifestyle/were-not-sleeping-enough-and-its-killing-us/news-story/8dfd04ff4efb4e94d06da2c805ed9c8a" target="_blank">The Daily Telegraph</a> on how to make sure that happens. 1. Boost serotonin levels Not only does serotonin regulate sleep but also your mood and appetite. It is derived from the amino acid, tryptophan, so make sure your evening meal contains naturally high amounts of tryptophan. Some examples of foods containing tryptophan include dairy foods, eggs, tofu, soy beans, salmon, lamb, chicken, turkey, cherries, Kiwi fruit, nuts and seeds. 2. Have a good bed You spend a lot of time in your bed and sleeping is such an important aspect of your health, so it is justifiable to spend good money to make sure you have a quality bed. 3. Avoid caffeine Dr Fuller recommends avoid having coffee six hours before you go to bed. Many people also forget about caffeine in tea, so if you are having a tea before bed, opt for herbal tea. 4. Remove screens from bedroom Not only should you not go on your computer or phone right before bed, but Dr Fuller also suggests removing the technology entirely from your room. This will give your body a chance to produce melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. 5. Regular exercise Consistency is key when it comes to exercise and we all know that it improves our quality of life throughout the day, but it also improves our quality of sleep. 6. Limit fluids before bed To avoid waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, moderate your fluids after 4pm. 7. Avoid smoking before bed Dr Fuller explains that nicotine is a stimulant and can prevent a good sleep and cause insomnia. Call the Quitline 137 848 to discuss free available support to stop smoking. What are your tips for getting a good night’s sleep? Do you have trouble sleeping? Let us know in the comments below.

Body

Insomnia has been linked to Alzheimer’s

Bad news for insomniacs – <a href="http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2017/07/05/WNL.0000000000004171" target="_blank">a new study</a> has found a worrying link between poor quality sleep and a heightened risk of Alzheimer’s disease. Research examined the relationship between sleep quality and Alzheimer’s biomarkers in a group of 101 subjects with an average age of 63. They concluded that poor sleep quality, sleeping problems and grogginess during the day were linked to increased indicators of the disease. It’s not known for certain why this may be, but studies in animals have found that the brain’s ability to clear toxins like beta amyloid (the plaque-forming protein found in Alzheimer’s sufferers) improves. All participants had known risk factors for the disease, including family history or presence of the APOE gene, believed to be associated with a higher risk. They each rated the amount of sleep they got, the quality of that sleep, any troubles they had staying asleep and any sleepiness they may have experienced during the daytime. “Not everyone with sleep problems is destined to develop Alzheimer’s disease,” Barbara Bendlin of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centre and senior author of the paper told the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/05/well/mind/poor-sleep-tied-to-increased-alzheimers-risk.html?mcubz=1&_r=0" target="_blank">New York Times</a>. “We’re looking at groups of people, and over the whole group we find the association of poor sleep with the markers of Alzheimer’s. But when you look at individuals, not everyone shows that pattern.” However, if you’re tempted to turn to sleeping pills, Bendlin warns against it. “We don’t yet know if sleep medication has an effect on amyloid,” she told the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/insomnia-alzheimers-study_us_595e52cee4b0d5b458e8b7c9" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>. “The next step will be to further query these relationships using objective sleep measures.”

Mind

Beautiful photo series reveals the loneliness of insomnia

If you’ve ever experienced insomnia before, you’ll know just how lonely it can be, especially when it seems the rest of the world is sleeping happily while you endure a constant struggle. Now, 39-year-old photographer Michael Massaia from New Jersey has captured how lonely insomnia really is, with a haunting series of photos depicting an eerily empty Central Park. “It was a bit maddening trying to fill up all the hours,” Massaia, who has suffered insomnia since the age of 13, told the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2017/05/31/these-stunning-photos-capture-the-loneliness-of-insomnia_a_22119315/?utm_hp_ref=au-entertainment" target="_blank">Huffington Post</a>. “My desire to sleep wasn't to try and get rest, it was to simply help pass the time.” That’s what led the photographer to start a little night-time project, as a way of capturing the contrast between the dark, empty night and the bustling, bright daytime. “I hope people take away from the project a kind of compelling isolation, or perhaps something as simple as being able to turn a defect into something useful.” Take a look at the fascinating photos above and tell us in the comments below, have you ever experienced insomnia? How did you overcome it? Image credit: Michael Massaia.

Art

5 common reasons you can’t sleep

According to the <a href="http://sleephealthfoundation.org.au/pdfs/Insomnia.pdf" target="_blank">Sleep Health Foundation</a>, around one in three people have at least mild insomnia. The causes can vary from medical conditions such as anxiety through to bad sleeping habits. If you’re finding it hard to get shut-eye most nights, try pin pointing the problem and remedying it with the solutions below. 1. You’re still digesting food Acid reflux and general indigestion problems are enough to keep the sleepiest head turning on the pillow. Try settling your stomach before bed with a ginger tea and always sleep on your left side. Lying on your right side causes your lower oesophageal sphincter to relax and food to pass upwards. 2. Your brain won’t stop racing It’s a dreaded cycle to be in. You can’t sleep because your mind won’t quiet down, and as the hours tick by, you become more and more agitated. This is where relaxation techniques really come in handy. Slow your breathing, visualise a place or scene that is calming to you, and imagine it in is much detail as you can. For example, if you are in a garden, what colour are the flowers? Is the grass wet? If all else fails, try taking all-natural vitamins for anxiety before bed. 3. You overslept the previous day Did you treat yourself to a big sleep in, or an afternoon nap? Unfortunately, the first thing you have to do is get out of bed to tire yourself out. Read a book, tidy the living room or even do some light yoga. 4. There’s noise nearby Are you suffering from noisy neighbours or a snoring spouse? If ear plugs are not working, then the best thing to do is embrace the sounds. Visualise yourself to be in a setting where you can transform these sounds into soothing ones, like rolling waves or a vibrant rainforest. Focus on all five of your senses to transport yourself here. 5. No reason, you just can’t sleep Sometimes, our bodies have no good reason for not wanting any shut-eye. The key here is to trick it into sleeping. Choose a point on the ceiling and continue to stare at it, refusing to close your eyes. This is employing the use of “paradoxical intention”, a cognitive technique that involves engaging in your most feared behaviour. In the case of insomnia, it relieves performance anxiety that hinders falling asleep. Do you have any handy tips for relaxation or visualisation exercises? Let us know in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/08/can-music-help-us-fall-asleep/">Can music help us fall asleep?</a> <a href="/health/mind/2016/08/stop-your-mind-racing-at-night/">How to stop your mind from racing in the middle of the night</a> <a href="/news/news/2016/08/shocking-effect-of-a-bad-nights-sleep/">The shocking effect a bad night’s sleep can have</a>

Body

Can music help us fall asleep?

According to a <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15782867" target="_blank">2005 study</a>, up to a quarter of Kiwis suffer from chronic sleep problems. Most people who have had to deal with the condition know just how frustrating it can be as well as the negative impact it can have on many aspects of life. However, many people have found treatment from a somewhat unusual source – music. Psychologist Laszlo Harmat studied 94 students who suffered from sleep disorders. He gave one group classical music to listen to for 45 minutes before bed, another group an audiobook, and the third group nothing. After only three weeks, 85 per cent of the music group found themselves sleeping well. Of the audiobook group, only nine out of 30 became good sleepers. But how does this affect those over 60? Another study conducted in 2003 by Hui-Ling Lai and Marion Good involved a similar experiment on people with sleeping difficulties between the ages of 60 and 83. Just like with the student subjects, the music quickly began to work its magic, with half of the group prescribed music before bed becoming good sleepers. So, how can you try it at home? Researchers recommend slow, relaxing music like classical, jazz and blues. It’s also important to keep the music at a volume that isn’t so low that you can barely hear it and not so loud that it prevents you falling asleep. They also making sure the last song on your playlist is one that gently fades out. This way, you won’t be suddenly woken up by the silence. Do you listen to music when you’re trying to sleep? What other secrets do you have to getting the perfect night’s sleep? Share your tips with the Over 60 community in the comment section below. Related links: <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/06/original-names-of-famous-bands/">The surprising original names of famous bands</a> <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/06/unforgettable-songs-of-the-60s/">Unforgettable songs of the '60s</a> <a href="/entertainment/music/2016/04/the-surprising-real-names-of-singers/">The surprising real names of famous singers</a>

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