Doesn’t everyone like the Irish? Contained in this light-hearted statement is a simple truth that a good night’s sleep is essential in keeping your body healthy, your mind rested and your heart peaceful. Something perhaps that many of us forget in our busy and burdensome lives. Within ourselves, it is important to know the limitations of our body, the dangers of overexertion and the curative value of finding the time to sleep well.


If every night were restless...

Every year, tens of thousands of traffic accidents are attributed to sleepy drivers, but now the UK averages about 90 minutes less than it did in the 1920’s, when it was nine hours a night. Sleep researcher Dr William Dement would go as far as to consider ‘sleep deprivation a national emergency’. He estimates that 95 per cent of Americans suffer from lack of sleep at some stage in their lives leading to stress and unhappiness, as well as physical frailties and mental exhaustion.

Sleeping poorly isn’t just bad for us but impacts the people around us; sleepy people find themselves getting irritated at their lack of concentration and inability to function. To understand how we can avoid this endless tossing and turning, it’s important to consider why we need to sleep in the first place.


What is sleep?

Sleep is made up of stages; a gradual progression from being awake to deeper sleep evolves slowly over the passage of night. For the first thirty minutes or so, we are drifting off from wakefulness and these Stages are known as the ‘pre-sleep’ (Stage One) and ‘light sleep’ (Stage Two). Beyond this, Stages Three and Four are known as Deep Sleep; the brain is quiet, the body may move, and it is during this time that the process of repairing oneself from the day’s wear and tear begins.

We don't dream during this time - the ‘dreamy’ stage of sleep comes after about 90 minutes of Deep Sleep. Known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep; the eyes move quickly from side to side, our muscles become very relaxed and our brain is active. Cycling between Deep Sleep and REM sleep during the night, our body refreshes and renews itself to begin a new day. The problems occur when this pattern breaks.


Do you sleep enough?

Do you find yourself getting tired all the time, or dropping off during the day? Do you find it difficult to concentrate or hard to make decisions?

Researchers in the UK at the Loughborough University's Sleep Research Laboratory have found that people are designed for two sleeps a day - the main one at night, and a nap in the afternoon. This suggests that an afternoon siesta, as people in warmer parts of the world have, may be a physiologically good idea.

Even with the luxury of an afternoon nap, many of us can still get tired, suggesting we haven’t slept enough at night. Interestingly, people that increase their night-time sleep find that they have no need for their afternoon ‘kip’. However, since not all of us have the luxury of this, it has been found that just a ten minute nap at lunchtime can prove effective and sufficient as a ‘siesta’. Be thankful for the small blessings!


Finding yourself

It is worth noting that sleep is still not fully understood. During a normal night, there are short periods where we are awake and are not aware, there can be periods where we feel as if we’re ‘falling suddenly’ – neither of these can be explained though we know they occur. One study in the Loughborough University actually found that sleeping less than four hours improved the symptoms in depressed patients!

Understanding ourselves and our body rhythms is a good way to sleep better, which is why relaxation and routines are recommended ways of improving your sleep. It almost seems that sleeping well has become an act of faith. Accepting there are things about it that we can’t comprehend, seeking it earnestly in our need, and trusting securely in the knowledge that our body is finding its rest. These things are important to resolving the worries and fears that may stop us sleeping.

In conclusion, there is only one thing about sleep we can say for sure; that if all goes well, the morning after should leave you feeling refreshed, and calm, yet full of energy!

And if tonight my soul may find her peace
in sleep, and sink in good oblivion,
and in the morning wake like a new-opened flower
then I have been dipped again in God, and new-created.
D.H. Lawrence


Remember to make your bedroom a special room, used primarily for sleeping - making it as comfortable, airy and dark as possible.

Sleep problems, including dozing off, can be a symptom of many other conditions, from problems with the thyroid gland to depression - and even occasionally rare sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. So it's important to speak with your GP if you're currently experiencing insomnia or another sleep problem, since it could be indicative of another condition.