Poor sleep is like being DRUNK, says shocking new study

Consistently poor sleep is so bad for your health, it is “like being drunk” and can impact your productivity, an expert has warned.

Researchers say staying awake for 19 hours means your brain function is equivalent to having a blood-alcohol level of 0.5 per cent.

After two weeks of sleeping for just six hours per night, your performance becomes the same as someone who has been awake for 24 hours.

Sleep Health Foundation chief executive Moira Junge told NCA NewsWire serious sleep deprivation was basically equivalent to being drunk.

“People wouldn’t drink and drive, or they know there’s consequences for that over and above just getting a fine,” she said.

“They think, ‘Oh, well, I wouldn’t want to do that. I know I’m impaired.’

“It’s sort of a wake up call, pardon the pun, for recognising that poor sleep is not only dangerous to yourself, but it’s dangerous to others, and to start thinking about being more cautious about that.

“Sometimes you know you’re sleepy and you might think ‘I might push on’, but then probably even more frightening is when you don’t know … and the people who have lived to tell the tale of falling asleep at the wheel often say they had no clue it was about to come to them.”

Dr Junge said unfortunately people were often complacent about their sleep.

“Most people don’t really think about sleep until they can’t get adequate amounts of it,” she said.

“They think, ‘I’ll sleep when I’m dead.’

“But longer-term sleep deprivation will have a really marked, increased risk of chronic health disease, obesity, type two diabetes, some cancers, hypertension, mental health conditions and the like.

“And, of course, acutely increased risk of accidents because you’re not alert and you’re drowsy.”

Dr Junge said people should start prioritising their sleep as much as they do their nutrition and physical fitness.

“Those things have had much more public health awareness campaigns and funding, but sleep hasn’t had the same level of awareness raising yet, apart from road safety,” she said.

“It’s actually hard sometimes because you don’t want to let go of the day … you want more me time … but sleep is so important.

“But we don’t want to increase anxiety about sleep because once you get anxious about sleep, and you try too hard to sleep, ironically, is when you’re not going to get much at all.

“It actually gets worse, which is a cruel irony.”

CAFFEINE

Caffeine is a drug which acts as a mental and physical stimulant. It can be found in tea, coffee, chocolate and cola drinks.

While caffeine takes about 30 to 70 minutes to reach peak levels in your body, its effects can last from three to seven hours, but your body needs about 24 hours to completely eliminate it.

Dr Junge said caffeine could make it harder for you to go to sleep, make you sleep more lightly and wake up more often during the night, and could make you have to get up to go to the toilet during the night.

“There’s a really big range of individual differences with how things are going to affect you,” she said.

“We all know people who can have a short black after dinner and sleep.

“The key point is that caffeine is a known stimulant and commonly available.

“If people are having copious amounts of caffeine, it is often masking something.

“Over time, you develop tolerance and so you have to have an increased amount to have the same effect.

“To someone having sleeping difficulties, it’s one of the first things to cut down on and see the benefits.”

If you are having trouble sleeping, you should try to limit your amount of caffeine to no more than 200mg per day.

ALCOHOL

Although alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it is actually linked to more frequent awakenings, night sweats, nightmares and headaches.

Dr Junge said it was best to avoid alcohol for at least four hours before bedtime.

“Alcohol is not a good bed partner,” she said.

“It’s a really important warning if you are using alcohol as a sleeping aid … your sleep quality is really bad.”

CIGARETTES

Dr Junge said cigarettes should be avoided altogether, but certainly for at least a few hours before going to bed.

“Be very aware that nicotine a known stimulant, alongside caffeine and other drugs,” she said.

“People who smoke for partly their relaxation think it’s like a mental health aid for them. They swear that it calms them down.

“But the physiology is it’s very clear that the nicotine increases their heart rate, increases their respiratory rate, increases stress hormones and they’re definitely more wired and alert.

“If you’re going to smoke, don’t smoke three or four hours before bed.”

FINAL WORD

Dr Jange recommends people put some planning and discipline around their sleep.

“Better sleep is not going to happen immediately,” she said.

Dr Jange likened it to an overweight person taking time to run 5km and losing weight.

“I want people to realise that turning your sleep around and working on it is the same, it’s a process,” she said.

10 TIPS FOR A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP

1. Try to go to bed about the same time every night and get up about the same time every morning.
2. Most adults need about seven to eight hours of sleep every night, but many poor sleepers spend much more than eight hours in bed and this makes fragmented sleep a habit, so you should limit your time in bed to no more than 8.5 hours.
3. Do not sleep with your TV on and do not stay in bed if you are wide awake.
4. Wind down and relax before going to bed but avoid using your computer or other electronic screens within one hour of bedtime.
5. You should have a quiet, dark bedroom with comfortable bedding and good temperature control.
6. Avoid alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes at least four hours before bedtime.
7. Avoid daytime naps. If it is absolutely necessary, limit your nap to about 20 minutes.
8. Do not lie awake watching the time.
9. Avoid sleeping pills, except in exceptional circumstances.
10. If you are still having trouble sleeping, have persistent problems with mood, have excessive daytime sleepiness, restlessness in bed, or severe snoring, you should see a doctor.