As the days get longer after the dark winter and the clocks go forward, many people notice a change in their body’s rhythms and moods.

‘Conk out’, ‘dead to the world’ and ‘out like a light’ are all phrases which we use about sleep and which reflect how we tend to think of it as being a resting state. It is as though in going to sleep we are turning off the activity in our brain, rather like switching off the computer. But the opposite is true. During sleep, the brain goes through an organised programme which includes periods of intense electrical activity. Although we don’t know for certain what the purpose of this activity is, the most widely held theory is that sleep is a period of recuperation and active restoration.

During the night the brain cycles through two different types of sleep. These are known as rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep. REM sleep occurs intermittently throughout the night and is associated with dreaming. Non-REM sleep consists of several stages including deep sleep (also called slow-wave sleep).

Many experts believe that during sleep the whole body is restored. The metabolic rate drops, which allows the body to conserve energy. But, paradoxically, during deep sleep, the body shifts into its most intense period of growth, building new proteins and repairing or replacing cells.

In the brain itself, another aspect of recovery may go on during REM sleep. REM sleep is thought to be a process where the information of the day is backed up to the ‘hard disc’ of the brain, where links are built across the brain cells in order to set events into the permanent memory and unnecessary links are wiped out. If sleep does have this restoratative effect, it’s quite understandable how people who don’t get enough can develop physical and mental illness.

Lack of sleep reduces quality of life

The amount of sleep we need is very individual. While seven hours a night is reasonable for adults, young people going through periods of rapid growth need more and older people may need less (six a night in 70-year-olds is normal). The quality of sleep, rather than simply the quantity, is also very important. For example, there may be disruption to the usual pattern or a failure to get down into the deeper stages of sleep. These problems are common among the elderly.

Although we can’t do without sleep completely, most people can adapt remarkably well to a lack of it. But the effects on mood and mental performance soon add up. It’s been shown, for example, that loss of just a single night’s sleep is enough to undermine originality of thought. When a person is not getting enough sleep they may suffer from sleepiness in the daytime, which interferes with concentration and memory, can reduce performance at school or work and greatly increase the risk of accidents. They often become irritable, anxious and more sensitive to pain. The immune system may become suppressed, increasing vulnerability to infections and slowing recovery.

Other health problems may be linked to specific sleep disorders. At least 4% of the population suffer from sleep apnoea syndrome, whereby the airways block during sleep, causing the person to snore as they try to drag air through the obstruction into the lungs. As oxygen levels drop, the person wakes up very briefly, regains muscular control and takes some deeper breaths before falling back to sleep. Although they are rarely aware of it, this may happen a thousand times a night, destroying the normal pattern of sleep. It also puts enormous strain on the heart, and significantly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Many different sleep problems

At least 88 different types of sleep/wake disorder are recognised. One in three people will have had a significant problem with getting to sleep or insomnia in the past year, while snoring affects about half the adult population. Waking early and not being able to get back to sleep may be a sign of underlying depression. Other frequently reported conditions include restless legs and night cramps. 

Treatment can help

Severe sleep problems should be discussed with a doctor, but there is plenty that you can do to help yourself. Keeping a diary to pinpoint changes in sleeping habits is the first step.

Sleep hygiene is very important. This means creating a regular routine in a sleep-inducing environment.
Try:

• exercising well during the day but avoiding intense late-night exercise
• avoiding large amounts of food or stimulants late in the evening
• taking a warm bath but not too hot as the body needs to be cool to fall asleep
• keeping the bedroom peaceful and well ventilated ,/li>
• going to bed and getting up at the same time every day

Simple remedies such as hypnosis and relaxation techniques may help. Diet is also important. Research has shown that raising levels of serotonin, a brain chemical involved in sleep, can induce it. A late-evening snack of a carbohydrate-rich food (one study recommended wholemeal banana muffins) may help to raise levels of serotonin. Supplements of 5-HTP (5-hydroxy-tryptophan) an essential amino acid found in certain foods, is converted into serotonin in the body to have the same effect.

Many people find herbal remedies very helpful too. Valerian has been used to aid sleep since Ancient Greek and Roman times. Modern trials have shown that it significantly reduces the time taken to fall asleep and improves length and quality.St John’s Wort is well known for its effects in depression but can also help sleep too, especially when low mood is a factor.

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