What Affects Our Sleep??

• Common causes of poor sleep quality and quantity include psychological, behavioral and lifestyle, technology, environmental, medical, and diet related factors.

Psychological Causes

• Stress triggers the body's fight or flight response, increasing cortisol levels and alertness which delays sleep onset, causes night wakings, and lightens sleep depth. Common sources include work pressure, financial worries, and relationship conflict.
• Anxiety and overthinking heightens arousal and intrusive thoughts, increasing sleep latency and reducing total sleep time. Typical patterns include ruminating and waking up too early.
• Depression disrupts circadian rhythms and can increase or decrease sleep drive, leading to hypersomnia or insomnia, often accompanied by early morning waking.

Behavioural and Lifestyle Causes

• Stimulant use delays melatonin release and stimulates the central nervous system, making it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep and reduces deep sleep. Caffeine has a half-life of ~5–6 hours, so even mid-afternoon coffee can affect bedtime.
• Alcohol is initially a sedative but later disrupts REM sleep and causes rebound awakenings, creating a dependency loop.
• An irregular sleep schedule disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, resulting in "social jetlag".

Technology and Screen Time

• Blue light exposure suppresses melatonin secretion, delaying sleep timing and reducing total sleep duration when using devices like phones, TVs, tablets, and laptops 1–2 hours before bed.
• Mental stimulation from engaging content increases brain activity, making it harder to wind down for rest.

Sleep Environment

• Noise causes micro-awakenings and disrupts sleep cycles.
• Light pollution inhibits melatonin and can shorten deep sleep phases.
• Ideal sleep occurs in cooler environments (16–19°C), overheating or cold disrupts the body's natural drop in core temperature for deep sleep.
• An uncomfortable bed or pillow increases movement during sleep, leading to more fragmented, non-restorative sleep.

Medical and Biological Causes

• Insomnia involves difficulty falling or staying asleep at least 3 nights/week for 3 months.
• Sleep Apnoea involves breathing interruptions, which causes frequent awakenings and reduced oxygenation.
• Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) causes uncomfortable leg sensations, leading to movement and disrupted sleep.
• Chronic pain causes frequent awakenings and prevents deep, restful sleep.
• Menopause causes hot flashes and night sweats, while thyroid imbalance can cause restlessness or fatigue and affect sleep regulation.

Diet and Physical Activity

• Late or heavy meals activates digestion when the body should be slowing down, causing discomfort and can trigger reflux.
• Lack of physical activity reduces sleep pressure, making it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
• Dehydration can cause dry mouth, leg cramps, or needing to wake up to urinate.

Sleep Quality and Quanity Impact Summary

• Psychological factors lead to light, broken sleep and shortened or excessive sleep duration.
• Lifestyle factors lead to shallow sleep and delayed REM, delaying sleep onset.
• Environmental factors lead to frequent micro-awakenings and inconsistent total sleep time.
• Medical conditions lead to fragmentation and poor oxygenation, causing daytime drowsiness from short sleep.
• Diet and exercise habits lead to less restorative sleep and shorter or disrupted sleep cycles.
• Screen time leads to delayed melatonin release, resulting in later bedtime and reduced sleep duration.

Client Guide: How to Improve Sleep Quality and Quantity

• Racing thoughts or worry keep your mind awake, so deep breathing, journaling, or a short wind-down routine before bed may help.
• Coffee, tea, or energy drinks after 2 PM can delay sleep, switching to decaf or herbal teas in the afternoon may help.
• The blue light from phones and bright light blocks melatonin, turning off screens 60 minutes before bed, and instead reading a book or stretching may help.
• Noise, light, and heat can wake you up through the night, using blackout curtains and earplugs, and keeping your room cool (16–19°C) may help.
• Your body thrives on rhythm, sticking to a consistent bedtime and wake-up time (even on weekends, if possible) may help.
• Heavy meals close to bedtime disrupt digestion, finishing dinner 2–3 hours before bed may help.
• Lack of activity makes it harder to feel tired at night, strength training, walking, or conditioning 4–5 times per week may help.
• Conditions like sleep apnoea, anxiety, or chronic pain interrupt sleep cycles, consulting with a health professional may assist if things don’t improve.