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Tomorrow I have work or school, so I need to sleep... As I lie in bed thinking this, the sky gradually brightens outside, bringing despair. It's morning again, and I've barely slept. Has this ever happened to you?
Sleep problems can lead to daytime drowsiness and reduced concentration, affecting daily life. Such a condition might be a sleep disorder called "insomnia."
This time, we will explain insomnia and other sleep disorders, and introduce improvement methods that you can start incorporating today.
What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is diagnosed when an individual experiences difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia), frequent awakenings during the night (middle-of-the-night awakenings), or waking up one to two hours earlier than desired (early morning awakenings), and these issues lead to impairment in daily life, such as daytime sleepiness or reduced concentration.
The causes are diverse, but the following are some common factors:
- Psychological tension or stress
- Sudden changes in living environment
- Caffeine, alcohol, or tobacco
- Inappropriate sleep environment
- Disruption of circadian rhythm, etc.
It is not uncommon for symptoms of insomnia to appear temporarily. It is said that 30-35% of the population suffers from such transient insomnia. In many cases, it resolves naturally with lifestyle improvements or removal of the underlying cause, without the need for specific treatment. However, if symptoms persist for more than three months, it is diagnosed as chronic insomnia, which becomes harder to recover from without appropriate treatment.
Improvement Methods You Can Start Incorporating Today
Here are some ways to improve insomnia that you can incorporate into your daily life.
1. Avoid substances that hinder sleep
Caffeine has a stimulating effect, so it is best to avoid caffeinated drinks after 5 PM. While alcohol may seem to help you fall asleep, it actually worsens sleep quality and can cause middle-of-the-night awakenings or early morning awakenings. Nicotine, found in tobacco, also has a stimulating effect, so it should be avoided at least two hours before sleep.
"Light" is also known to have a significant impact on sleep. Bright, white light has an alerting effect. It is best to avoid bright spaces like convenience stores or offices late at night, and to limit screen time.
2. Regularize sleep times
By maintaining consistent bedtimes and wake-up times, you can regulate your circadian rhythm.
The human body accumulates sleep pressure, the urge to sleep, after being awake for 14-16 hours, making it easier to fall asleep. If your sleep schedule is irregular, you might not accumulate enough sleep pressure by nightfall, making it difficult to fall asleep. Try to fix your sleep times as much as possible and aim for a regular rhythm.
3. Pre-sleep relaxation
Incorporate relaxation techniques to help your mind and body unwind before sleep. Depending on your preferences, you might try relaxing aromatherapy, music, yoga, or massage.
4. Avoid excessive effort to sleep
If you worry about not being able to sleep, that anxiety can make it even harder to sleep. On nights when you can't fall asleep, it's often recommended to get out of bed. Spend time in a softly lit room with warm, ambient lighting, perhaps reading a monotonous book that you wouldn't usually find engaging, and relax. It's important not to be overly neurotic about sleep.
5. Optimize your sleep environment
If the temperature or humidity is not comfortable, if bright white lights are on until just before bed, or if your bedding and pajamas are not suitable for your body, you may experience insomnia. Creating a comfortable sleep environment is one way to improve insomnia.
For example, when sleeping, heat is released from your hands, feet, and head to lower your core body temperature. Therefore, it's recommended to use a pillow that is breathable and doesn't hinder heat dissipation from your head.
Recognizable Sleep Disorders
In fact, there are various types of sleep disorders. Currently, there are 64 types of sleep disorders. Some, like insomnia, are recognizable, while others, such as obstructive sleep apnea (commonly known as sleep apnea syndrome), are not.
Recognizable disorders include Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder, where the sleep period shifts later, and Shift Work Sleep Disorder and Jet Lag Syndrome, where irregular sleep due to shift work or time differences causes bodily discomfort.
1. Delayed Sleep-Wake Phase Disorder
This disorder involves a shift in the sleep period to a later time, typically characterized by falling asleep around 3 AM and waking up past noon. It is common in adolescence and young adulthood, with late-night club activities, part-time jobs, and excessive use of smartphones or computers contributing to a shift in lifestyle. Once a "night owl" pattern becomes fixed, it becomes difficult to fall asleep even when trying to go to bed earlier.
2. Shift Work Sleep Disorder
This disorder occurs when the body's internal clock is disrupted due to working during times when the body normally expects to sleep (e.g., night shifts) and sleeping during times when it would normally be awake. This can lead to various physical discomforts. The quality of sleep may decline, and symptoms of insomnia may appear. Police officers, healthcare workers, 24-hour factory workers, and airline employees often suffer from this condition.
3. Jet Lag Syndrome
This is discomfort caused by a mismatch between the local time at a destination and one's internal body clock, commonly known as jet lag. Especially for individuals who frequently travel internationally for business, if they don't manage their sleep carefully, their circadian rhythm can easily become disrupted, leading to prolonged sleep problems.
The causes of sleep disorders are incredibly diverse. While some cases may resolve naturally with daily habit improvements, others require medical intervention. If you're struggling, it's recommended to consult a clinic with a sleep specialist.
Learn More About Sleep Improvement Methods
We've introduced several sleep improvement methods, but these are not the only ones. One way to learn about effective sleep improvement is through the Sleep Planner qualification. You can learn about sleep improvement methods beyond the five we covered here.
Currently, it is said that one in five Japanese people suffer from sleep problems. Furthermore, there is a lot of misinformation about sleep out there. The Sleep Planner qualification was created with the desire to share accurate knowledge about sleep and effective, tailored improvement methods with more people. Supervised by Seiji Nishino, author of "Stanford University's Top Secrets to Sleep Better," you can learn about sleep from a total of 12 experts.
Learning the correct mechanisms of sleep helps you understand the causes of your own sleeplessness. Once you understand the cause, you can implement appropriate sleep improvements. Furthermore, a Sleep Planner can not only improve their own sleep problems but also advise others on their sleep and disseminate information about sleep.
