Reprinted from the Health District's quarterly publication mailed to district residents (Winter 2006)

Sleep. Who has time for it?

Not many in our society today, thanks to busy schedules, stress and anxiety, insomnia or all of the above, according to doctors and experts.

And that’s a problem.

According to the Better Sleep Council, sleeping well is essential for people to feel at their best during the day, just like eating right and exercising. It affects relationships, productivity and quality of life.

“Lifestyles are so hectic these days, sleep deprivation is a huge factor you see among patients,” says Pam Gale, a certified nurse practitioner at LifeSpan Family Care.

While how much sleep adults need varies, on average they need seven to eight hours of continuous sleep, says Dr. Monica Serrano-Toy of Fort Collins Family Physicians.

But most adults get only six to six and a half hours of sleep a day – which adds up to a whole night’s worth of sleep they lose each week, Gale said.

The problems also add up the more sleep people miss.

Dr. Bruce Cooper, medical director of the Health District, says studies show just one sleep-deprived night can affect people’s memory, their ability to do mentally challenging tasks, concentrate and problem-solve.

“Everybody has those nights; it’s normal – it might be anxiety or stress, too much alcohol,” he says. “But if you’ve gone a month or more where your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep affects your ability to function, it’s time to call a doctor.”

People without enough sleep on a regular basis find themselves falling asleep easily at inopportune times, whether it’s in a meeting, at a movie or behind the wheel of a vehicle, Serrano-Toy says.

Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes a year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Sleep deprivation also affects people’s memory and attention, Serrano-Toy says.

When patients tell her they are having problems remembering and staying organized, “one of the first questions I ask them is what kind of sleep they’re getting,” she says. “Just because your eyes are open doesn’t mean you’re getting and processing the data.”

Lack of sleep can also raise blood pressure, which can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke, Serrano-Toy says.

Gale said lack of sleep can lead to or be a symptom of depression, a decreased ability to cope and solve problems, increased stress, a lower attention span and productivity, and cause mood irritability.

“Obviously you’re irritable when you’ve had insufficient sleep; this is especially true in kids,” Cooper agrees.

Sleep is how the body and brain repair themselves, Gale says.

“If you’re not sleeping, the body’s not repairing itself well. It certainly can make you more susceptible to acute illnesses, car accidents and add to poor health,” she says.

Cooper said the secretion of certain hormones that fight infection are increased during quality sleep, so the lack of such sleep may impact the ability of the immune system.

“It’s amazing what the effects of lack of sleep are,” Gale says. “The biggest mistake people can make is to think that sleep is optional – that they don’t have to have sleep. Then you find out it is truly required.”

How much sleep isn’t the only issue; it’s also the quality of that sleep, Serrano-Toy says. If people are in bed but they are not sleeping, or if they are getting up several times throughout the night, they also suffer from sleep deprivation and accompanying problems.

And while sleeping a little longer on days off from work can help, it can’t make up for all the sleep missed the rest of the week, she says.

“Your body needs regular sleep and wake cycles, and you can’t recover that by sleeping in on a day or two,” Serrano-Toy said.

People who suspect that they are suffering from sleep deprivation should keep a diary of when they go to sleep, whether they wake up at night, why and how often, when they get up in the morning and whether they get sleep during the day, Gale says.

Such a diary will help people know when to see a doctor, and help the doctor determine whether their sleep deprivation is the primary problem or a symptom of something else, such as sleep apnea, chronic pain or depression.

“Sleep disturbance is typically a symptom of something else – too busy, too stressed, too much anxiety, depression,” Gale says.

People experiencing a reoccurring sleep problem and who have tried over-the-counter sleep remedies that are not working need to seek help, because sleep deprivation affects health as much as anything else does, she says. People using over-the-counter sleep aids more than once or twice a month should visit their family physician.

“It’s tough,” Gale says. “The first thing people have to realize is sleep is a priority. It’s all about balance in your life: If you’re out of balance – and not getting enough sleep is a part of that – you have to figure out how to get your life in balance. You may need a counselor or physician to help get to that point.”