WELLNESS WEALTH KENYA

Sleep is a crucial aspect of your life, it allows you to recharge after a long day of work leaving you refreshed and lively. In this capitalist era, people are notoriously sleep-deprived. They are constantly running around with work or other things from morning to late night in attempts to make ends meet. Healthy sleeping habits also help your body remain healthy and fight ailments. It also helps improve your cognitive abilities.

Sleep and mental health are highly intertwined. Lack of enough sleep affects the state of your mental health whereas suffering from a mental health disorder affects your sleep. Disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, and attention deficit hyperactive disorder are highly linked to sleeping problems. Lack of sleep leads to worrying about sleep while worrying about sleep leads to lack of sleep. The stress experienced when you are sleep-deprived can lead to the development of chronic stress which in turn affects the quality of your life.

The adult human brain requires an average of seven to nine hours of sleep a day. Children on the other hand require more sleeping hours especially if they are five years and below. When one is sleeping, it allows the body to repair itself in all aspects, improving your health holistically. Due to medical, environmental factors, among others, some people are not able to get the quality of sleep they ought to.

These factors include;

• Personal choice – some people don’t realise that the body needs adequate sleep. Instead of regularly going to bed at a reasonable hour, they prefer to stay up late to socialise, watch television or read a good book.
• Illness – illnesses such as colds and tonsillitis can cause snoring, gagging and frequent waking, and have a direct effect on sleep by fragmenting it.
• Work – people who do shift work disrupt their sleep-wake cycles on a regular basis. Frequent travellers (for example, airline crew) also tend to have erratic sleeping patterns.
• Sleep disorder – problems such as sleep apnoea, snoring and periodic limb movement disorder can disturb the person’s sleep many times during the night.
• Medications – some drugs used to treat disorders such as epilepsy or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can cause insomnia.
• The sleeping environment – sleep may be disrupted for a range of environmental reasons; for example, because the bedroom is too hot or cold or because of noisy neighbours or a snoring bed partner.
• Poor sleep hygiene – some people’s habits are disruptive; for example, drinking coffee or smoking cigarettes close to bedtime stimulates the nervous system and makes sleep less likely. Another common problem is lying in bed and worrying, rather than relaxing.
• Babies, older babies and toddlers – parents almost always experience sleep deprivation because their young children wake frequently in the night for feeding or comfort.

How to improve your sleep habits?

Improve your daytime habits. Regardless of your sleep problems, sticking to a consistent sleep schedule, getting regular exercise, limiting your intake of caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine, and managing stress will translate into better sleep over the long term.

Develop a relaxing bedtime routine to prepare your mind and body for sleep. Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool, avoid heavy meals and too many fluids late at night, take a warm bath, read, or listen to soothing music to unwind, and turn off screens at least one hour before bedtime.

Get back to sleep when you wake up at night. Whether you have a sleep disorder or not, it’s normal to wake briefly during the night. If you’re having trouble getting back to sleep, try focusing on your breathing, meditating, or practicing another relaxation technique. Make a note of anything that’s worrying you and resolve to postpone worrying about it until the next day when it will be easier to resolve.

Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?

1. Feel irritable or sleepy during the day?
2. Have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching television or reading?
3. Fall asleep or feel very tired while driving?
4. Have difficulty concentrating?
5. Often get told by others that you look tired?
6. React slowly?
7. Have trouble controlling your emotions?
8. Feel like you have to take a nap almost every day?
9. Require caffeinated beverages to keep yourself going?

If you answered yes on most of them, it is high time you visit your doctor. There are several places you can access help.

Nairobi sleep Center. The sleep diagnostic, and treatment center.

Mediheal Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya

The Nairobi Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya