Why disturbed sleep is on the rise, and how to fix it

Sleep disorders common now: Sleep disorder issues have become particularly prevalent since the pandemic, when the home became the workplace and use of electronic devices shot up. It is today natural to heavily use blue light devices, but a lot of scientific study indicates that blue light makes it more difficult to fall asleep. Even two hours of exposure to blue light can trigger our brain to suppress by 40 per cent melatonin, the compound produced to regulate sleep. Some research also points to a 10 per cent rise in sleep problems in 2020-21 (pandemic period).

Quality of sleep: Falling asleep isn’t the only aspect of sleep. There are four: efficacy (percentage of deep sleep), sleep disturbance (whether or not you fall asleep), sleep latency (time taken to fall asleep) and duration (whether you get to sleep enough). It is recommended that an average adult sleep 7-8 hours a day.

Impacts of stress: There is compelling correlation between stress and sleep. Our body producing stress hormones causes the heart rate and blood pressure to increase, negating the impact of melatonin (which does exactly the reverse to get us ready for sleep).

Sleep part of our evolutionary biology: Our sleep cycle is dependent on light and our body naturally gets ready to sleep by producing melatonin when night falls. This peaks around 2 am, and by morning, the levels reduce again. Sleeping late in the night or early morning can deregulate your natural pattern of sleep.

Wearables can help: The first sign of sleep quality is how refreshed or tired you feel. However, wearables, such as FitBits and Apple Watch, too help determine deep sleep quality. We all have a cycle between deep sleep, which is around 45 minutes to an hour, and light sleep. For good sleep, you need at least four to five blocks of deep sleep, and wearables can help map this. Being aware of the quality of your sleep helps improve things by being more conscious of sleep habits.

Cognitive behaviour therapy: Cognitive behaviour therapy is the first line of treatment for insomnia, but you need to invest time and effort for it to yield results. A growing number of medication and supplements have emerged are reliable treatment options. Melatonin supplements in established markets like Europe and the US have a great safety profile and are considered like food supplements. They are also available in India.

Melatonin supplements are not dependency inducing because our body from birth itself has been used to high levels of melatonin, which reduces with age. Unless one is pregnant or taking specific other medications, melatonin supplements can be used to regulate sleep. For chronic sleep issues, prescription medicines are available. However, these have been designed for depression and anxiety and not sleep as such, so they can make you extremely drowsy.

Lifestyle choices: Several lifestyle choices indirectly impact sleep quality. For example, being outdoors in the sun or having a healthy gastrointestinal tract will improve your physical and mental wellbeing, which in turn will help sleep better at night.Â

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