The (self-) Maintenance Team - July 2023

 Sleep! Let's talk about it.

There's a lot we still don't understand about sleep and sleep-science, but we know a few things with certainty.

• Without sleep you die;
• Sleep deprivation can cause a perfectly healthy person to exhibit symptoms of serious mental illness;
• We seem to have genetic predispositions for when we like to sleep (think, early birds and night owls);
• Adults need, on average, 7-8 hours of sleep per night, but it varies a little from person to person. The range of "normal" for adults is as little as 6 and as much as 10 hours per night. Remember that these are averages, and your individual physiology may vary!

We live in a society that prioritizes (and values) productivity over self-care, so people often short-change their sleep. And we say that as though people have full control over how their sleep is prioritized, but that's not always the case. New parents certainly don't have that luxury of choice. And if you've ever suffered through a period of insomnia, you'll know that's not much of a choice either. I won't belabour the issue, because there have been some really good books written about it in recent years.

My favourite book on the subject is this one:

 (do yourself a favour and get the audiobook if you're hearing-abled.

I borrowed it from the library and the narrator was excellent)

The reason I bring up sleep is because I think that getting adequate sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your mental health. I also think that people (me included) consistently compromise on sleep in service of other goals and priorities. Sometimes that's necessary, or even worth the trade-off, for short periods of time. For example, do I want to take a 6am flight? Absolutely not! But, it's $300 cheaper than the flight that leaves at 10am, so guess who's going to trade a little bit of sleep deprivation in order to save some money. This gal, that's who!

The first problem is that this tendency to trade sleep in service of another priority is often not done with intention. The result is that the cost to value-added ratio is not worth it a lot of the time.

The second problem, which compounds with the first, is that we underestimate how much chronic sleep shortening is impacting our mental health, clarity of mind, performance capacity, and ability to regulate our emotions and appetite. We think "it's no big deal." 

Well, we were wrong. So, so, wrong. It's a BFD. Long before you fall asleep at the wheel or the hallucinations kick in, chronic sleep deprivation has impaired your ability to function in massive ways.

So maybe in the short term you make that trade, on purpose, in service of a goal. Cool. Do that.

But if you're feeling run down and burnt out in your life and you don't know why - or you do know why, but it's not in your power to change it - then do yourself a favour and dial in your sleep. It may not fix everything that is causing you stress, but it can help you handle it more effectively. And there are honestly some problems in life that just don't seem like such a big deal, once we've had a good night's sleep.

Let me know in the comments what some of your strategies are for getting a good night's sleep!

If you struggle with sleep, help is available. You can talk to your doctor to rule out a medical condition or talk to your pharmacist to rule out a medication-related cause. But both will tell you that sleep medications don't work very well for the average person (the quality of sleep you get with them isn't great). And so, if you want to find a medication-free alternative to address your individual sleep problems, talk to a health professional who is knowledgable about sleep. Many occupational therapists (like me) can be helpful, but other types of therapists may have specialized training too.

If you're in Alberta, check out my website, Calder Mental Health Services, and book an appointment if you'd like to work with me. 

And if you live elsewhere, look for an occupational therapist (or other health professional) in your area that offers CBT-I (that's cognitive-behaviour therapy for insomnia).

My personal favourite sleep strategy? I like to fall asleep to an ambient soundscape (I have an app on my phone), which my husband refers to as my "spooky ghost noises." It's the sound of wind rustling through trees and blowing leaves around. I love it.

Happy sleeping!

Petrina