Despite what is generally regarded as a modern-day increased focus on health and wellbeing, I often find myself in conversations where people complain about not getting enough or at least, quality sleep. Perhaps we are aware of this because our smart watches monitor our sleeping patterns, but not feeling well rested in the morning must surely be enough of an indication. With neither my go-to coffee nor wine indicated as a help for proper sleep, what are we to do?
Having a good night’s rest is as important for our overall well-being than a healthy diet and regular physical activity and a lack thereof will have a negative effect on our quality of life. Much more than lower performance in daily tasks and a slower reaction time because of being tired, long-term insomnia can lead to mental health challenges and even a higher risk of diseases such as high blood pressure and heart problems.
Is this struggle to sleep a modern disease? Not all the contributing factors can be blamed on modern day living. Stress, medical conditions such as arthritis pain and restless leg syndrome, certain prescription drugs and eating too much late in the evening (although if you are peckish, try one of these…) are all reasons why even our grandparents might have struggled with proper sleep. Having said that, most sources indicate that insufficient sleep is a growing global problem and it has significant impact on our mental and physical health. Travel schedules, early school start times, less physical activity as well as the pressure to always be busy, might affect our sleeping patterns. Increased screen time is also to blame and going to bed with an electronic device is a poor sleeping habit.
Research shows that even though our sleeping environments are generally better than in the past and that we sleep more or less the same number of hours, insomnia and sleep apnea are becoming more prevalent and as I noted from casual remarks in conversations, a significant percentage of adults are not satisfied with their quantity and quality of sleep.
There is of course always a counter argument and a study that was published in The Guardian suggested that restless sleep might be an evolutionary survival tool! The article was published in 2017 already, but it does give an interesting perspective on why interrupted sleep can be quite normal. Click here to read.
There is also an article on BBC.com, arguing that feeling well rested might be all in the mind! It says that although psychological processes are likely the main driver behind insomnia, there is a phenomenon called “paradoxical insomnia”. What this means is that people feel tired and believe they had a poor night of sleep, but their sleep performance is actually within the normal range when measured with a process called polysomnography. While insomnia and its risks are very real, the research suggests that this paradoxical insomnia is more common than we realise.
I always like to offer solutions from my own experience, but unfortunately, having a relaxing glass of wine might not be it. You might fall asleep easier, but alcohol does prevent the deeper stages of sleep and you might find that you wake up in the middle of the night. A comforting hot drink might also not be the solution as caffeine is of course a stimulant that might prevent you from falling asleep. Herbal teas are probably your best bet.
Other than consulting a doctor to rule out an underlying medical condition or get a prescription, there are a few easy habits that might assist. Try to maintain a regular sleep schedule, introduce a relaxing bedtime routine (with that herbal tea…), reduce screen time and plan your daytime naps, alcoholic drink or caffeine for a little earlier in the day. Ensure your bedroom ambience is calm, quiet, dark and at an optimum temperature. Being physically active does support better sleep, but not when you do it too close to bedtime. And perhaps you feel like investing in one of the items on the Forbes list of best sleep products for 2025. You might just need a weighted silk sleep stone mask or a cooling body pillow!
It is something we might often take for granted, but if you enjoy a proper night’s rest, you can be very grateful!