Almost all of us know it: If you don’t sleep well, the next day is a mess. You are less resilient, more irritable and you can’t go about your work in a cheerful and motivated way. But poor sleep not only dampens your mood, it also poses real health risks.
This has once again been confirmed by a US study led by scientist Soomi Lee from the Laboratory for Sleep, Stress and Health at Pennsylvania State University. For her study, she evaluated data from 3,700 participants from the “Midlife in the United States” study ten years apart.
Specifically, the participants were asked about sleep health (regularity, duration, satisfaction, alertness during the day) and the number and type of chronic illnesses.
US researchers identify four types of sleep
The researchers initially used the data to identify four different sleep patterns:
good sleepers: Have optimal sleeping habits, i.e. regular, sufficient and deep sleep.
Insomnia sufferers: Regularly suffer from sleep problems. You cannot fall asleep or stay asleep and do not wake up refreshed in the morning. If this happens at least three times a week for a month, experts speak of insomnia (sleep disorder).
Weekend catch-up: Not getting enough sleep during the week and trying to catch up on weekends or days off.
Nap taker: Although they sleep well, they often take naps during the day.
These sleep types have an increased risk of illness
Two groups had an increased risk of chronic diseases. Those suffering from insomnia were most affected by the group with sleep disorders. With them the risk was for
cardiovascular diseases (high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke),
Diabetes,
Depression and
Frailty (reduction in physical and mental performance)
increased by 72 to 188 percent.
But those who took naps also had a slightly increased risk of diabetes, cancer and frailty. Just like the good sleepers, no increased risk of illness was found among those who caught up on weekends.
Researcher: Rather unlikely that sleep type changed
Although sleep patterns did not appear to be age-related, the researchers found that older adults and retirees were more likely to nap. In addition, people with less education and the unemployed were more likely to have sleep problems.
The data also showed that people were unlikely to change their sleep habits over the ten-year observation period. “These results may indicate that it is very difficult to change our sleep habits because sleep health is embedded in our overall lifestyle,” Lee is quoted as saying in an accompanying university statement. “However, it could also indicate that people still don’t know how important their sleep is and how to behave health-consciously.” There are things people could do to improve their sleep.
6 tips – that helps with sleep problems
We reveal six tips to help you sleep better:
Get enough exercise during the day: So you are not only mentally tired but also physically tired. For example, go for a walk or do some exercise during the day.
Watch your weight: Those who are overweight are prone to snoring and sleep apnea. The resulting daytime tiredness deprives you of the strength for exercise. You’ll also get more hungry. Both act like an accelerant for your excess weight. Get medical advice about what you can do about it.
Go to bed at regular times: Humans are creatures of habit, which is why it is advisable to maintain a consistent time to fall asleep. If you sometimes go to bed at 11 p.m. and sometimes at 2 a.m., you are making it unnecessarily difficult for yourself to fall asleep.
Reduce cell phone and media consumption before sleep: Experts recommend a waiting period of at least one hour between the last episode of your favorite series or the last like on Instagram and going to bed. The so-called blue frequencies that these screens emit are to blame. They keep us awake and prevent the sleep hormone melatonin from being released.
Drink alcohol only in moderation: A glass of wine or beer can make it easier to fall asleep, but two glasses prevent you from entering the all-important deep sleep phases. The same goes for caffeine; 90 percent of people feel negative effects on their sleep if they drink coffee too late in the evening.
Avoid exercising shortly before going to bed: Exertion causes the body’s temperature to rise and for a restful and deep sleep, the body should cool down and calm down. That’s why it’s advisable to open the windows or at least turn down the heating in the bedroom.