God bless the Swedes! Swedish scientists have just completed research that proves weekend sleep-ins help you live longer. Now I can snooze late on the weekend guilt free! A team from Stockholm University led by biological psychologist Torbjorn Åkerstedt has published this research in the international Journal of Sleep.
The study looked at the sleeping habits of 43,880 people in Sweden then reassessed their sleep and their health 13 years later. It found that people who regularly slept about five hours or less a night, including on weekends, had a higher death rate compared to people who regularly got seven hours sleep. People who slept too much, regularly getting eight hours or longer a night, also had a higher mortality rate than the seven-hour-a-night sleepers. However when the short sleepers slept in on the weekends, their mortality rate did not differ from the seven-hour-a-night sleepers. Professor Åkerstedt said people do not store up sleep but short sleepers, who got more sleep on the weekends, could make up for some of what they lost during the week. For example, a lack of sleep has been shown to compromise your immune system. Perhaps by sleeping longer on weekends, people’s immune systems had time to rejuvenate.
“Apparently, sleeping in in on the weekends can be a real help,” said Prof Åkerstedt, a director of Stockholm University’s Stress Research Institute. Prof Åkerstedt also said that seven hours a night was not a hard and fast rule; some people might need more sleep and others less. “If you can function on what you get, you are likely getting the right amount of sleep,” he said.
A lack of sleep can shorten your life
Scientists have always known that sleep-deprivation can shorten your life. Lack of sleep can lead to heart disease, weight gain and anxiety and depression, but this is the first time anyone has studied the benefits of weekend sleep-ins.
Another sleep expert Michael Grandner explained that most people suffering from a lack of sleep usually get about six hours a night. They are the ones who benefit the most from weekend sleep-in. People with very poor sleeping habits, who only get three to four hours a night, will not be able to undo the damage done to their body by just occasionally sleeping in on weekends.
How to get a good-nights’ sleep
How do you go about getting a good-nights’ sleep? I’ve done some research and this is what I have uncovered.
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Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine and other chemicals
Researchers from the Harvard Medical School say you should think about avoiding artificial chemicals as ‘good sleep hygiene’. That means no strong coffees after lunch and no heavy drinking before bed time. Alcohol makes some people sleepy, but as soon as they sober up they’ll be wide awake and their ‘drunken’ sleep will be poor quality sleep.
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Your bedroom needs to be cool and dark, but wear socks!
Your bedroom should be around 15 to 19 degrees however studies show that people fall asleep more easily if they have warm hands and feet. You might want to slip on some socks prior to going to bed.
Also aim to limit artificial light in the room. It’s not a good idea to have phones and computer screens emitting light while you sleep. Also make sure the room has some ventilation. Your bedding should be clean and comfortable.
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Stick to a bedtime routine
You need to give your body cues that it’s time to power-down and get ready for sleep. Establish and stick to a sleepy routine. That might mean lighting candles, reading, having a relaxing bath or a warm drink. You can also try some relaxing exercises. Do not exercise too close to bedtime and avoid doing stressful work, or even having conversations about difficult subjects. Anything that causes your body to release the stress hormone cortisol is bad prior to sleep.
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Do not force sleep
Basically if you do not fall asleep within 30 minutes of going to bed, you need to get up and do something relaxing. Lying in bed for hours on end won’t do any good. You only end up getting stressed because you are not asleep. If you can’t sleep get up and read a book or listen to relaxing music. I’m one for getting up and watching old movies and TV shows when I can’t sleep. You need to find some mild old movie that will distract you but not stimulate you. Do not watch the overnight news. That is anything but relaxing!
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Get your circadian rhythm right
People are not nocturnal creatures. We are diurnal. We are meant to sleep at night and wake at daybreak. If you are trying to reset your body clock, let the light in as soon as you wake up. During your day get outside and spend some time in the bright sunlight. Our bodies need sun and vitamin D.
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Have a healthy diet
Do not eat big heavy meals just before bedtime. Processing food taxes your body and can lead to insomnia. Finish dinner a few hours before bedtime. If you are peckish before bed go for something light. Make sure you drink enough fluids during the day. If your body is dehydrated you are likely to wake up during the night looking for water. Alternatively if you guzzle lots of water prior to bedtime, you’ll wake in the night needing the toilet. Drink your eight glasses of water throughout the day.
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Exercise during the day
Exercise is healthy and tires us out, helping us to sleep better. However it is not a good idea to exercise in the evening. Exercising late wakes our body up and confuses us.
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Nap if you are stressed out
If you are struggling with insomnia it may be useful to nap during the day. Insomnia can be a vicious circle. You cannot fall asleep because you are stressed, but your lack of sleep makes your more stressed then it becomes even harder to sleep. Day-time naps will relax you and help you sleep better at night, however you need to aim to nap earlier than later. Napping after 5pm will make it very difficult to get to sleep at night time. Try to nap in the morning or around lunchtime.
Seek help if you can’t sleep
If you are really struggling with your sleep you should seek professional help. See your general practitioner and they will be able to put you in touch with the right specialist. Not getting enough sleep can really mess up your day, so make sure you get lots of quality sleep, and remember the Swedes say weekend sleep-ins are good for you!
ABOUT PAT MESITI
Pat Mesiti is a best-selling author, coach and educator in the area of personal development. Having built some of Australia’s largest people-driven organisations, Pat understands the power of harnessing human potential. He has shared the stage with some of the world’s great business minds and has sold over millions of copies of his books and materials.