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Sleep encyclopedia
A good night's sleep is important, not just because roughly one third of our lives is spent in sleep, but also because this third of our life determines the quality of the other two thirds.
This is why it is important to make use of available resources to ensure the best possible sleep experience. This sleep encyclopedia is intended as a reference book for those who would like to know more about sleep and who by means of improved sleep would like to achieve improved quality of life.
The encyclopedia is absed on psychiatrist Jes Gerlach's book 'Sleep' (2003). PsykiatriFondens Forlag.
| Apnoea |
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Apnoea is snoring caused by a lack of oxygen, which can result in several hundred minor awakenings in the course of the night. These are not always registered by the sufferer. Sleep thus becomes extremely superficial, resulting in drowsiness, irritability, headaches and lapses of memory.
The condition can be life threatening, as there may be a risk of insufficient oxygen due to the long breathing intervals. As mentioned earlier, the sufferer may not register their irregular breathing. If you suspect apnoea, however, you should visit a doctor.
Apnoea is treatable and changes in lifestyle such as weight loss, avoidance of alcohol and sleeping medicine or learning to sleep on your side or the use of a tooth guard or even surgery are all possible options.
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| Dreams |
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Dreams are a kind of nocturnal fantasy that everyone experiences every few hours during the night, even if you are unable to remember them the next morning. To a certain extent, dreams reflect our experiences; human contact, feelings, values and conflicts.
The most vivid dreams occur during REM sleep, which is characterised by more emotional dreams than those of other sleep phases. People often awake in the morning after an REM phase and can, if they try, remember fragments or the tailend of a dream. Between 10 and 20% remember nothing of their dreams, but it may help to lie still and try and stay in the dream and in this way re-experience it.
The question still remains, however, as to what importance dreams have and why they occur. Previously, psychotherapists and others believed that dreams were the path to the unconscious and thus an important tool for gaining insight into the problems of the mentally ill. Today, debate has taken a different route, posing the question whether dreams play an important role in learning and memory. Research, however, has not yet provided an unequivocal answer.
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| History of sleep |
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In Ancient Greece, the God of sleep was known as Hypnos. He and his brother Thanatos, the God of Death, were both sons of the God of Night, Nyx. As far back as Ancient Greece, man has realised the importance of sleep for his survival.
In his time, the philosopher Aristotle invented a scientific theory which claimed that the organism needed to turn food into inner gasses, which in turn produced sleep.
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| Insomnia |
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At some point in life, most people experience sleeping problems. However, 10-15% of the population suffer from severe, chronic insomnia.
Particularly people suffering from psychological illnesses, including depression, experience insomnia either as a symptom of the illness or as a direct result of the symptoms themselves.
Many elderly people also suffer from insomnia, which is primarily due to a change in sleep patterns, just as physical and psychological illnesses as well as a higher intake of medicine can lead to insomnia.
If you or your immediate family experience sleeping problems, the first step is to use your common sense to determine the cause. In 90 % of cases, there is a simple reason for lack of sleep and for this reason it is not a good idea to take sleeping medicine to quickly solve the problem.
Lack of sleep can be caused by a number of factors:
Lack of knowledge. Complaints about lack of sleep are often due to a lack of knowledge about individual sleeping needs and the normal phases of sleep. Sleeping needs are individual, which is why five hours' sleep for one person can be just as good as nine hours' sleep for another.
You should also bear in mind that sleep is divided up into several phases, where in particular the late-night REM phase is concluded by a period of light sleep. This does not constitute a sleeping problem and should therefore not be made into one.
Outside disturbances. The sleeping environment needs to be dark, quiet and have a pleasant temperature (18-19°)
Lack of physical activity. Exercise results in natural fatigue, which promotes a good night's sleep. Physical exercise, however, causes blood pressure, pulse and temperature to rise and all three must return to their normal levels prior to sleep, which is why it is advisable to exercise three to four hours before going to bed.
Change in circadian rhythm. Shift work can give rise to sleeping problems, as some people find it difficult to sleep during the day. This will result in poorer responsiveness and productivity, which is why companies have to accept that not all employees are cut out for shift work. Light therapy may help to adjust the inner clock to the new circadian rhythm, whereas sleeping medicine or stimulants are not advised and can lead to drug abuse.
Stress and crises. In such cases, a minor dose of sleeping medicine may help in the short term. However, in the long term, it is recommended to find a solution to stress-related symptoms.
Physical illness. In connection with depression, anxiety disorders or psychotic states, medical treatment may be the only course of action.
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| Jet lag |
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After a six-hour flight to New York, the body's inner clock will feel that it is 2 o'clock in the morning, even though the time is actually 8 o'clock in the evening in New York. This is why it is not a good idea to plan important evening meetings, as your body will feel it is night time and be tired.
Our inner clock has a tendency to make the day longer than it actually is, which is why jetlag symptoms disappear within a few days. In the meantime, be sure to get plenty of light towards the end of the day, so your inner clock knows that it is still day. You can also prepare for your journey by going later to bed and sleeping late.
On journeys travelling in the opposite direction, the inner clock will be roughly six hours behind and feel it is the middle of the afternoon when you land in the evening. You can trick the body into believing it is night by taking melatonin.
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| Narcolepsy |
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One out of every 200 people suffers from sudden bouts of sleep lasting up to 20 minutes, between two and six times a day. Such bouts of sleep can occur in any situation and are thus not only a burden but potentially extremely dangerous.
Symptoms are heavy drowsiness during the day, sudden, brief bouts of muscle paralysis, hallucinations when falling asleep and sleep paralysis, i.e. the sufferer wakes up to discover they are unable to move.
Narcolepsy can be medically treated.
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| Power Nap |
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Some people may take a nap for a few seconds and feel refreshed and rested for the rest of the day, while others may require as much as 15 minutes.
The need for a power nap in the afternoon varies from person to person, but the introduction of an afternoon break at work is nonetheless a good idea. If you are unable to sleep, time can be spent meditating or used for light exercise.
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| REM sleep |
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REM sleep is a state of consciousness in which the body experiences intense activity characterised by irregular, heavy breathing, lower body temperature, higher heart rhythm and lateral eye movement throughout the course of the night. Dreaming occurs during 80% of the REM phase, corresponding to a nightly average of four hours.
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