Is a sleep hygiene program right for you?

Sleep hygiene is a series of practices aimed at promoting restorative sleep. Although sleep hygiene can’t cure physiological sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, it can significantly reduce their harmful effects on your health.

Here are a few examples of good sleep hygiene practices taken from Biron’s Neat Little Guide to Sleep Disorders [1]:

• Avoid stimulants such as alcohol, caffeine and nicotine, or intense exercise near bedtime.
• As your bedtime approaches, relax: read, listen to music, take a bath. Stop all interaction with your electronic devices (smartphone, computer, TV).
• Learn to recognize when you are getting sleepy (e.g., nighttime chills, heavy eyelids). If you’re working the night shift, your eyes may feel gritty.
• Create an environment conducive to sleep: keep your bedroom environment calm, dark, and comfortable.
• If you’re still awake after 30 minutes, get up and do a monotonous or repetitive activity that doesn’t require physical effort but does require mental effort (reading, crossword puzzle, sudoku). These activities will tire your brain without physical stimulation. As soon as you feel the signs of sleep, go back to bed.
• Establish a sleep routine: go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day.

A good sleep hygiene program is suitable for anyone who regularly shows insufficient or poor quality sleep. Here are a few signs:

• wanting to go back to sleep when their alarm rings
• having difficulty getting up in the morning
• feeling of not being rested
• yawning all day, and minutes seem like hours
• being irritable, hypersensitive or impatient

If you are familiar with these symptoms, you’re not alone!

The National Sleep Foundation [2] recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults between the ages of 18 and 64, and 7 to 8 hours for seniors age 65 and over. According to Statistics Canada [3]:

• 43% of men and 55% of women age 18 to 64 report having trouble going to sleep or staying asleep “sometimes/most of the time/all of the time.”
• About one third (33% of people age 18 to 64 and 30% of seniors) say they have difficulty staying awake during normal waking hours “sometimes/most of the time/all of the time.”

Insomnia is one of the most common sleep disorders, affecting around 25% of all Canadians for more than a year. This disorder can affect anyone, including children.

Insomnia can manifest in different ways:

• Difficulty falling asleep (initial insomnia)
• Difficulty staying asleep at night (middle insomnia)
• Waking up too early in the morning (terminal insomnia)

During the day, people who suffer from insomnia can feel irritable, and experience excessive mental and physical fatigue and problems concentrating.

More than half of all cases of insomnia are related to stress, anxiety and depression, often associated with life events. [4]

Insomnia can also be related to poor sleep hygiene or physiological disorders or illnesses that should be diagnosed and treated, including:

• hyperthyroidism
• gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn)
• nocturnal asthma
• disease-related pain (rheumatism, cancer)
• obstructive sleep apnea
• another sleep disorder, such as restless leg syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by obstruction of the pharynx in the throat. It can lead to reduced levels of oxygen in the blood (hypoxia) and an increased heart rate. It can also result in very short micro-arousals that usually last between 10 and 30 seconds. These can occur regularly throughout the night. Although micro-arousals usually go unnoticed, they disturb your normal sleep cycles, thereby affecting the quality of your sleep.

Causes of sleep apnea:

• Obesity
• Family history of sleep apnea
• Neck circumference
• Narrow airways
• Small jaw: recessed chin
• Increase in tonsil volume
• Advanced age
• Use of alcohol, tobacco, sedatives and tranquillizers
• Nasal congestion

Atypical work schedules include all shifts outside the usual period of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. More than a quarter of all workers in Quebec work this type of schedule.

Atypical work schedules have a significant impact on health and sleep. They increase the risk of developing cardiovascular and digestive disorders and obesity, among others. They are also associated with a higher incidence of depression and anxiety, alcohol abuse and suicidal thoughts. In addition, sleep quality and efficiency are lower in this population compared with people who work the day shift. [5]

We offer services that can assist your doctor in diagnosing sleep disorders and determining the appropriate treatment.

• Sleep care services
• Sleep hygiene program
• Online boutique

Do you have a medical prescription for one of these tests? Book an appointment online or contact Biron Health Group’s customer service at 1 833 590-2712.