In the spotlight: sleep deprivation and sleep debt

This week, we spotlight recent news about sleep deprivation and sleep debt (the accumulation of sleep deprivation that may never be reversed for some people) with more than 50 links that cover all kinds of territory: 

• Drowsy driving and its relationship to sleep deprivation
  
• Sleepy people around the globe
  
• Sleep deprivation and memory problems
  
• The high cost of sleep deprivation in the workplace
  
• Solutions for getting adequate Zzz and reclaiming a healthy sleep schedule
  
• College student sleep deprivation
  
• How sleep-deprived kids suffer differently
  
• Mood and sleep loss
  
• How sleep deprivation shortens women's lives
  
• Police officer fatigue and sleep debt

Be aware that regular sleep loss and habits which prevent you from getting at least 7 hours of quality of sleep a night are going to have a long-term impact on your overall health and will increase your chances for having a fatal car accident, making major mistakes at work, or suffering from relationship problems. 

This week's links were published or updated been 8.1.16 and 10.7.16

CLICK HERE

SleepyHeadCENTRAL has previously posted information about the risks of drowsy driving. 

INSOMNIA

• Drowsy Driving Prevention Week is Nov 3-9, 2014 -- LINKS
• How to know if you are sleep deprived
• Insomnia || Are you accident prone? The potentially deadly link between insomnia and accidents of all kinds
• Keep a sleep diary and track your ZZZs
• Today (April 6) is Drowsy Driving Awareness Day in California: How sleep apnea fits into this concern, and why we should ALL be observing this day
• Which is worse? Drunk driving or drowsy driving?

Today's #Sleeptember FACT --- Which is worse? Drunk driving or drowsy driving?

Still snip from Mythbusters, episode
labeled "Tipsy Vs. Tired" (Nov
2010 air date)

The gang at Mythbusters took on this challenge in 2010 (episode for November 3, 2010 labeled "Tipsy Vs. Tired" and CONFIRMED it: Drowsy driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. Don't believe it? See for yourself.

#SLEEPTEMBER

Here's the show,
Tipsy Vs. Tired. 

Check out the statistical report from their show here. 

 "Tipsy Vs. Tired" aftershow.

Today's #Sleeptember FACT --- Cancer and its treatments can cause enduring sleep problems

#SLEEPTEMBER

If you or a loved one has cancer, you probably already know this first hand: Cancer can lead to all sorts of problems with sleep.

The cancer itself can wreak havoc on the body in such a way that it either leads to extreme daytime somnolence and fatigue, nightmare syndrome or the curse of insomnia. Anxiety about cancer can lead to poor sleep. The pain that cancer causes can also make sleeping nearly impossible due to comfort issues. Add to the mix a variety of cancer treatments (and their delivery systems) as additional challenges to achieving quality sleep while fighting to overcome cancer. Good sleep helps the body heal, but it's just so hard to get good sleep as a cancer patient.

According to the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute,

Sleep disorders are more common in people with cancer... as many as half of patients with cancer have problems sleeping.

Their website offers a wealth information about the relationship between sleep and cancer at their website. They discuss the impact of hospital stays, tumors, stress, drugs and other conditions on both cancer and sleep quality. They also discuss sleep health assessments and solutions for sleep problems that could offer many cancer patients relief and even aid in their healing.

• Learn more about identifying and treating sleep disorders in cancer patients at the National Cancer Institute
• Read about poor sleep and its potential to increase your cancer risk from the National Sleep Foundation
• Discover how poor sleep can impact a cancer patient's recovery rate from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

WOMEN & SLEEP || Forget about sleeping like a baby... 25 tips for ways to return to sleeping like an adult after the baby is born

Here are 25 of other ways culled from "tip sheets" on the internet that may help you reclaim good sleep if you are a postpartum mama in need of recovering your winks. SleepyHeadCENTRAL does not necessarily endorse all of these recommendations but they are very popular and commonly found on parenting websites where the issue of sleep deprivation emerges. Use your best judgment, ask for advice from your doctor and don't be afraid to ask for help.

1. Nap when the baby naps 
2. Enlist help with dishes and laundry
3. Have Daddy or another member of the household or family help with overnight feedings by pumping breastmilk or preparing bottles ahead of time
4. Co-sleep with your baby to make night-time nursing easier (or) sleep apart from your baby so their nightly noises don't awaken you
5. Use a rocking cradle at beds' side; ones with batteries can help baby fall asleep 
6. Midnight snacks of protein to recharge during nursing overnight
7. Sleep separately from the baby and any other bed partners a couple nights every week
8. Sleep in on weekends
9. Go to bed at night when the baby goes to bed
10. Check in with yourself daily; if you need extra sleep, plan for it the next night
11. Don't be afraid to let the nurses watch your baby while you are still in the hospital in recovery
12. Say no to outside nonmotherhood activities that cut into your energy level and bedtime until you can catch up on your own sleep
13. Don't binge watch TV at this time; use that downtime for sleep
14. Hire a babysitter
15. Deal with your new motherhood anxiety whenever it pops up
16. Try to remember that this phase of parenthood is finite and temporary
17. Make note of unusual mood swings that might indicate baby blues, and get help for them ASAP
18. If you struggle with sleep even in the presence of opportunity, consider the possibility that you might have a sleep disorder postpartum that you might not have had prenatally, and get checked out
19. Turn your phone off when you lie down for a nap
20. Prepare for the time when it might be better to let junior cry it out
21. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bed
22. Practice good relaxation tips before bed
23. Lie down even if you can't sleep; your body can use the break
24. Drink you water, especially if you are nursing, as dehydration can lead to fatigue
25. Allow guests only if they are willing to do the cooking, cleaning and babysitting

WOMEN & SLEEP || Adventures in Sleep for the Pregnant Woman, Part Three: The Third Trimester

Congratulations! You've made it to the final third! Now what?

Many sleep problems return as your body and baby both grow more rapidly as you near the end of pregnancy. You may find you cannot sleep at all at night, thanks to the kicking baby and other pregnancy-related sleep disturbances. Knowing what you can expect and preparing for it can be helpful in getting through these last 13-15 weeks.

The main problems pregnant women experience with sleep during the third trimester relate to the following challenges: 

1. Bladder issues
2. Fatigue 
3. General discomfort
4. Heartburn 
5. Obesity
6. Snoring

Let's take a closer look. 

Bladder pressure returns in the last third of pregnancy because, you guessed it, there's little room left for all your different parts in the presence of your growing baby. You may even feel as if you are being kicked or pushed on by the baby as they float about in the womb. It will make you want to use the bathroom a lot, but don't limit your consumption of fluids if this is the case. Solutions? Time your water drinking so you get most of your fluids during the day, if that helps keep you in bed more at night. Try to lean forward when on the toilet to fully empty the bladder, as well. 

Some people find the new-fangled device, the Squatty Potty, a great tool for helping to void urine as it allows you to tilt your pelvis in a way that makes urination and defecation easier to complete. Fully voiding the bladder may help give you more uninterrupted sleep at night or during naps.

Fatigue comes back again, maybe worse than ever. It's all for the same reasons before: either your body is working in overdrive and you need to rest and recharge your batteries, or you may have some hidden sleep breathing issue or restless legs concern interrupting your ability to sleep soundly.

Solutions? Nap whenever possible, and look into advice from your doctor for any nighttime sleeping issues which might be disrupting your sleep pattern if they relate to discomfort in the legs or breathing.

See Also:
Adventures in Sleep
for the Pregnant Woman, Part One:
The First Trimester
---
Adventures in Sleep
for the Pregnant Woman, Part Two:
The Second Trimester
---
Adventures in Sleep
for the Pregnant Woman, 
Postpartum Edition

General discomfort with your pregnant body is a common problem at bedtime; it's hard to find a comfortable position for sleeping. Your baby maybe be very active, it seems, at night (which is not necessarily true; you might just notice their activity more when you are at rest). Finally, you may suffer from back pain (especially sciatica) from carrying out your load, and that can interfere at night when trying to get comfortable for sleep. 

Solutions? Enjoy the feelings that come from your kicking baby! It's a good sign that all is going well from the inside. Using pillows to prop you up and/or support your back while sleeping is a popular solution when the belly becomes too big to move about easily. Sometimes a recliner makes for the perfect solution, and don't forget to consider propping up the head of your bed by 3 inches. Easy lower-back stretches, massages, and warm baths can help with back pain before bedtime, as well.

Heartburn, gas and reflux come back with a vengeance, too; your digestive system is cramped and overtaxed with processing your meals. It may even make you less hungry; the thought of discomfort after meals can be a real motivation for not eating at a time when your baby needs you to be eating well. 

Solutions? Propping up the head of your bed by 3 inches uses gravity in your favor to keep food moving downward through your digestive tract. This may also be a good time to use a recliner. Eat smaller meals made of complex carbohydrates and lean proteins more frequently to keep a steady supply of nutrients without sending your system into turmoil. Avoid high-fat foods or foods you know will make you gassy. Drink your water, too, as it is essential for good digestion. There are some calcium products that are safe to use for heartburn during pregnancy; ask your doctor if you can't seem to surmount these challenges at night. There's no need to suffer unnecessarily.

Aside from obstructive sleep apnea, obesity during pregnancy
can bring on a host of other unwanted problems. 

Obesity can become a problem at the end of pregnancy. You are supposed to gain some weight, but sometimes the weight gain becomes very hard to control, and yet you still need to eat to support the baby. It is concerning not just from a general standpoint, but because it can become a major risk factor for sleep apnea during late-stage pregnancy; the extra tissue in your neck and throat can threaten to block your airway at night, which puts both you and baby at risk for hypertension, insulin resistance and other problems.

Solutions? Try to exercise however much you are able in order to maintain good metabolism. Choose foods that are nutrient dense but not calorie dense. Avoid empty calories and high-fat foods, especially take-out, fast food and junk food. It's of questionable value to you and your baby. Ask your doctor for help if you wake up with headaches, see a rise in blood pressure, start retaining water unnecessarily, or have sore throats or dry mouth upon awakening as each of these may signal the presence of upper airway resistance or apnea. 

Snoring will likely return in the third trimester. It may be harmless but it could also indicate upper airway resistance or apnea. You don't have to be overweight to snore. You could have allergy issues, or problems with nasal or sinus congestion that mean you have extra mucus or swollen membranes getting in the way of your ability to breathe while asleep. 

Solutions? It never hurts to use saline nasal spray to keep passages moist and to relieve elevated levels of mucus. Ask your doctor to check out your options for safely treating concerns about nighttime congestion.

So you want to deprive yourself of sleep in order to go shopping today?

"Black Friday" (2013) by Powhusku. CC BY-SA 2.0

The following short list (for complete source: AASM.net) reveals the many ways in which sleep deprivation can legitimately impact your behavior.

SHC tries to imagine how sleep deprivation might affect someone who is shopping at Oh-Dark-Thirty on Black Friday, a post-Thanksgiving American event in the 21st century wherein "savvy" consumers forgo a night's rest in order to stand in line to shop in the wee hours while the rest of the world is asleep. Let's just see how savvy you might be if you're running on zero hours of sleep, shall we?

Irritability -- You easily participate in wrestling matches over sales tables that would embarrass your four-year-old twin boys

Anxiety -- You suffer panic attacks at empty shelves in the toy aisles and have to sit on the cold tile floor with your head between your knees to stop hyperventilating

Symptoms of depression -- You weep when you discover you left your coupons at home--WITH your shopping list

Lack of concentration -- What were you shopping for again?

Attention deficits -- What were you shopping for again?

Longer reaction times -- After your third shopping cart crash you just decide to play bumper cars with everyone else instead

Distractibility -- You ask a clerk: "Excuse me, can you help me find the... Squirrel?"

Lack of energy -- The checkout line is 20 deep and your arms can't hold your stuff any longer, but you are too bushed to go get a cart and then you would lose your not-so-great-already spot in line, so... you plant it all in a pile on the ground and push it forward with your equally exhausted feet every 10 minutes until you finally get to the counter... and then the clerk takes a break and you have to start all over again.

Fatigue -- You collapse on a bench with your receipts in hand, plastic bag handles knotted to your fingers, your wallet shoved down the front of your pants, to take "a short nap"

Restlessness -- You think: "Will they EVER open more checkout stands? EVER??? Did they NOT know we were COMING??? Let's-go-let's-go-let's-go-let's-go!"

Lack of coordination -- You have cell phone dropsies, then shopping list oopsies, and now you are secretly replacing the jewelry box that you fumbled and broke in aisle 9 on the shelf, hoping nobody, including the security camera staring at you right now, saw you. Then you take a perfect nonbroken one and walk away, trip, and break that one, too

Poor decisions -- You wanted the TV for $199 but it's gone, so just... just get the $399 one and be done with it! (Forget that you logically know you can still get it for $199 online and might even be able to order it by phone right there in that moment.)

Increased errors -- You keep asking the clerk to recount your change and discover you are the one counting it wrong as the numbers on the bills and coins swim before your bloodshot eyes

Forgetfulness -- What were you shopping for again?