Tips To Avoid A Sleepless Christmas

Follow our advice and you'll make it through the festive season awake and alert!

Rich and spicy foods eaten within 2-3 hours of going to bed can cause indigestion, heart burn and gastro-esophageal reflux.  About 7% of the population suffer from heartburn daily and three quarters of these complain of heartburn affecting their sleep.

Many foods with a high sugar content can also affect sleep.  If too much sugar is released into the blood stream it has the effect of an instant ‘high’, followed by a sharp drop.  This is due to a rise in the levels of adrenaline, the hormone associated with wakefulness.  When the blood sugar levels start to drop this can leave you feeling exhausted but unable to sleep.

One of the most common sleep disrupters is caffeine which is present in coffee, tea, drinking chocolate, cocoa and some fizzy drinks.  It is also present in some painkillers, over-the-counter stimulants and herbal preparations.  Caffeine is a drug that increases feelings of energy, increases the body temperature and promotes wakefulness.  It enters the blood stream very quickly and stays in the body for between 3 and 7 hours.  Many people are particularly sensitive to caffeine and just one cup of coffee in the morning can affect their sleep that night.

Nicotine is the most common drug of addiction in the world. However, it is not widely known that nicotine absorbed by inhalation also stimulates the nervous system, increases the depth of breathing and raises blood pressure.  Nicotine promotes the release of the hormone adrenaline which increases energy and wakefulness.  This counteracts the effect of important body building hormones that restore us while we sleep.  Smokers take longer to fall asleep and sleep more lightly than non-smokers. This is because the nicotine in the body’s tissues disappears gradually within the first few hours of sleep.  For smokers this can have a devastating effect on their sleep as they tend to wake frequently during the night as their body is ‘craving’ for more nicotine.

Inhaling cigarette smoke makes the lining of the nose and throat to swell causing congestion of the nasal passages.  This means that you are more likely to breathe through the mouth at night and therefore more likely to snore.  Passive smoking can have the same effect.

One of the most common sleep myths is that an alcoholic ‘nightcap’ will help you to get a good night’s sleep.  In fact the reverse is true.  Alcohol may well help you to nod off but these effects will wear off in 3 – 4 hours and a rebound effect will leave you with disrupted, fitful sleep for the rest of the night.  It is also a diuretic so you will probably need to get up during the night to visit the toilet.  Drinking alcohol in the evening will also make you snore.  It impairs your breathing and relaxes the muscles, especially those in the upper airway.

Older individuals experience considerably more broken sleep as the older brain becomes more sensitive to drugs that affect sleep and wakefulness.  Many elderly people compensate for this lack of sleep by taking a nap during the day.  Older individuals should be aware that they may not be able to ‘party’ with such enthusiasm as their younger counterparts.

Tips to avoid a sleepless Christmas:

If you are indulging in the Christmas spirit try to modify foods and substances that disrupt sleep.  Get a little exercise during the day as this will have a beneficial effect on sleep.  Have your last meal, alcoholic drink or cigarette at least 4 hours before bed.  Give your partner some ear plugs to help reduce the sound of snoring.  Try some sleep promoting beverages such as milk or camomile tea before bed.

Content provided by Marianne Davey, sleep expert from the British Snoring & Sleep Apnea Association
www.britishsnoring.co.uk