Sleeping Through the Recession

By:
Heather M. Graham

More than the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and more than mounting health-care costs, the number-one thing that’s keeping Americans up at night is the bad economy. The National Sleep Foundation’s annual Sleep in America poll reported that almost one-third of the participants recently experienced “disturbed” sleep at least a few nights a week because they were concerned about the economy, employment and their personal finances.

“When we go to bed and everything is quiet, that’s when things sneak up on us,” says Rebecca Scott, Ph.D., a sleep specialist at the New York Sleep Institute and assistant research professor at New York University's School of Medicine. “It’s impossible to be anxious and go to sleep at the same time.” Bedtime is often when people talk to their spouses about the events of the day, including looming fears and worries. Instead of winding down and signaling the sleep cycle, the brain fires back up.

If you lose sleep once in a while, it’s called transient insomnia, and it’s usually connected to a specific issue, like financial fears. Besides feeling a little tired the next day, you’ll be okay after the occasional sleepless night. But if restless nights begin to stack up, you may have chronic insomnia and that’s when you start suffering side effects, says Dr. Scott.

NEXT: When insomnia becomes chronic >>

 

If sleep problems go on night after night, though, “people start to develop habits that seem helpful—having a little bit more coffee in the morning, having a drink before bed—but those things start to perpetuate the insomnia,” says Dr. Scott. Worse, sleep deprivation can take a toll on many areas of your life. According to the poll, sleepy Americans are more likely to miss family events, suffer a dip in their sex lives, work less efficiently and eat fatty, sugary foods.

While Dr. Scott advises that you reach out to your doctor if you have chronic sleep problems, she does have some advice on keeping a few long nights from turning into a vicious cycle. “Keep up with your regular routines," she says. "Don’t cancel plans; go out even if you’re a little bit tired. Don’t go to bed any earlier. Instead, spend the hour before you go to bed really winding down.” Whatever is relaxing to you, like reading, watching a movie or taking a bath, spend some time relaxing and getting ready for sleep. “It’s all about getting you out of your own head,” she says. “Even if your mind wanders, just go back to the activity.”

More tips from Dr. Scott:

• Maintain your normal natural sleep time, even if you feel a little sleepy a little earlier.
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• Don’t drink alcohol at least 2 to 3 hours before going to bed because that tends to disturb sleep.
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• Stop using the computer an hour before bed. The blue computer light can disrupt the natural sleep cycle by “turning off” your melatonin production, which signals to the brain that it’s bedtime.
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• Light and dark is what stabilizes the sleep/wake rhythm. Turn off all the lights at night so the body knows that it’s time to sleep. Within two hours of waking, get some natural light exposure to stimulate alertness. When you go out in the morning, don’t wear sunglasses for at least 15 minutes.

If you are having trouble sleeping, go get some help, says Dr. Scott. “If you’re going a few nights without sleep, you never get the quality of the next day back. You don’t want to struggle with that too long.”

Video: Dr. Gail Saltz and Dr. Carol Ash talk about conquering anxiety at bedtime.

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