Decalogue of Tips to sleep better, on World Sleep Day

A little more than 50% of the Spanish population declares that they sleep poorly, a figure that reached 70% during the pandemic. The most well-known sleep disorder is insomnia, difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep without interruptions. Insomnia is considered to exist when you sleep poorly at least three nights a week in a period of more than three months, and when this lack of sleep also has daytime repercussions, something to which we draw attention from

Chronic insomnia affects 16% of the population in Spain, according to figures provided by doctor Javier Albares, doctor specializing in clinical neurophysiology and medicine of sleep, and director of the Sleep Unit at the Teknon clinic. “That 16% of the population suffers from chronic insomnia is a very high figure.”

That is why we collect the decalogue of advice described by Dr. Albares to adopt good habits with which to improve the quality of sleep, because, in the words of the specialist "our sleep is the factory of our day, but our day is also the factory of our night." 

1. Misuse of digital devices

In a few years this cause has risen to the top of the podium of reasons that cause bad sleep. “We already know that we should avoid that light from mobile screens, but if what we also do is anticipate, agenda, obligations, commitments, we avoid being in the present and place ourselves in the future, which is usually a source of concern,” according to the specialist.

2. Avoid over-informing ourselves about what causes us distress

The war in Ukraine, the La Palma volcano, the pandemic... let's see the news once a day, and not four. We have to be more practical.

3. Take time away from sleep to do other activities

It has become normal that if we lack time we can take it away from sleep. “This is not how our brain works, it needs moments of calm to allow us to reach sleep in better conditions.”

4. Physical activity

A sedentary life implies poor rest. Just walk at a good pace, run or ride a bicycle.

5. Lack of natural light

We spend a large part of our day inside buildings and the average time we spend outside is less than one hour when the minimum recommended for our biological rhythms is two hours a day. This is related to the fact that half of the population has a vitamin D deficiency.

6. Reduce the amount of stimulants we take

It seems normal to drink two or three coffees a day, but a person who sleeps poorly should not drink any as it creates a false euphoria."Coffee causes our brain to be active at 25% twelve hours after drinking it, and at six hours, 50%. Alcohol makes us sleep worse, get up earlier and skip the REM phase of sleep," according to Albares.

7. Breaking the cycle of resorting to sleeping medicines

Spain is one of the first consumers of substances such as benzodiazepines or anxiolytics. Drugs should never be the initial treatment for an insomnia problem.

8. You go to bed to sleep, not to read, rest or watch the tablet

Sleep time is the time you have to stay in bed. Whoever sleeps seven hours should spend seven hours in bed and not eleven.

9. This is how those who work at night or in shifts should sleep

Chronodisruption must be minimized, that is, the biological clock does not correspond to the vital, social or work clock. A night worker has to adapt their meal times to their night shift, keep the sun out of them when they leave work, lower the light intensity in the last hours of their day and go to sleep as soon as they get home.

10. Talk to the doctor about the quality of our sleep

Evaluating the quality of sleep in workers' medical examinations or talking to our family doctor can improve our health. Acquiring good sleeping habits solves between 20 and 30% of the disorders, but if we still continue to sleep poorly, it is time to consult. The main sleep pathology is obstructive sleep apnea, "patients who snore intensely and who choke at night and stop breathing because their airway collapses. 90% are undiagnosed, about seven million Spaniards." It is impossible to be productive with sleep. Companies should invest more in occupational awareness programs and early detection of sleep pathologies because they would gain a lot in productivity and workers' health," according to the specialist.