Sleep

Time to talk about sleep. Readers may know that March is Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in the US, but did you know that here in the UK March is National Bed Month?!

If you ask me, every month should be national bed month!  Over the past 10 years or so, I’ve certainly been spending more time in my bed due to MS fatigue. Whereas when I was younger I could function on just a few hours’ sleep (I remember the days that I worked in a nightclub, got home at 2 AM and then out again for the train to work at 7:30 AM), now I need at least a regular 8 hours just to function.  Many of us with chronic illness know just how important sleep is to make them feel as good as they can be.

The Importance of Sleep

As this Healthline article shows, having a good night’s sleep is imperative for both physical and mental health; it explains, for example, how our body relies upon regular sleep in order to help maintain a healthy weight and to improve concentration and productivity.  It quotes a study on medical interns that provides a good example:

Interns on a traditional schedule with extended work hours of more than 24 hours made 36% more serious medical errors than interns on a schedule that allowed more sleep.

Poor sleep, in contrast, has been shown to impair immune function and is linked to both depression and increased inflammation in the body.  This article explains that there is a close link between inflammation in the body and chronic health conditions, such MS, which is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nervous system.

From my point of view, as I mentioned above, I rely on a good night’s sleep in order to just function. If I’m tired due to sleeping badly, I know that I’m going to be even less likely to be able to easily provide for both my children and myself. I’m more likely, for example, to bung a frozen pizza in the oven than make a healthy meal for dinner. I am less likely to be able to support my mental health through the activities at I like to do regularly to keep me on an even keel – hello, cereal for lunch and Netflix in the afternoon.  This is ok sometimes (and, indeed, a necessity at times), but I know that I can just do so much more, even as a person with MS, when I am well-rested.

Children and Sleep

I noticed this with my children too.  I have a son who is now 13 and really starting to act like your ‘typical’ teenager; lying in bed all morning, speaking in one syllable grunts. I know that this is normal! But I definitely notice with him and my daughter that the day after a late night or a disturbed sleep they are much more grumpy and lethargic than they normally are. It is difficult to get them going and they’re less likely to persevere with tasks that they have been asked to do or that they traditionally enjoy doing.

My son has asked me before whether I think the school day should be changed so that teenagers don’t need to go in so early; I actually think that would be a good idea, in theory, so that these children are awake and motivated at times it feels more natural for them to concentrate. However, this is the real world and, here in the UK, I very much doubt that they would change the school structure. As a result, I have to model good sleep habits and encourage them in my children.

Like adults, children rely on sleep in order to stay healthy and, according to the Sleep Foundation, it holds a crucial role in the development of young minds. For example, napping in toddlers appears to be necessary for memory consolidation, executive attention (ability to regulate responses) and motor skill development.  It also helps with acquiring vocabulary, children’s cognitive performance and developing resilience.

Interestingly, the NHS recommends not letting your teenagers lie in late into the morning at the weekend, as this can disrupt their body clock and make it difficult to get up for school on Monday. Wish me luck attempting to stop that with my son!

The NHS cites the approximate hours of sleep needed for children:

Babies 4 to 12 months old – 12 to 16 hours including naps

Toddlers 1 to 2 years old – 11 to 14 hours including naps

Children 3 to 5 years old – 10 to 13 hours including naps

Children 6 to 12 years old – 9 to 12 hours

Teenagers 13 to 18 years old – 8 to 10 hours

Top Tips for a Great Night’s Sleep

• Stick to the same bedtime routine to signal to your body that it is time to rest.
• Keep your bedroom dark and cool. The Sleep Council recommend blackout blinds and/or curtains and a temperature of approximately 16-18 °C (60-65°F).
• Say no to technology in the bedroom and at least an hour before bed – blue light from devices can impact on your eyes and sleep cycle, according to WebMD.
• A tidy room = a tidy mind; and this will hopefully lead to a restful night’s sleep.
• Limit caffeine intake, especially in the afternoon or evening when its stimulant effects can keep you up at night.
• Moderate alcohol consumption since it can throw off your sleep cycles even if it makes you sleepy at first.
• Try not to eat too late so that you aren’t still digesting at bedtime and are at less risk of acid reflux. Be especially careful with spicy and fatty foods late in the evening.

My Personal Sleep Routine

I have spent a lot of time trying to sort myself out with a cosy sleep routine and I think that I have cracked it.  Yes, I still have some MS symptoms that can impact me in the night (specifically, spasticity of my legs and feet), but I have found ways to minimise this:

Turn off my phone and stop watching TV

Have a warming drink – I often have my warm turmeric milk or herbal tea.

Do some restful bedtime yoga and/or meditation

Have a warm shower – I find showering brings on my fatigue, so bedtime is a perfect time to have one.

Burn a soothing aromatherapy oil (such as lavender) in my water diffuser whilst I use either a warming body lotion, one containing magnesium (this one was a Christmas present and is so nice!) or a magnesium sleep spray on my legs.

Take my medicine – baclofen for spasticity.

Get into bed with a book and read until my eyes start to droop – this is usually pretty quick!

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National Bed Month is actually making me think more about my bed and I am wondering whether it might be a good idea to bet a new mattress – but I don’t really know where to start.

I hope that this has been useful to help you have a great night’s sleep!  Do you have any routines that help you drift off to sleep?

Love and light