Sleep Report

Sleep Matters

The impact of sleep on health and wellbeing Mental Health Awareness Week 2011

Address Mental Health Foundation Sea Containers House 20 Upper Ground London SE1 9QB United Kingdom Telephone 020 7803 1100 Email info@mhf.org.uk Website www.HowDidYouSleep.org £10 IBSN 978-1-906162-65-8

Registered charity number England 801130 Scotland SC039714 © Mental Health Foundation 2011

Contents

04 08 12 28 48 62 66 68 72 76

Executive summary Introduction Part 01 – Sleeping and sleep patterns Part 02 – Poor sleep Part 03 – Sleeping well Conclusion Useful resources References Appendix: Sleep diary Acknowledgements

01

‘The main facts in human life are five:

E. M. Forster

Executive Summary

We spend approximately a third of our lives asleep. Sleep is an essential and involuntary process, without which we cannot function effectively. It is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. Sleeping helps to repair and restore our brains, not just our bodies.

Poor sleep over a sustained period leads to a number of problems which are immediately recognisable, including fatigue, sleepiness, poor concentration, lapses in memory, and irritability. Up to one third of the population may suffer from insomnia (lack of sleep or poor quality sleep). This can affect mood, energy and concentration levels, our relationships, and our ability to stay awake and function during the day.

One of the most widely used and successful therapies is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). This is useful even for people who have had insomnia for a long period of time. A full course of such a therapy with a sleep specialist is potentially costly, and is most appropriate for people with severe sleep problems. Still, some CBT principles can be appropriate and easily practiced for anyone who is experiencing a sleepless night.

– The new Public Health Outcomes Framework should include a specific...