When was the last time you slept well? Or, better yet, had a good afternoon nap?

If you are my age and can say, “Just the other day, Lisa,” then kudos.

You are definitely in the minority. Nowadays, I can’t fall asleep during the day, even on vacation. When I finally wind down my day at about 11:30 pm, when I fall asleep, I wake up religiously at 2:30 am and have to fight to go back into a deep sleep. I am learning that I am not alone. Sleep problems constitute a global epidemic that threatens the health and quality of life of up to 45 per cent of the world’s population.

In 2020, more than half of Americans said their sleep worsened due to the pandemic, and 76 per cent of Americans admitted to purchasing a sleep aid to help them fall asleep, stay asleep, or improve their sleep quality at night. (Forbes, June 2023)

In Japan, sleep disorders account for about 20 per cent of the population; the economic cost of sleep problems, such as insomnia, is estimated at US$3 billion to the Japanese economy, while chronic insomnia is Australia’s most common sleep problem, affecting 12.2 per cent of adults with associated health care expenditures of US$1.24 billion, and a lost productivity cost of US$12.19 billion (mordorintelligence.com)

This week news broke that the president of the United States wears a sleep apnea device to help him sleep for his health.

Globally, the “sleep economy”, which includes mattresses and pillows, medications, sleep apnea devices, aids for restless legs syndrome, narcolepsy, sleepwalking, and other sleep disorders, is valued at a massive US$432 billion annually. Americans account for nearly 14 per cent, spending US$60 billion yearly on products to help them sleep better.

Additionally, several hotels have introduced better sleep as a part of their sales and marketing to guests. Leading the pack worldwide is Equinox Luxury Hotels, where hotel rooms are regulated with the best-filtered air purification systems and soundproof window technology to eliminate outside noise. Moreover, room mattresses and bed linen incorporate exclusive science to regulate the body’s temperature to keep it cool. These intentional systems work in synchronicity within every room’s intelligent lighting to go pitch black when it’s time for sleep. Guests are also offered rounds of cryotherapy, with Spa Wave Table sessions, “sound and harmonic resonance therapy”, to give three hours of deep sleep in 30 minutes.

There is no doubt about it, helping us all to sleep better is big business globally.

No doubt there are many reasons for poor sleep patterns. Perhaps a shift work, insomnia, caretaking responsibilities, anxiety, and pressing deadlines. Keeping the television or the computer on throughout the night also obstructs deep sleep.

But restful sleep is essential. Why? Because people who do not sleep enough or wake up often during the night may have a higher risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and stroke.

In 2021 Harvard Medical School demonstrated that inadequate sleep in midlife raised a person’s risk of dementia. This year Harvard scientists also found that good sleep habits will add nearly five years to a man’s life expectancy and almost 2.5 years to a woman’s life.

Interestingly, sleep interrupters, such as snoring or snorting, can both be signs of untreated sleep apnea and are risky. People who snore are 91 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke, while those who snort are almost three times as likely to have had a stroke than those who did not. (Christine McCarthy of the University of Galway, April 2023)

Falling asleep is one thing. It’s staying asleep soundly that is the critical part. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) says babies need 12 to 16 hours, toddlers 11 to 14 hours, and preschoolers 10 to 13 hours of sleep each day, including naps. School-age kids need nine to 12 hours of sleep each night, and teens still need eight to 10 hours. On the whole, adults require seven to eight hours of continuous sleep each night.

This goal seems easier said than done.

However, the experts point to an eight-point plan to help train your brain to sleep better.

1) Cooler temperatures will help you sleep about 60 to 67 degrees. Therefore, find a way to create a better sleep environment or “sleep nest”. The REM or dreaming stage of sleep is a lighter level of rest that can more easily be disrupted. Having a comfortable mattress and bedding that’s not too hot will help. In Jamaica, running an air conditioner is expensive, but I have found that the Windy fan works the best.

2) Our bodies do better with routines. So create a sleeping pattern either by taking a warm bath or shower, reading a book, or listening to soothing music; stick to it.

3) Block out light. The secretion of the sleep hormone melatonin begins at dark, and the body will slow or stop melatonin production if exposed to light, even the blue light from your charging smartphone or laptop. Consider using light-blocking shades or eye masks if your room isn’t dark enough.

4) Turn off your cellphone or put it on sleep mode to get ready for bed. Also, try to turn on soothing sounds like running water if you live in a noisy, urban setting. Sometimes also, playing white noise or running a fan in the bedroom could help to overwhelm sudden noises that startle you out of your sleep.

5) As someone who drinks more than 5 cups of tea daily, I have been trying to limit my caffeinated liquids, which should be done at least six hours before a regular bedtime (some experts say nothing after 3:00 pm). And caffeine is coffee, some teas, sodas, and chocolate. Yes, chocolate. A cup of hot chocolate could contain 25 milligrams of caffeine, while a cup of green or black tea will provide 50 milligrams of caffeine. (www.cnn.com)

6) Avoid heavy and spicy foods that may give you heartburn or other digestive issues. Sugar is also linked to restless disturbed and affects hormones that control cravings. According to the National Sleep Foundation, a light snack is acceptable, for example nuts and a few cherries (which are high in melatonin); a banana (which contains muscle relaxers potassium and magnesium); and decaffeinated teas such as chamomile, ginger, and peppermint.

7) Avoid alcohol to calm your nerves or help you sleep. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but it does not give your body the three stages of sleep it needs to repair and restore itself – light sleep, the REM or dream state, and deep sleep.

8) Fall asleep in your bed.

Remember, we cannot function optimally if our bodies are unhealthy and depleted. Therefore, make sure you get restful sleep. In the end, your health is your wealth.