Just 18 hours without sleep is the equivalent of having an 0.08 blood alcohol level.
Drinking, smoking and the light from your phone - these are things that keep you awake at night when you’re trying to sleep according to researchers.
Other bad sleep habits that can affect your sleep include exposure to loud music and eating rich foods within two hours of your bedtime.
It might seem obvious but pets in the bed and a lack of exercise also affect your quality of sleep.
In order to fall into a better sleep pattern, researchers from Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA) recommend going to bed and waking up at the same times each day.
Most people think they can cut corners when it comes to sleep and work off their sleep debt on the weekend.
But NeuRA sleep scientist Hanna Hensen says this is detrimental to mental wellbeing.
“Disrupted or inadequate sleep can negatively impact every organ in your body and is associated with anxiety, depression and other mental health disorders,” Dr Hensen said.
Researchers say a lack of sleep will also influence our ability to work, making us less creative and efficient, and impacting our motivation, judgment and decision-making.
“If you are working with large figures, writing an article, handling transactions or controlling machinery, inadequate sleep will adversely affect your success and accuracy at work,” Dr Hensen said.
Facts about sleep.
1. Just 18 hours without sleep is the equivalent of having an 0.08 blood alcohol level and 24 hours without sleep is equivalent to an 0.12 blood alcohol level
2. Poor sleep makes you eight times more likely to have a car accident in the morning
3. Inadequate sleep increases the risk of anxiety and depression
4. Men who get five hours sleep a night for a week have significantly lower levels of testosterone than those who get a good night’s rest. Their levels reflect those of someone 10 years older.
Tips to get better sleep
Here are Dr Hensen’s top tips for improving sleep quality:
1. Go to bed about the same time every night and wake up the same time each morning
2. Avoid long naps if possible — no longer than 20-30 minutes
3. Dim bright lights in your room and switch to soft lamps two hours before bed
4. Switch off your mobile phone and monitors before bed — no computers, phones, blue lights or monitors in bedroom. If it’s not possible, turn on night mode or put a blue light filter on your screen
5. No caffeine, sugar treats, or cigarettes at least four hours before bed
6. Don’t stay in bed awake for more than 30 minutes. Get out of bed and sit in a chair in the dark. Read a book (not on an e-reader of iPad). Or listen to music until you are sleepy then return to bed. No TV or internet as that will only stimulate you more and keep you awake
7. Turn the sound down. If you usually listen to music replace this with soft sounds of the ocean, rainforest or something relaxing
8. Avoid eating heavy foods before bed. Heavy or rich foods, fatty or fried meals, spicy dishes, citrus fruits, and carbonated drinks can trigger indigestion. When this occurs close to bedtime it can lead to painful heartburn that disrupts sleep.
