"Care-charming sleep, thou easer of all woes…"
(Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher 1579-1625)
Sleep is essential for all of us. Waking up after a good
night’s rest is something many of us take for granted, but not
everyone is fortunate enough to enjoy regular, satisfying
sleep.
How much of it do we really need? Babies sleep for about 17
hours out of 24; older children for nine or ten hours; and adults
on average for between seven and eight hours each night. Sleep
helps keep us healthy - hormones are released into the bloodstream
while we sleep, and our body repairs itself after the wear and tear
of the day. But modern life puts enormous pressures on many of us,
and it’s not unusual for working parents to have to manage on as
little as six hours or less a night.
It’s a relief to fall into bed after a long, hard day and fall
asleep immediately. But what if the stresses and strains of
day-to-day existence mean that we can’t sleep when we want to? A
leaflet from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, called ‘Sleeping
Well’, offers some simple guidelines to help people sleep better,
and advice on when to ask for professional help.
Sleep problems discussed in the leaflet include sleep
difficulties in childhood. Recent research has found that over a
third of school-age children have disturbed sleep, such as bedtime
resistance, sleep anxiety and difficulty in falling or remaining
asleep.
The new leaflet also deals with common adult sleep problems,
such as insomnia, sleeping too much, sleeping at the wrong time,
narcolepsy, sleep apnoea, sleepwalking, restless legs, night
terrors and nightmares. Self-help is discussed, as well as signs to
look out for which mean that you may need to seek professional help
from your doctor.
Cartoon illustrations are by the late Mel Calman, and the
leaflet is available free. Please send a stamped addressed envelope
to the Royal College of Psychiatrists, 17 Belgrave Square, London
SW1X 8PG.
The College is grateful to the Sleep Council for supporting
the production of this leaflet.
For further information, please contact Liz Fox or Deborah
Hart in the Communications Department.
Telephone: 020 7235 2351 Extensions. 6298 or 6127