The Sleepless Snowball: How Lack of Sleep Affects Every Aspect of Your Life

We all know the feeling: staring at the clock in the early hours of the morning, calculating how much time you have left to sleep if you drop off now. Most adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. But research shows that one in five of us living in the UK don’t fulfil this quota.

Lack of sleep can lead to poor focus, an inability to manage stress and an increased vulnerability to infections and colds.These issues only worsen if you experience a sleep-related medical condition or if you’re among the one in 15 people who deal with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) – a growing concern during our ever-colder winters.

Sleep affects everything from our physical health to our mental wellbeing, and a lack of shut-eye can lead to issues at home, at work and within your relationships. So, with one in eight of us claiming to feel tired all the time and with around 870 monthly Google searches around sleep deprivation and stress, what can we do to stop a few sleepless nights fromsnowballing into a much bigger issue?

Fitted bedrooms designer and installer The Sliding Door Wardrobe Company has spoken to experts in sleep to bring you the answers to frequently asked questions about falling victim to a bad night’s sleep.

Key findings

• Most adults should be getting between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.

• One in five of us living in the UK don’t get enough sleep.

• One in 15 in the UK people deal with seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

• One in eight Brits claim to feel tired all the time.

• “Can lack of sleep cause headaches?” has over 590 monthly Google searches.

• People who sleep for around six hours a night are more prone to headaches than those who get more shut-eye.

• “Can lack of sleep cause anxiety?” has over 170 monthly Google searches.

• “Can stress cause sleep apnoea?” has over 50 monthly Google searches.

• 10 million Brits suffer from obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

• “Why do I sleep more in the winter?” has over 40 monthly Google searches.

• We experience REM sleep for 30 minutes longer in the winter than in the summer months

• “Can stress and lack of sleep affect your period?” has over 20 monthly Google searches.

• Seven in 10 women experience significant changes to their sleep routine during their period.

Can lack of sleep cause headaches? (590 monthly searches)

Research has shown that those who suffer from sleep deprivation tend to experience more headaches. Those who sleep for around six hours a night are more prone to headaches than those who sleep for longer. A lack of sleep can also cause other physical issues, including nausea, dizziness and high blood pressure.

Dr Maja Schaedel from The Good Sleep Clinic explains: “Sleep deprivation can cause multiple physical symptoms,from headaches to a rise in stress hormones that impacts our blood pressure. A lack of sleep can also cause a rise in thehormone known as ghrelin, or the ‘hunger hormone’, which causes a desire to eat more and can contribute to weight gain.

“There is also a known link between a lack of sleep and more serious physical problems and illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer.”

Dr Matilda Moffett, Clinical Psychologist from Select Psychology agrees, commenting: “Sleep deprivation canlower an individual’s pain threshold, contributing to tension headaches and migraines.

“A chronic lack of sleep is linked to high blood pressure and even heart palpitations. It’s crucial to consider stress levels and overall health when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep.”

Can lack of sleep cause anxiety? (170 monthly searches)

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the stage of sleep associated with dreaming, memory consolidation and mood regulation. Your brain is highly active during REM sleep, which occurs throughout the night.

Dr Maja Schaedel explains: “If you don’t sleep well, your brain doesn’t have the chance to flush out the toxins that have built up during the day. This can contribute to memory difficulties and an increased risk of dementia. A lack of REM sleep can impact on your mood and your level of anxiety.”

Dr Matilda Moffett comments: “Research indicates that sleep deprivation can worsen mental health conditions such as anxiety. Sleep is crucial for our stress recovery and a lack of sleep can affect our coping mechanisms, making us more vulnerable to negative emotions.”

If you already suffer from anxiety, you may wake in the night with intrusive, repetitive thoughts. Dr Maja Schaedel recommends pre-empting any issues you think might arise when you get into bed by keeping a worry diary. “Stress triggers our fight or flight response by releasing adrenaline and cortisol, increasing our heart rate and tensing our muscles. This prevents us from achieving sleep.

“Writing down any stresses a couple of hours before bed signals to your brain that those issues should remain in the daytime – nighttime is for resting, not worrying! Your heart rate and breathing need to calm before you can achieve sleep – visualisation, journalling and breathing exercises can all help to get your body and brain ready for a good night’s sleep.”

Can stress cause sleep apnoea? (50 monthly searches)

Sleep apnoea is a physical condition that affects an individual’s ability to breathe adequately while sleeping. Dr Maja Schaedel explains: “Sleep apnoea is not directly linked to stress – the main risk factors are being male, getting older, being overweight and having a larger neck circumference.”Women also experience sleep apnoea, but are about half as likely as men to have the condition.

Around 10 million Brits suffer from the most common form of sleep apnoea, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which is directly linked to high rates of heart-related illness and death.The condition also affects sufferers during the day – many experience problems with concentration, mood swings, headaches and fatigue. Some people even report falling asleep throughout the day, sometimes at work, contributing to an increase in stress levels.

Although it’s unlikely stress is the direct cause of your sleep apnoea, if you are worrying about the condition, this could well be having an impact on your ability to sleep. Stress affects your sleep, which in turn makes you even more stressed – causing a vicious cycle!

Sleep apnoea can be very serious and, in extreme cases, can be fatal. If you suspect you might be suffering from the condition, contact your GP.

Why do I sleep more in the winter? (40 monthly searches)

Recent research has shown that we experience REM sleep for 30 minutes longer in the winter than in the summer months. Our bodies need to adjust to the lack of light in the winter and this affects our circadian rhythms. 

Dr Matilda Moffett explains: “Reduced exposure to natural light sources during our dark, cold winters can alter the body’s production of melatonin, the hormone that influences our sleep-wake cycle, contributing to sleep disturbances. This can result in a desire to sleep more.”

Dr Maja Schaedel adds: “Only 25–30% of the population identify as night owls, so in the winter when the nights and mornings are darker, the majority of us experience more of a desire to sleep. Nature is telling our bodies to get ready for sleep due to the low light levels.”

Can stress and lack of sleep affect your period? (20 monthly searches)

While lack of sleep may not have a direct effect on your menstrual cycle, it can definitely contribute to higher levels of stress. Extended periods of stress can affect our hormones, which then affects our periods. You may experience a delay in your period arriving, irregular cycles, or you could even miss a period or two altogether! However, if your periods stop completely, you should always tell your doctor.

Dr Maja Schaedel adds: “Your period can, in turn, affect your ability to sleep. We need a decrease in body temperature for sleep to occur, but our temperature often increases around the time of our periods. This can affect your ability to drop off around the time of your cycle.” Indeed, seven in 10 women experience significant changes to their sleep routine during their period.

Many of us are regularly googling questions relating to stress and sleep, which affect our bodies and our minds. Whether you’re experiencing increased anxiety, a desire to sleep more during the winter or problems with your menstrual cycle, you’re not alone.

If you’re having trouble sleeping this winter, consider trying some calming exercises such as keeping a worry diary. Don’t be afraid to consult your doctor if you think you’re suffering from a more serious condition like sleep apnoea.

Dr Maja Schaedel also recommends aiming to switch off more – not an easy task in our always-connected, modern society: “I believe the constant pressure to stay connected and our collective inability to switch off is preventing us from calming down and relaxing, which is one of the best ways we can ready ourselves for a good night’s sleep.”