Battling Sleeplessness Before An Important Day

Struggling to sleep before an important day is a common problem. This phenomenon is known as 'special event insomnia' or 'pre-event insomnia' and is often caused by anxiety or fear surrounding the event. It can be frustrating when you need a good night's rest to perform at your best the next day. However, it's important to remember that you're not alone in this struggle and that even with insufficient sleep, your brain will still be able to rally and help you get through the big day.

The biological purpose of sleep

Sleep is an essential part of our daily routine, with the average person spending about one-third of their life asleep. While its biological purpose remains a mystery, it is clear that sleep is as necessary for survival as food and water.

Sleep is important for brain function, including how nerve cells (neurons) communicate with each other. Sleep allows the brain to store new information and get rid of toxic waste. The brain's glymphatic system clears out waste from the central nervous system, removing toxic byproducts that build up during the day. This allows the brain to work efficiently when we are awake.

Sleep also supports the brain's ability to adapt to input, a process known as brain plasticity. If we don't get enough sleep, we struggle to process and remember what we have learned during the day. Sleep is also believed to strengthen memories and allow the brain to forget unneeded information, preventing clutter in the nervous system.

The body repairs and restores itself during sleep. Cells repair and regrow, and energy is restored. Sleep affects the release of molecules like hormones and proteins, including the hormones that control hunger, ghrelin and leptin. Sleep deprivation can lead to an imbalance in these hormones, increasing the risk of weight gain. Sleep may also protect against insulin resistance, helping to regulate blood glucose levels.

Sleep is also necessary for emotional health. During sleep, brain activity increases in areas that regulate emotion, supporting emotional stability. Sleep deprivation can cause the amygdala, which controls our fear response, to overreact. Research has shown that sleep disturbances can contribute to mental health issues, and vice versa.

Sleep plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy immune system. Sleep deprivation can inhibit the immune response, making the body more susceptible to illness and infection. During sleep, the body produces cytokines, proteins that fight infection and inflammation, as well as antibodies and immune cells that destroy harmful germs.

Finally, sleep is important for heart health. Lack of sleep is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, with links to increased sympathetic nervous system activity, inflammation, and elevated cortisol levels.

In summary, sleep is essential for the body and brain to function properly. It allows us to process and store information, repair and restore our bodies, and maintain emotional and physical health. While the exact biological purpose of sleep remains unknown, it is clear that it plays a crucial role in our overall health and well-being.

Sleep disorders

There are over 80 different types of sleep disorders, with insomnia being the most common. Other sleep-wake disorders include:

• Obstructive sleep apnea, which involves interruptions in breathing during sleep, causing snoring, gasping, or pauses in breathing.
• Parasomnias, which involve unusual behaviours during sleep, such as walking, talking, or eating.
• Narcolepsy, characterised by sudden and uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the day.
• Restless leg syndrome, causing an urge to move the legs, often accompanied by uncomfortable sensations.

If you are experiencing sleep difficulties, it is important to seek professional help. Treatment options for sleep disorders may include lifestyle changes, such as improving sleep habits, cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques, and in some cases, medication or medical devices.

Sleep and mental health

How Sleep Affects Mental Health

Sleep allows the brain to process emotional information, evaluate thoughts and memories, and consolidate positive emotional content. A lack of sleep can therefore negatively impact mood and emotional reactivity and is associated with mental health disorders. Sleep deprivation studies have shown that healthy people experience increased anxiety and distress after poor sleep.

How Mental Health Affects Sleep

Mental health issues can cause sleep problems. For example, around 75% of people with depression experience insomnia, and many also suffer from excessive daytime sleepiness and hypersomnia. Anxiety disorders are also strongly associated with sleeping problems. Worry and fear contribute to a state of hyperarousal, where the mind is racing, and this is considered a central contributor to insomnia.

Bidirectional Relationship

The relationship between sleep and mental health is bidirectional, meaning that sleep problems may be both a cause and a consequence of mental health issues. For example, while sleeping problems were previously seen as a symptom of depression, it is now recognised that poor sleep may induce or exacerbate depression. This creates a negative feedback loop where poor sleep worsens depression, which then further interrupts sleep. However, this also opens up avenues for new types of treatment for depression, such as a focus on improving sleep.

Special Event Insomnia

Special event insomnia is a common but less widely recognised sleep issue. It occurs when someone struggles to sleep before a big event, such as an exam, presentation, or early morning flight. It is triggered by the anticipation of a special event outside the norm of everyday living. This can lead to anxiety and night-before jitters, which can then cause insomnia.

Sleep and physical health

Sleep is vital for both mental and physical health. While you sleep, your brain and body are not dormant; instead, they are hard at work, carrying out various processes that are essential for your health and wellbeing.

Firstly, sleep allows your body to recover, ensuring you feel refreshed and alert when you wake up. A good night's sleep improves your ability to think clearly, have quicker reflexes, and focus better. It also improves learning and problem-solving skills, as well as enhancing your attention, decision-making, and creativity.

Secondly, sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining physical health. It helps to heal and repair your heart and blood vessels, keeping them healthy. Sleep also supports a healthy balance of hormones, including those that control hunger (ghrelin) and fullness (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your body produces more ghrelin and less leptin, making you feel hungrier, which can lead to weight gain and obesity.

Additionally, sleep affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls blood glucose levels. Sleep deficiency results in higher-than-normal blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetes. Sleep also supports healthy growth and development, especially in children and teens, by triggering the release of hormones that promote growth, boost muscle mass, and repair cells and tissues.

Furthermore, sleep strengthens your body's ability to fight off germs and sickness. Ongoing sleep deficiency weakens your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight common infections. Sleep deprivation also increases the risk of developing chronic health problems, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Finally, sleep is essential for maintaining cardiovascular health. Throughout the night, your heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure rise and fall, which is important for keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition.

In summary, sleep is not a passive activity; it is an active process that supports and promotes physical health and overall wellbeing.

Tips for getting a good night's sleep

It's common to worry about not getting enough sleep before an important day, but there are several things you can do to help you get a good night's rest. Here are some tips to improve your sleep:

Address your worries

Try to address any subconscious links that might be keeping you awake. For example, if you had a bad experience with an exam or a presentation, your brain might be keeping you awake due to stress. Try to address these past events and give yourself permission to change how you feel about them.

Schedule a worry session

A few days before your big event, schedule a deliberate worry session. Write down everything that's concerning you, no matter how small or silly it may seem. Then, circle your top three concerns and write down actionable steps to address each one. This will help to reduce their intensity and make it less likely that they'll keep you awake at night.

Build up your sleep drive

Exercise and sleep restriction can help to build up your sleep drive, making you more likely to sleep soundly. Try exercising more and going to bed later or getting up earlier in the days leading up to your event.

Let go of expectations

Sometimes, the fear of not sleeping is what causes insomnia. Try to let go of any expectations around sleep and remember that one night of missed sleep won't have a big impact on your performance.

Create a sleep ritual

Rituals can help to signal to your body and mind that it's time for sleep. Try drinking a glass of warm milk, taking a bath, or listening to calming music before bed.

Make your bedroom comfortable

Make sure your bedroom is quiet, dark, and cool. These things will help promote sleep onset and improve your overall sleep quality.

Frequently asked questions