Enter Sandman

"Ugh, I got like no sleep last night!”

How many of us have said this exact sentence or a variation of this phrase before? It turns out, a lot more people than one might think. 

According to world-wide health organizations, including the CDC, anywhere between 10-35% of the world's population, or approximately 238.4 million people, experience insomnia. That statistic jumps to 60% for older adults, cis women, pregnant people, those with chronic illness, and the mentally ill. The issue of insomnia has become so prevalent that some health organizations are calling it a crisis and an epidemic.

The National Sleep Foundation guidelines "advise that healthy adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night." According to the Mayo Clinic, older adults need just as much sleep as younger adults, but this group tends to "sleep more lightly, take longer to start sleeping, and sleep for shorter time spans than younger adults. Older adults also tend to wake up multiple times during the night." 

According to Standford Healthcare, there are three main types of insomnia:

Transient insomnia: less than one month.

Short-term insomnia: between one and six months.

Chronic insomnia: defined as insomnia that lasts more than six months and is divided into primary and secondary insomnia.The former is insomnia without a known cause, and the latter is typically a result of other factors such as illness.

If you happen to be in the third category, welcome! According to the Mayo Clinic, we have lots of goodies in this bracket, including lowered job or school performance, decreased reaction time, especially while driving, increased risk of mental health disorders and substance abuse, and "severity of long-term diseases or conditions, such as high blood pressure and heart disease."

Joking aside, insomnia carries a host of risks, and if you've ever had a crappy night's sleep, you know it just plain sucks!

I am one of many dealing with chronic secondary insomnia. I have a mental illness called OCD, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and when the thoughts start racing, it triggers endless nights of sleeplessness, and when I do sleep, the quality is very poor. I've had both mental illness and insomnia since I was a child, and I cannot remember the last time I had what one might call a "good night's sleep." Having said that, I've learned to manage the episodes with meditation and breathing, and though I am a huge believer in finding what works for you, I do not like insomnia medication.

With all that being said, what comes next will probably shock you! I like having insomnia. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out! No, I don't like feeling like a zombie some days, and yes, I do wish I had a normal sleep schedule like 70% of the world's population, but I get so much work done at night!

As an aside, though I fully support the notion that productivity is a tool of the patriarchy to keep us all subjugated, I have bills and goals, and when your quality of sleep isn't great, this can really muck up your plans. This extends to my teaching as well! I make it a point to schedule all of my classes after 9 am because I know that I would be physically incapable of teaching earlier than that.

When the moon is high in the sky and the rest of the world is snuggling into bed, I get to work! You would be surprised just how productive one can be when there is zero outside distraction. I managed to obtain my first three yoga certifications using this method. Now, I am in NO WAY advocating for an #insomnialife, #worktillyoudrop, #sleepisfortheweek lifestyle. I am simply sharing my experience turning a lemon into lemonade. There are nights where I am so exhausted that all I can do is lie there and memorize the ceiling. I'm up to 27 different shadow puppets, but I try to honour my body by resting.

I have learned to view energy as a commodity, and when I have it, I go all in. I'm sure a psychiatrist would probably have some choice words, but it works for me and I'm able to pursue my goals with relatively little interruption. I'm also fully aware of the immense privileges I have. I don't have children, my partner also runs their own business on a fairly regular schedule, and I have the kind of lifestyle where this is possible. If I had to look after small humans, if my partner was also an insomniac, or if I worked a regular 9–5, I'd be screwed.

So, what's the take-away? First, if you also have chronic insomnia or have experienced transient or short-term insomnia, you have my deepest sympathies and endless love. If you're a worn-out parent who is struggling to stay awake while you read this, I feel you and I'm sending hugs! If you're a student and you never feel rested, that's awful and you're in my thoughts! Even if you always sleep well, never have an off night, and wake feeling rested... I hate you. Juuuust kidding, I'm sending you love too! Remember to practice good sleep hygiene that makes sense for you and your lifestyle when you can. Secondly, aim for 7-9 hours of sleep, but don't discount 4 hours if that's all you can get. If you can nap, NAP! If you can't nap, rest. If you can't rest, mediate. If you don't have time for any of that, take three deep breaths and repeat as necessary.

Don't discount the power of your breath when trying to fall asleep. Deep belly breathing helps to activate the parasympathetic response (rest, digest, and repair) and can help you relax, thereby increasing your chance of sleep. If, like me, your thoughts race, try ASMR videos or listening to a guided meditation. YouTube and Spotify are chalk full of free videos and recordings, so check those out.

Sleep is one of those things we take for granted, but those hours of unconsciousness are absolutely vital to regulating our bodily systems. So next time your coworker complains that they "got like no sleep," resist the urge to shove a stapler in their mouth and show them a little empathy; chances are maybe you didn't sleep well either.