It’s World Sleep Day on Friday 13 March 2020 and we’re supporting the global call to action about the importance of healthy sleep incorporating the slogan, ‘Better Sleep, Better Life, Better Planet.’
Today spare a thought for those who did not sleep well last night, especially if that person is you. It’s curious that only at this point in human history we have started to take sleep seriously and that it is a mental and physical health problem, capable of causing terrible distress and lasting poor health consequences.
Many surveys show that up to 40% of the adult population in the UK have regular difficulty either getting to sleep or staying asleep. After depression, sleep problems are the third most common psychological reasons for appointments in general practice. Untreated, insomnia increases the risk of development or worsening of anxiety, depression, hypertension, and diabetes. Poor sleep doesn’t just make you feel bad, it actually impacts on your physical health and future.
Insomnia becomes a chronic problem when someone has difficulty either getting to sleep or staying asleep for at least three nights a week (not necessarily every night) for at least three months and is also distressed by their sleep symptoms. But how many people can talk about this distress and their sleep problem? not many. It’s easier to talk about anxiety and depression than it is poor sleep.
Dr Richard Graham, Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director for Good Thinking, said: “Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much can affect your hormone levels, mood and weight and we all know that sleep is necessary for our physical and mental health, but very few know how important it really is.
“At Good Thinking we have different tools that allow someone to assess their sleep and to even check out whether there could be a physical cause for their problems, we ensure that our service offers the opportunity for people to learn more about sleep problems and to no longer feel alone with theirs.”
Over 100 online resources are accessible through www.good-thinking.uk including wellbeing information sources; guides to sleeping better and improving mental health; courses on and offline; mobile apps and other therapy approaches suitable for London’s modern, highly-mobile population.
Everyone who lives and works in London has free access to Good Thinking, visit www.good-thinking.uk for more information
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