Smart TMS provided expert comment for Yahoo! Lifestyle’s feature on sleep and the issues causing night waking, entitled:
“What your body is trying to tell you when you wake in the night”
According to scientific research published in Sleep Medicine, about a third of adults (35.5%) wake at least 3 times in the night and 43% of those struggle to go back to sleep (ref: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389945709004687?via%3Dihub).
While nocturnal awakenings may be fairly common, they can be annoying and tiring. When they recur regularly, waking in the night can also have an impact on physical and mental health.
Stress and Sleep
Smart TMS Technician Abie Taylor-Spencer told Yahoo! that stress and anxiety are factors that can cause broken sleep. She explained:
“Broken sleep or an inability to fall asleep is recognised as a symptom of depression and general anxiety disorder. Therefore, if you are persistently experiencing disturbed sleep, your body may be trying to send you a warning sign that your mental health is suffering.
“When your body experiences anxiety, the stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol are released, which leads to physical symptoms such as tenseness, alertness and an increased heart rate.
“This high level of arousal makes it difficult to relax and reduces the ability to fall or stay in a restful sleep.”
For recurrent sleep problems or suspected mental health issues, Abie suggested the GP should be the first port of call. Treatment may include psychological therapy such as CBT or sleep clinic.
Other Sleep Issues
Other issues which could cause night time waking – as outlined in the article – include:
- Room temperature and/or lighting
- Excess caffeine consumption
- Checking the time adding extra worry about going back to sleep
- Needing the toilet in the night (a number of potential underlying causes are outlined)
- Using tech late at night (exposing stimulating ‘blue light’)
- Drinking alcohol
- Weekend lie-ins
Abie explained more about how the extra sleep on Sunday can disrupt the weekday sleep pattern:
“Although I’m sure we are all guilty of enjoying a lie-in on a Sunday morning, disrupting the schedule you maintain during the week is not conducive to good sleep hygiene.
“Ensuring consistency in your sleeping habits will allow your body to set an internal clock and enable you to go to sleep faster and avoid waking up too.”
Abie Taylor-Spencer
Smart TMS Technician
Abie is a member of the Smart TMS team of technicians at our Manchester TMS Clinic.
Her qualifications and experience prior to working at Smart TMS include:
- Psychology Bsc (Hons) at Lancaster University, with a certificate of distinction
- Currently studying MSc in Developmental Disorders
- N-compass Northwest volunteer – advocacy and carer support
- Experience of peer mentoring, supporting disaffected youth and co-facilitating support groups for mental well-being
Smart TMS
Smart TMS was established in 2015, dedicated to providing TMS treatment in London at their South Kensington/Brompton Cross centre. The company opened a second clinic in Birmingham in September 2017 and has since expanded to include locations in Dublin, Manchester, Bristol, Havant (South Coast) and now in Edinburgh.
Contact Us
For any queries or for patients wishing to book an appointment at one of our UK clinics, please contact us:
- Tel: 0345 222 5678
- Email: info@smarttms.co.uk
Irish patients may contact Our Dublin Clinic direct on:
- Email: info@smarttms.ie
- Tel: 353 (01) 254 2514
- Website: www.smarttms.ie
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatment is now available for private patients at Smart TMS, a specialist provider of the innovative treatment with an expanding network of locations around the UK and Ireland.