the SLEEP CRISIS

From hormones to the mental load of modern life, it seems our sleep is worse than ever. Hannah Warren tries to figure out what's really keeping her up at night, and what she can do about it

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It's 3am and I'm awake, filled with rage by the sound of my sleeping partner's peaceful breathing. As a lifelong poor sleeper, this is not an unusual occurrence for me. It feels like I've tried everything over the years. Herbs (lavender, anyone?). Hormones. Minerals.

Actual drugs. Weird, grassy teas. Cutting out sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Medical practitioners of every stripe. Exercise. Meditation. Sleep restriction. Cognitive behavioural therapy. Still, I find myself not yet asleep at midnight, or awake again in the wee hours of the morning.

Although it's lonely as I toss and turn at 3am, I'm most certainly not alone. A 2019 study by the Sleep Health Foundation showed that almost 60 per cent of us report at least one poor sleep symptom three or more times a week, and nearly 15 per cent have chronic insomnia as classified by the International Classification of Sleep Disorders.

Dr Moira Junge, Sleep Health Foundation's CEO, says that although they haven't had capacity for a large-scale study recently, she's seeing more people self-reporting poor sleep. Part of the reason for this, she says, is that we're learning more about how important our Zs are.

Beyond feeling ratty the day after a bad night in bed, Junge says that regularly not getting enough sleep hits us from every angle: accidents, worse mental health, weight gain, diabetes, cardiovascular issues, dementia, metabolic disorders, skin health, fertility. The Rise and Try to Shine report commissioned by the Sleep Health Foundation in 2021 found that almost 1000 deaths in 2019-20 were attributed to sleep disorders, whether through higher risk of cardiovascular or metabolic conditions, accidents or compromised mental health.

I'm beginning to wonder if my unexpected diagnosis of fatty liver disease last year is related to my many nights staring at the ceiling. Sleep and respiratory physician Dr Linda Schachter at Vital Sleep Co. says, yes, probably.