In the 24-hour society in which we live, sleep has never
been more important, or more elusive. For women in mid-life,
the ideal of a good night’s sleep may be compromised
by the pressures and constraints inherent in the multiplicity
of roles they play in their daily lives, as partners, mothers,
daughters, and full- or part-time employees. In later life,
life course transitions such as retirement, increased caring
responsibilities and bereavement may interact with declining
health to challenge women’s ability to get a good
night’s sleep.
As shown in the 2003 Women’s Sleep in the UK Survey
data, getting to sleep and/or staying asleep are issues
for many women in our study. While only one in five women
aged 40 and over experience problems getting to sleep at
least three times a week, this figure rises to over half
women aged 70 and over. Problems staying asleep (sleep maintenance)
affect women consistently across all age groups, with 73%
of respondents waking up several times during the night
at least one or two nights a week, and half the respondents
experiencing disrupted sleep on three or more nights a week.
The implications of these problems for women’s ability
to perform effectively during the day are reflected in the
percentage of respondents who reported feeling sleepy during
the day (64%) and/or woke up feeling unrefreshed (57%) at
least once or twice a week.
Women’s sleep management involves the interplay of
everyday routines, activities and lifestyle behaviours;
over-the-counter products and complementary therapies; and
medical intervention when other strategies fail to restore
a state of equilibrium and effective functioning. Everyday
routines, activities and lifestyle behaviours lie at the
core of women’s sleep management. Through these practices,
women accommodate sleep management alongside the wider spectrum
of tasks and routines which comprise their everyday life.
While it would be desirable to provide a menu of effective
strategies which are guaranteed to improve women’s
sleep, the reality of women’s lives renders this impossible.
Each woman will develop over her life course a set of practices
which may help her get to sleep or restore sleep during
the night, however there are no generic strategies which
will be appropriate for all women at all stages of their
lives. What is important is that a wide range of strategies
exist which afford women a sense of choice within the constraints
of their social context. The following table of strategies
is thus provided, not as a template of recommendations for
sleep management, but as a list of options which women in
the study have found helpful in managing their sleep, and
which may in certain circumstances be useful for other women.
It must be emphasised, however, that these strategies have
been developed by women responding to individual sleep problems
within their unique socio-cultural contexts. Moreover, as
in the case of over-the-counter products, there may not
be sufficient scientific arguments at present to recommend
their use. The strategies they use may not be effective
for all women, at all times, in all situations. In choosing
strategies, women must be active agents, balancing their
sleep needs and expectations against the constraints of
their social context.
Recommendations for managing sleep
| Recommendations |
Possible strategies |
Adopt healthy lifestyle practices which
may improve your sleep
“I go to the gym several nights after work.
I find that de-stresses me and tires me out in some
ways and I can take a shower and go to bed.”(FG2.3:
48-52)
|
take exercise during the day or
early in the evening eg. gym, swimming, gardening,
walking
avoid cheese and chocolate before bed
don’t eat too late
cut down on tea and coffee before bed (or drink
decaffeinated)
|
Take time to wind down and prepare yourself
for sleep
“Make more time for yourself rather than rushing
after everyone else. Have some time especially in
the evening for yourself to wind down.” (FG1.3:
40-47)
|
try to empty your mind and get
rid of worries
think calm thoughts
listen to relaxation tapes
write down things you’ve got on your mind
to remind yourself to do them the next day
read a book or magazine, something not too deep
watch TV, but nothing too stimulating
listen to music or the radio
relax with a glass of wine
have a bath or shower
pray
have a cup of herbal tea (eg. Camomile, Sleepy
Time)
change into sleepwear
go to the toilet before bed
go to bed when you feel tired rather than at
a set time
go to bed at the same time as your partner to
minimise disturbance
lie in bed and take a journey around your body,
telling yourself to close down; visualise a pleasant
scene; or concentrate on your breathing to relax |
Create a positive sleeping environment
“I love my room. It’s not as pretty
as I would like but I love going in there and going
to bed.”(FG2.3: 48-52)
|
have a good comfortable bed and
pillow
use a hot water bottle or electric blanket; or
wear warm socks to bed if cold
open (or close) the window and curtains
use lavender pillows, or sprays around your bed
to create a calming atmosphere
minimise disruptions, if possible |
If you wake during the night ...
“I’m going to tell you my fantasies
now..... when I can’t sleep I lie in bed thinking
about Sean Connery – the way he looked in King
Arthur, with the beard.” (FG5.3: 70 & over)
|
read, watch TV, or listen to the
radio in bed
use relaxation techniques eg. counting, breathing,
visualisation etc
don’t look at the clock
get up and do something: eg. go downstairs and
make a drink, read, put the washing on, do the ironing,
go to the supermarket
relocate to another room if possible if your partner
is disturbing you (or vice versa)
write down what’s bothering you and leave
it till morning
try not to worry about not sleeping
|
Try over-the-counter products and complementary
therapies as a supplement to your own routines,
activities and lifestyle behaviours
“I sometimes do a meditation thing, visualising
my body relaxing in a warm place. I learnt to do it
as an anti-stress thing at a yoga class.” (FG3.1:
53-59)
|
take herbal remedies eg. Nytol, Sleepeaze,
Kalms, Valerian
try products such as lavender pillows, herbal teas,
and homeopathic remedies (Bach Rescue)
use paracetamol when pain is affecting sleep
use antihistamine medications, painkillers, or
cough medicine for their sedative effects
try complementary therapies such as aromatherapy,
acupuncture, reflexology, yoga, massage, meditation,
pilates |
Consult your GP if sleep problems
are severe and affect your daily life
“I went (to the GP) because I wasn’t sleeping
and then we found it was a symptom of other things
and I took sleeping pills and anti-depressants.”
(FG2.2: 48-52) |
take sleeping pills on a short-term
basis to restore balance, or intermittently in times
of stress
take medications for other health conditions which
may affect your sleep eg. painkillers for arthritis,
antidepressants, HRT for menopausal symptoms |
Details of the study can be found in: Hislop, J. and
Arber, S. (2003b) 'Understanding women's sleep management:
beyond medicalization-healthicization?' Sociology of Health
and Illness, 26, 6, 815-837.
|
