How Loneliness and Sleep Are Connected
Loneliness and sleep problems have long plagued me, beginning at age 7 when my family moved twice within one year. Struggling to make new friends, my self-esteem plummeted, and the shyness I developed established a pattern of persistent loneliness. Empty days matched insomnia-filled nights, and little changed as I grew older. Working from home, I spent hours in bed from sheer loneliness, then wandered the house at night or arose to work at 3 a.m.
As it turns out, I am not so alone after all. University of Chicago research suggests that loneliness and sleeplessness might be intertwined. Among patients spending the same number of hours in bed, lonely people slept about 30 minutes fewer than non-lonely people. And lonely people in the study recalled more adverse childhood events and felt more helpless and threatened.
Babies can sleep through a circus. Older kids may fight bedtime. And teens -- good luck getting them out of bed on a weekend. But what about you -- the grown-up? Your sleep life is still changing -- and not just because time is passing. How does sleep work in adulthood? Does it change -- for better or worse -- as we age? And why do we feel like we never get enough of it? An average adult needs between 7.5 and 8 hours of sleep per night. “But many people can function with 6 hours' sleep, and there...
Read the Sleep Through the Decades article > >
Experts are working to untangle the connection. One theory, says Mark W. Mahowald, MD, director of the Minnesota Regional Sleep Disorders Center, is that many people feel lonely because they're mildly or moderately depressed. "Depression is both genetically influenced and associated with insomnia," he says. "Plus, lonely people may have less structured lives and, lacking stimulation, go to bed without feeling tired. We all have a genetically determined sleep requirement -- whether eight hours nightly or only four, so it's logical that excess 'bed' time would mean extra sleepless hours."
"Genes affect a person's propensity for loneliness, too," says Louise Hawkley, PhD, a senior research scientist at the University of Chicago's Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience. "And for a person prone to feeling lonely, a difficult childhood event can trigger chronic loneliness that lasts a lifetime."
Loneliness might seem like a trivial health concern, but it packs a powerful punch. "Blood pressure is as much as 30 points higher," Hawkley says, "and loneliness may even affect obesity. Plus, chronically lonely people experience constant bodily wear and tear, accelerating the aging process." Studies show links between sleep deprivation and poor health, too, suggesting that the lonely and sleepless may be bombarded by health woes from both aspects of the problem.
The solution? "Do anything possible to assuage your loneliness," Hawkley says. "Finding just one person you connect with can make a monumental difference." For me, that person is my husband, and I've learned to reach for him whenever loneliness hits, even at 3 a.m.
Solutions for Loneliness and Sleep Problems
If you're lonely and sleep-deprived, try these strategies:
- Consider seeing a therapist to work through childhood events that still upset you, says Hawkley.
- Explore your depression risk and potential treatments, from medications to exercise.
- Realize that perception affects loneliness, Hawkley says. Being alone doesn't automatically mean you're lonely.
- Structure lonely days. Splurging on a class or hobby will reward you with improved health and daytime efficiency.
Originally published in the March/April 2008 issue ofWebMD the Magazine.
Today in Sleep Disorders
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You say you are able to function well with fewer than seven hours of sleep. Some people say they can function on four to six hours of sleep each night, but research shows that adults who get fewer than seven hours of sleep — whether for just one night or over the course of days, weeks, or months — have more difficulty concentrating and more mood problems than people who sleep seven to nine hours.
Since you usually get too little sleep, please talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns. Poor quality sleep can affect many areas of your life and health, and your doctor may be able to help you if you have insomnia or other conditions affecting your sleep.
Sleep deprivation can have both short- and long-term consequences. Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's not surprising you feel that you're not functioning at your best today. Some people say they can function on four to six hours of sleep each night, but research shows that adults who get fewer than seven hours of sleep — whether for just one night or over the course of days, weeks, or months — have more difficulty concentrating and more mood problems than people who sleep seven to nine hours.
Since you usually get too little sleep, please talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns. Poor quality sleep can affect many areas of your life and health, and your doctor may be able to help you if you have difficulty sleeping, have insomnia, or have other sleep disorders.
Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's not surprising you feel that you're not functioning at your best today. Some people say they can function on four to six hours of sleep each night, but research shows that adults who get fewer than seven hours of sleep — whether for just one night or over the course of days, weeks, or months — have more difficulty concentrating and more mood problems than people who sleep seven to nine hours.
It's good that you usually do get more sleep, since sleep deprivation can have both short- and long-term consequences. Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. And if you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
You say you are able to function well with fewer than seven hours of sleep. Some people say they can function on four to six hours of sleep each night, but research shows that adults who get fewer than seven hours of sleep — whether for just one night or over the course of days, weeks, or months — have more difficulty concentrating and more mood problems than people who sleep seven to nine hours.
It's good that you usually do get more sleep because sleep deprivation can have both short- and long-term consequences. Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. And if you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's not surprising you feel that you're not functioning at your best today. Some people say they can function on four to six hours of sleep each night, but research shows that adults who get fewer than seven hours of sleep — whether for just one night or over the course of days, weeks, or months — have more difficulty concentrating and more mood problems than people who sleep seven to nine hours.
Since you usually get less sleep, please talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns. Poor quality sleep can affect many areas of your life and health, and your doctor may be able to help you if you have difficulty sleeping or have insomnia or other sleep disorders.
Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's wonderful that you got a good night's sleep last night. Many people struggle to do so. Having a good sleep routine often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health. Whether your sleep routine involves taking a warm bath, reading a book, or meditating, it's important to keep your bedtime and routine consistent every night and wake up around the same time every morning.
Click here to read more about the importance of sleep. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's unfortunate you're not functioning at your best today. You say you had a good quantity of sleep last night, but maybe the quality of your sleep is not as good as it could be? Having a good sleep routine — including a consistent bedtime and wake time — often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health. Since you usually sleep this amount, if you often aren't feeling your best, you should consider talking to your doctor. Could you have an underlying condition? Are you feeling anxious or depressed? Have you taken medication that disrupted your sleep? Do you or could you have sleep apnea? Or do you naturally require a little bit more sleep?
Although sleep is crucial for optimal health, some research suggests that sleeping too much can also have negative consequences. Learn more about sleep. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's unfortunate you're not functioning at your best today. You say you had a good quantity of sleep last night, but maybe the quality of your sleep is not as good as it could be? Having a good sleep routine — including a consistent bedtime and wake time — often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health. Since you usually sleep longer, if you often aren't feeling your best, you should consider talking to your doctor. Could you have an underlying condition? Are you feeling anxious or depressed? Have you taken medication that disrupted your sleep? Do you or could you have sleep apnea? Or do you naturally require a little bit more sleep?
Although sleep is crucial for optimal health, some research suggests that sleeping too much can also have negative consequences. Learn more about sleep. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's wonderful that you got a good night's sleep last night. Many people struggle to do so. Having a good sleep routine often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health. Whether your sleep routine involves taking a warm bath, reading a book, or meditating, it's also important to keep bedtime consistent and wake up around the same time every morning.
Although sleep is crucial for optimal health, some research suggests that sleeping too much can have negative consequences. Learn more about sleep. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or sleeping too much, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's unfortunate you're not functioning at your best today. You say you had a good quantity of sleep last night, but maybe the quality of your sleep is not as good as it could be? Having a good sleep routine — including a consistent bedtime and waking up at the same time — often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health.
Since you usually get less sleep, please talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns. Poor quality sleep can affect many areas of your life and health, and your doctor may be able to help you if you have insomnia, another sleep disorder, or conditions affecting your sleep.
Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
It's wonderful that you got a good night's sleep last night. Many people struggle to do so. Having a good sleep routine often is the key to getting the quality sleep night after night that your body needs for optimal health.
Since you usually get less sleep, talk to your doctor about your sleep patterns. Poor quality sleep can affect many areas of your life and health, and your doctor may be able to help you if you have insomnia or another sleep disorder or conditions affecting your sleep.
Learn more about the health consequences of sleep loss. If you're concerned about having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, assess your risk for a sleep disorder.
SOURCES:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Effect of short sleep duration on daily activities--United States, 2005-2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011; 60:239.
Carskadon, MA, Dement, WC. Normal Human Sleep: An Overview. In: Principles and Practices of Sleep Medicine, Fifth, Kryger, MH, Roth, et al. (Eds), Elsevier Saunders, St. Louis, MO 2011. p.16.
Harvard University: "Sleep, Performance, and Public Safety."
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