27/10/2025
We all know how it feels the day after a poor sleep. Low energy, lack of focus and irritability are classic signs of a restless night.
These short-term impacts are obvious as they affect your day-to-day functioning, but I find many people underestimate the serious long-term health impacts of sleep deprivation.
Consistently sleeping less than the recommend amount (7-9 hours per night for adults) increases your risk for a range of conditions from type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke to dementia and mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. Sleep deprivation also weakens your immune system, leaving you more vulnerable to sickness.
Of course, it’s not easy for some people to achieve a consistent sleep schedule, particularly shift workers or those with young children. But if you’re able to do so, you need to be prioritising it. ‘Hustle culture’ encourages us to maximise our waking hours to get more done, but burning the candle at both ends only results in you burning out.
Here are a few ways you can improve your ‘sleep hygiene’ to give your body more time to rest and recover:
🕘 If you can, stick to a regular bedtime and wakeup schedule (including weekends)
🔇 Optimise your bedroom for sleep (quiet, dark and cool room with comfy bedding etc.)
🏃 Increase your physical activity during the day
☕ Avoid stimulants like caffeine or nicotine close to bed
📴 Put your phone away an hour or so before bed
🌞 Keep daytime napping to a minimum
There are some conditions that impact your sleeping patterns which require more attention. Sleep apnoea is a serious disorder which causes your breathing to repeatedly stop and start during the night.
Many people don’t even realise they have sleep apnoea, but there are some signs to look out for, such as loud snoring, waking up gasping or choking, waking with a headache or sore throat and excessive daytime sleepiness.
CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) therapy can be lifechanging for people with sleep apnoea, but there is still stigma around wearing a CPAP mask to bed. Some worry about how it looks or that it will disrupt their routine, but I’ve seen it completely transform people’s quality of life by helping them finally sleep through the night.
Whether you need to consider CPAP therapy or just practice better sleep hygiene, getting more good-quality sleep benefits you and those around you. Remember, the most productive thing you can do to set yourself up for success is to sleep!
If you’re struggling with sleep or concerned about sleep apnoea, chat with your local TerryWhite Chemmart Pharmacist about how to improve your sleep, including whether CPAP therapy is suitable for you.
Liam Manov
TerryWhite Chemmart, Karrinyup, WA
