Lack of Sleep and Decreased Performance: Can Meditation be Part of the Solution?
by Melinda Burris Willms
According to scientific experts, American culture encourages sleep deprivation. Busy lifestyles which require Americans to go to bed later and get up earlier to pack more activities into their average day combined with an addiction to electronics that stimulate the brain are making going to sleep and staying asleep for the recommended nine hours per night increasingly difficult. Statistics bear this assertion out: the National Sleep Foundation has released research findings showing that 40% of the adult population in this country experience daytime sleepiness to an extent that their ability to perform daily activities is compromised. 62% of Americans acknowledged driving while feeling sleepy, and 27% admitting to having fallen asleep while behind the wheel in the last year. The research shows this phenomena begins early in life with 60% of children in America reporting feeling fatigued during the day and 15% acknowledging falling asleep in class.1
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The Negative Effects of Sleep Deprivation
Not getting adequate sleep can have real life and death consequences, with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration finding that sleep-deprived drivers are to blame for an estimated 100,000 automobile crashes each year. Sleep deficiency has pronounced effects on cognitive function, decreasing our ability to recall things, the speed of reaction time, and alertness levels. Lack of proper sleep makes individuals less productive in their educational and professional pursuits and negatively impacts their ability to maintain successful roles as parents or partners. Chronic sleep disorders cost Americans physically and emotionally on a personal level and cost us more as a nation, as the National Sleep Foundation has reported research demonstrating that individuals with chronic insomnia have a higher likelihood of manifesting psychiatric conditions and utilizing an increased share of available healthcare services.1
Sleep Deprivation and Professional Athletes
With sleep deprivation measurably effecting a significant number of Americans, it should be no surprise this problem has plagued professional athletes. The problem has become so pervasive in the NBA that one executive described it as “the dirty little secret that everybody knows about.”2
The league is known for its punishing schedule, which requires member teams to play 82 games in a time period shorter than six months. NBA players fly as much as 50,000 miles each season. To put this in perspective, that is approximately 20,000 more miles than NFL teams fly in a season. In last year’s season, each NBA team participated in a game every 2.07 days and played 13.3 back-to-back sets.2
The extreme physical and mental demands of playing in the NBA has led to coaches, players, and pundits questioning the short and long-term repercussions of extensive travel over time zones which leads to chronic circadian disruptions. Short-term implications of lack of proper sleep can readily be seen in poor play; long-term implications could have lasting physical and mental health consequences.2
The NBA has responded to recent criticisms of its scheduling demands on players by releasing a statement in which they reaffirmed the league’s commitment to “player health and wellness.”2 In fairness to the NBA, the organization has adopted new policies aimed at combating the issue, including introducing a lengthened regular season and cutting back on back-to-back games and the number of nationally televised games with start times of 10:30 p.m. EST. Still, critics argue these steps taken to allow players more rest between games are insufficient.
The Pervasiveness of Sleep Deprivation Among College Students
College students are a segment of the population at particular risk for sleep deprivation due to the pressure to perform academically, hectic scheduling, and concern over debt upon graduation. Many college students also suffer increased anxiety due to the change in environment, being homesick, and trying to adapt to new circumstances. A 2015 study of 1,500 college freshmen revealed that one third of those surveyed felt they were not equipped to handle the pressures of daily life.3
Is Meditation Part of the Solution?
In an effort to help students successfully transition into college life, a number of high-profile universities including Temple, Johns Hopkins, and Carnegie Mellon have begun offering meditation apps as a way for students to develop coping strategies. These apps have rapidly grown in popularity because they can be easily accessed whenever necessary by utilizing a smartphone.
Ironically, the smartphone and devices like it are often a leading cause of insomnia and other sleep disturbances. Using these devices shortly before trying to sleep has been linked to sleep deprivation, as the mind finds it difficult to shut itself off and allow the individual to fall asleep naturally.
Meditation and Health
Meditation has been embraced in recent years by Western society, as research has revealed that mindful practices can be beneficial to physical and mental well-being, as it has been shown to lower blood pressure and decrease feelings of anxiety and depression. Meditation has also been linked to improving insomnia and high stress levels. Meditation focuses on increased awareness and being present in the moment.3
Meditation apps offer guidance for individuals seeking to adopt the ancient practice. While cell phone apps can be helpful as an audio tool to facilitate meditation, experts warn against doing anything interactive with these apps, as that detracts from the goal of meditation: mindfulness.3
Strategies for Combating Sleep Deprivation
Are you fighting the negative impacts of insomnia or another form of sleep deprivation? Try these strategies for improving the quality of your sleep:
- Avoid working in the room where you sleep. Experts warn against working and sleeping in the same area, as this sends mixed messages to the brain.
- Unplug by turning off smartphones, computers, televisions, and other forms of cognitive stimulation at least an hour before bedtime.
- Try blackout curtains to reinforce the message to the brain that it is time for sleep.
References
- WebMD. (2005-2019). Sleeplessness in America: Insomnia.
- Holmes, B. (14 October 2019). NBA Exec: ‘It’s the Dirty Little Secret That Everybody Knows About.’
- Ao, B. (15 October 2019). Stressed-out College Students are Sleeping Less Than Ever. Meditation Apps Could Help.
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