Can’t sleep? This research might have the answer
Not getting enough shut eye? You’re not alone. Up to 40 per cent of Australians experience poor sleep, but these research breakthroughs could help change that.
Sleep is an elusive concept for many Australians who are suffering from clinical sleep disorders such as chronic insomnia and sleep apnoea.
Research from Flinders University shows that only 15 per cent of people get the recommended 7-to-9 hours of sleep for five or more nights each week.
“Inadequate and irregular sleep patterns are associated with compromised health, ranging from high blood pressure to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, depression and chronic disease,” explains Professor Danny Eckert, director of Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute Sleep Health.
Flinders stands as a global expert in sleep health, with a team of more than 70 health professionals, researchers and students conducting innovative sleep research to help people get the sleep they need to live a healthy, productive life.
The research is helping everyone from those who suffer from sleep apnoea or insomnia, to shift workers experiencing body clock disruption.
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Now, Flinders researchers have achieved success with their investigation of obstructive sleep apnoea, a sleep disorder where contracted throat muscles restrict oxygen intake and cause people to wake repeatedly throughout the night.
New Flinders-led research will test the effectiveness of unobtrusive devices that improve sleep study diagnosis and the management of sleep apnoea.
They will also test the effectiveness of home monitoring of sleep patterns with a new under-mattress device, to expand the range of effective treatments that help sleep apnoea patients.
“Almost one billion people around the world are living with sleep apnoea, and frequent disruption of breathing during sleep is associated with a range of serious health issues, which could take years off a person’s life if undiagnosed and untreated,” says Professor Eckert.
“We’re doing all we can to help reduce the impact of untreated sleep apnoea on people’s lives and find solutions that are more effective and cheaper than current care models.”
Flinders research innovations were recognised when the Sleep Revolution team won the ‘Excellence in Science Innovation Collaboration’ at the annual SA Science Excellence and Innovation Awards.
Their research innovations, highlighted is the SBS documentary series Australia’s Sleep Revolution with Dr Michael Mosley, saw Professor Eckert and his team unpack the science of sleep while trialling new solutions for sleeping problems with 30 participants, including the late Dr Michael Mosley and Australian politicians Barnaby Joyce and Jacqui Lambie.
The sleep research team has identified:
- The potential therapeutic impact of a new nasal spray to reduce sleep apnoea severity.
- A healthy diet high in vegetables, fruit, whole grains and nuts reduces the risk of sleep apnoea and associated conditions such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, heart attack and stroke.
- Adults who regularly eat an unhealthy diet that is high in sugar, refined carbohydrates, starch and salt have increased risk of poor sleep and sleep apnoea.
- Middle-aged men who regularly snore at night are more likely to have elevated blood pressure and uncontrolled hypertension, even if they don’t have sleep apnoea.
- Non-drug interventions such as the weighted blankets to improve sleep, reduce medication and enhance mood.
Researchers also examined the effects of sleep in the mental health of athletes, findings that both current and former athletes show similar rates of sleep disturbances and mental health disorders.
At Flinders University, we are dedicated to finding solutions to complex challenges with research that matters. In the spirit of co-designing our research with community, we asked 30,000 Australians from across the nation to voice the problems that matter to them the most in their local communities, resulting in The Flinders Wicked Problems Report.
