SLEEP – it’s super important

Sleep it’s SUPER important, and yet we still aren’t getting enough. Why?

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society recommends that adults aged 18–60 years, get at least 7 hours each night to promote optimal health and well-being.

“As a nation we are not getting enough,” said Wayne Giles, M.D., director of CDC’s Division of Population Health. According to a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “more than a third of American adults are not getting enough sleep on a regular basis (duration 7 or more hours per day).”

The Foundation says the 5 reasons we aren’t getting enough rest:

1. We take it for granted. Although we’ve heard we need enough sleep, we drown out those recommendations with the needs and wants of our jobs, kids, and workouts.
2. We’re drinking too much caffeine or alcohol during the day and it’s affecting our quality of sleep. Add in sleeping aides, and the balance between enough sleep and quality sleep is dramatically affected.  Although aides can help you get to sleep, many people are restless throughout the night and wake up still feeling groggy.
3. Shift Work. Many workers have shifts that keep changing. This makes it harder to get into a regular pattern. Some people adjust to shift work better than others.
4. Jet lag. Changing time zones can disturb the sleep pattern a lot. The internal body clock will readjust to the new zone, but it will take a few days. And for most, by the time you’ve adjusted to the new zone it’s time to fly back home.
5. Eating too close to bedtime can cause heartburn and discomfort in the chest. Avoid late meals that are heavy. Any snack before bedtime should be small and light, and we recommend protein and fats. And if you don’t want to be up using the bathroom multiple times a night, watch you fluid intake after dinner.

And we will add a couple other reasons why too:

1. We have young children that wake us up during the night.
2. We are worried or stressed about money, work, children, and it causes us to toss and turn all night long.
3. We’re binge watching tv to reduce our stress.
4. We fail to plan enough / schedule time to complete the activities we need to prepare for the next day. So, we stay up late doing these.

5. Our hormones are out of whack causing us to be hot, irritated and uncomfortable in our own skin.

We know we need sleep, and here is why! 

Psst…pay careful attention to #1 and #2 – its all about our hormones

1. Lack of sleep is directly tied to insulin sensitivity.  When our body is tired it recognizes sugar as a readily available energy sources.  So you will have to have the best will power on the planet to avoid that 3pm slump and snack of sugar and caffeine.
2. When we don’t sleep enough, or deep enough, our cortisol levels rise and with elevated cortisol levels our body feels in a constant state of overwhelm. Plus, excess weight gain in our belly! Sleep is actually where we lose fat! That’s right, when our body repairs itself at night, it aides in fat loss and an increased metabolism. Haven’t you ever noticed that you weigh less in the morning after a good night sleep…and when you don’t sleep well, the scale doesn’t drop back down at all?
3. Sleeping less than seven hours per day is associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, stroke, and frequent mental distress.</li> <li>Poor sleeping patterns are strongly linked to depression, particularly for those with a sleeping disorder.
4. Sleeping less than 7–8 hours per night is linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke.
5. Deprivation can cause pre-diabetes in healthy adults in as little as six days. Many studies show a strong link between short sleep duration and type 2 diabetes.
6. Individuals who get enough sleep have been shown to improve many aspects of athletic and physical performance.
7. Sleep improves academic concentration and grades. Getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep can improve your immune function and help fight the common cold. Sleep is important for saving your memories. Our long term memories are stored while we sleep. Getting enough sleep is the most important #selfcare step we can take on a daily basis.

So what can we do to get more rest?

Wayne Giles, M.D., says “Lifestyle changes such as going to bed at the same time each night; rising at the same time each morning; and turning off or removing televisions, computers, mobile devices from the bedroom, can help people get the rest they need.”

We advise our clients of the following:

• Watch how late you are eating
• Reduce all sugar consumption
• Do an activity that helps you relax at night – read a book, stretch or meditate
• Check your actual sleep patterns with a watch or tracking device (we love our Oura rings)
• And…get your phone out of your bedroom at night!

The key to a long happy and healthy life, is really all about your sleep, it really is that important!