Sleep is the foundation of good health. Without proper rest, the body simply cannot repair and replenish the cells, muscle growth and the control of hormones that regulate appetite and growth. All the nutrients we take in, the best eating plan and careful monitoring of the quality of foods we ingest are all wasted if we are sleep deprived. During sleep, our bodies are able to accomplish the following activities necessary for a healthy functioning mind and body:
- Sleep regulates hormones. Sleep does this by slowing down the production of certain hormones like ghrelin and increasing other hormones like leptin. Regulating these hormones is crucial in weight control because too much ghrelin increases the appetite while too little leptin will fail to trigger the message to the brain that the body has had enough food.
- Sleep gives our bodies time to repair torn down and damaged muscle tissue. It never ceases to amaze me at the number of youngsters I talk to in the gym who think they are building their muscles during their workouts. In actuality, what they are doing is tearing those muscle fibers down. The only time those fibers have a chance to heal and rebuild themselves into bigger, stronger muscles is not during the workout process, or after by consuming a huge protein meal. The only time the muscle tissue can heal and rebuild is during sleep!
- Sleep burns body fat by metabolizing certain stress hormones. Your body produces hormones like cortisol and epinephrine that can lead to weight gain if not controlled by enough sleep and stress reduction.
SO YOU THINK YOU GET ENOUGH SLEEP?
Do you find that you need an alarm clock to wake up in the morning? If so, then no matter how much sleep you think you’re getting, you are sleep deprived. That’s right; it does not matter if you are sleeping 7, 8 or 10 hours a night. If some form of external stimuli is needed to wake you up rather than your body’s own internal process, then your body is not done with its internal housekeeping. And more likely than not, you are sleep deprived.
LACK OF SLEEP MAKES US FAT
Sleep deprivation slows down your metabolism and can cause you to gain fat. Why? Because as mentioned earlier, sleep regulates our hormones. When we interfere with this process by depriving the body of enough sleep, our metabolisms slow down to conserve energy. This slowdown triggers the release of the hormone cortisol. Cortisol increases the appetite. If you get caught in a vicious cycle of too little sleep, cortisol along with ghrelin increases hunger and slows down the production of the hormone leptin. This tells the body it has had enough food. Medical Doctor and wellness expert, Dr. Christine Northup, is the author of the best-selling book, Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom. Dr. Northup states in the documentary, Hungry for Change, that lack of sleep will prevent one from metabolizing the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. This in turn will cause fluid retention. Dr. Northup warns that this water retention or liquid pounds will turn into real (fat) pounds if we do not get enough deep sleep. Anyone trying to keep their weight down is sabotaging their weight loss efforts by not getting enough sleep.
LET’S EXPERIMENT
Forget about the conventional eight hours of sleep per night. If you need that alarm clock to wake you, something is wrong. Try this experiment: go to bed as early as possible, maybe on the weekends when you do not have to work the next day. Go to sleep without setting your alarm, and let yourself wake up naturally with no external stimuli to aid you. Note the time you fell asleep and the time you woke up. This period of time is the required sleep you need. It may fluctuate somewhat from day to day depending on your physical activity and stress levels, but you will have a general idea of how much sleep your body really needs.
THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE QUANTITY
Getting yourself the right amount of sleep to replenish your body to allow cell rebuilding and hormone regulation is crucial, but the quality of your sleep is just as important. I’m mainly referring to your environment. Make a list and check off the following if they are meeting your sleep surroundings in allowing you to get your best night’s rest:
- Temperature– This is one of the biggest factors in the quality of one’s sleep. The temperature you set in your home when sleeping varies as everyone has different comfort levels as to what the ideal temperature should be when sleeping. My personal preference is to set my room temperature at 71 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit. For me, this is the optimum temperature that keeps me comfortable during the night when sleeping. But whatever your ideal room temperature is, make sure it is set the same every night to ensure your optimum comfort when you sleep.
- White noise– Some people need to sleep with their surroundings in total silence. Others need to hear some type of sound or what is commonly referred to as white noise. I personally need the latter. I have never bothered to investigate the reason why I need to hear some type of noise, but I have found I sleep best when I hear my fan oscillating at a low speed or listening to some relaxing music.
- Sleep on a comfortable bed– This comes down to preference as to what best suits our individual body types and comfort levels. I prefer a firm mattress since this feels better on my back, but many may need a different type of mattress to suit their needs. Find out what works for you and best and gives you the greatest comfort. Then invest in a bed that suits your personal needs.
- Physical activity – Doing some kind of activity right before bed, such as running or swimming, can have a very relaxing effect on the muscles and body in general and help induce sleep. Try doing some night jogging or swimming for 30 minutes. Then take a warm bath. This should help relax your body and prepare you for sleep.
- Keep your thoughts to a minimum– This can be tough to do at night, especially before bed, since this is when our brain is doing a rewind of everything that happened during the day. However, when we have too much to think about concerning what we are doing or what we need to get done, and if we focus too much on this before bed, then our sleep is likely to suffer. This really comes down to stress management. Set your priorities straight, and think about what you plan to do tomorrow. Then once you get into bed, let it go and pick it up the next day when you are ready to start the day again.
WHAT ABOUT FOOD & SUPPLEMENTATION FOR BETTER SLEEP?
There are a number of natural foods and supplements that may help induce sleep:
Melatonin– Melatonin is a natural hormone made by the body’s pineal gland, a small gland located in the middle of the brain. Melatonin is also available as a dietary supplement and can be sold without a prescription. Because melatonin is not a drug, synthetic melatonin is currently not regulated by the FDA. Because melatonin is not regulated by the FDA, listed dosages may not be controlled or accurate. Always check with a nutrition oriented doctor or medical professional before supplementing your sleep routine with melatonin.
Magnesium- Magnesium has been shown to reduce nervousness and help induce sleep. Magnesium rich foods include kelp, brewer’s yeast, almonds and cashews.
Calcium– Calcium, when ingested in food, has a sedative effect on the body. Good sources of calcium are organic dairy products (be sure to consume only dairy that is free of pesticides, growth hormones, and GMO feed).
B Vitamins– The B vitamins – B6, 12 and Inositol, have been shown to help calm nerves and induce sleep. Be sure to consume a light meal before consuming B vitamin supplements as the food will act as a catalyst for the vitamin supplements allowing the B vitamins to do their job.
Just eating well will not give your body what it needs to maintain and improve health. Nor will just sleeping enough. It’s a combination of the two (combined with exercise of course) that will improve health, weight control and vitality. Get enough deep, quality sleep and watch your stress levels decrease, your health increase, and most of all, watch those pounds disappear!
References:
James Colquhoun, C. L. (Director). (2012). Hungry for Change [Motion Picture].
National Sleep Foundation. (n.d, n.d n.d). National Sleep Foundation. Retrieved January 30, 2015, from Melatonin and Sleep: http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/melatonin-and-sleep
Holistic Online.com. (n.d., n.d n.d). Nutrition Vitamins and Supplements. Retrieved January 30, 2015, from Holistic Online.com: http://www.holistic-online.com/remedies/sleep/sleep_ins_nutrition.htm
