Let's Talk About Sleep
Let’s Talk About SLEEP!
What happens if we don’t sleep well:
• Lack of sleep impairs insulin sensitivity. Even ONE night of impaired sleep can make us as insulin resistant as a type 2 diabetic. Good diet, exercise, and getting caught up on sleep will reverse this mess if you are consistent!
• Increases inflammation: all modern degenerative diseases have a commonality of increased inflammation in the body.
• Increases gut permeability. Leaky gut is bad news! Not sleeping enough will increase your chances of digestive problems.
• Impairs immune function (which causes stuffy noses, coughs, and sickness)
• Alters hormones. Are you having trouble losing fat and gaining muscle? Take a look at your sleep patterns.
• Causes cravings.
• Cognitive impairment. Our reaction times and decision making capabilities are impaired.
Why is it that a good sleep is difficult to achieve?
• We sacrifice sleep to work more.
• Parties and social hours are always in the evening!
• The rise of internet, cell phones, social media, and TV channels galore allow us to have technology available at all hours of the day and night. Think about this. Years and years ago, when the sun went down, it was dark! Pretty simple concept, yet now, once the sun goes down we are bombarded with light. TV’s, cell phones, tablets, computers all provide enough light to suppress the production of melatonin, which should occur at this time in the evening. Now we feel “wired” and fidgety, and tend to crave junk food and alcohol in the evening.
HOW TO GET AN AWESOME SLEEP
1. Get more daytime sun.
2. Our evenings need to be darker, cooler and quiet. Dim your lights!
3. Limit evening technology. You can purchase a pair of “blue blockers” to wear in the evening while watching TV or on the computer that remove the blue wavelengths of light from your screens.
4. Sleep in a cool room.
5. Sleep in a dark room. PITCH BLACK. No alarm clocks, black out blinds, no TV’s or blinking lights.
6. Keep a journal. If you are a worrier, thinker, over analyzer – keep a journal handy and write down all of the things you need to do the next day.
7. Get a good mattress.
8. Alternate hot/cold shower. Hot for 10 seconds, cold for 20, alternate 5-10 times. This resets our circadian rhythm which helps us to unwind and sleep.
9. Make a consistent schedule and stick to it. Kids sleep better on a routine right? It is no surprise adults do as well.
10. Stable blood sugar - eliminate alcohol, processed foods, and sugary foods. Fuel your body with protein, healthy fats, and fruits and veggies.