Sleep Matters - Part 1
By
Ayda Page
October 14th 2015
3 minutes read
How many hours do you sleep every day? Do you feel tired when you wake up? Do you wake up during the night?
Sleep is the best and easiest way to rest our body and mind. Some people feel fine with just 5 or 6 hours a day, some need 8 or 9 hours. But it's so important for optimum health to give your body the sleep it needs each day.
We sleep for around a third of our life, so I think we should be more careful about the quality of the sleep we get. And if you think that sleep is a passive activity then think again, it's actually a dynamic activity, as our brains are very active during sleep.
When we sleep we usually go through 5 stages.
The first stage is light sleep, and may last around 10 minutes.
After that, in the second stage, your heart rate and body temperature decreases and your body prepares itself for deep sleep.
Stages 3 and 4 are deep sleep. It's during this time that your body repairs itself, builds new bone and muscle and improves the immune system.
The final stage is known as REM - or “Rapid Eye Movement” - sleep, and this is when dreaming usually occurs. Normally REM sleep starts around 90 minutes after you fall asleep.
So why am I telling you all these details about sleep? Because sleep is hugely important to our health. The quality of your sleep is directly connected to so many conditions, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, stress, even your learning ability, clear thinking and mood swings.
First, let's look at obesity and diabetes, 2 conditions that unfortunately 50% of the US population struggle with. Studies have shown that sleep can help regulate weight and improve diabetes, yet sadly 25% of the population is not getting enough sleep.
When you are sleep deprived you will most likely make less healthy food choices during the day, and your cortisol (stress hormone) levels will increase too. It becomes so much harder to resist unhealthy, high calorie foods, and you may especially find yourself craving more sugary foods too.
So what is enough sleep? Science suggests that for most of us 7 to 8 hours per day is enough. Ironically, too much sleep can also have negative effects.
When you're sleep deprived, this of course means you have not rested enough too, and this will most likely make you more hungry, tired, and you'll feel the need for extra calories, maybe even energy drinks too. This leads you to consume more calories a day, but will actually normally lower your energy.
If you get less quality sleep than you need each day for just 1 week you may increase your blood sugar level and insulin resistance. But the good news is that you can easily reverse it too.
If you have a sleep disorder, first you need to identify the reason why. I suggest that for at least one hour before bed time you try to not use any electronic devices, don't check your email, and use your bedroom just as a sleeping area.
A breathing meditation can also help. Just inhale and exhale, counting each breath until you get to 10. If you forget the number then start again from one. When you get to 10, start again from one. Just listen to your breathing and relax!
Have a deep sleep!
http://thegardenisland.com/lifestyles/sleep-matters-part-tips-on-getting-a-night-s-rest/article_7e423300-20e0-5243-b15a-fc70e8679c43.html
http://thegardenisland.com/lifestyles/sleep-matters-part-tips-on-getting-a-night-s-rest/article_7e423300-20e0-5243-b15a-fc70e8679c43.html
