I did NOT want to get out of bed this morning. This brings us to today’s topic, sleep. For the longest time I was riding the new wave of..sleep less, do more. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead”...High achievers work more, sleep less. Well, that wave has crashed and the new wave is…get your sleep!! Everyone functions differently. Personally, I am best with 6-7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Maybe a 20 minute cat nap during the day. But why is sleep so darn important and how do you decide how much or how little you need?
Sleep is important for different brain functions. Sleep improves how nerve cells communicate with each other. Sleep removes toxins in your brain that build up during the day. Sleep improves tissues in the body such as the brain, heart, lungs, immune functions, mood, and the ability to fight off disease. A lack of sleep and you run the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and obesity.
The amount of sleep you need changes with age. Most adults need 7-9 hours of sleep a night, however, every body is different and some may vary from those numbers. Exercise can help you fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer. There is a link between strength and sleep. Strength training for as little as two days a week, an hour each day, can have a great impact. Studies have shown that sleep can increase in length by as little as 17min by adding strength training to your regular routine. If you struggle to fall asleep or struggle to stay asleep it could be an imbalance of hormones or minerals within your body.
Inadequate sleep can negatively impact physical performance and has been linked to negative metabolic health. This means that you are at a higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease. Sleep deprivation can impair muscular endurance and strength, delay muscle recovery, and increase the risk of injury, and reduce muscle growth. Sleep is necessary for muscle recovery.
To improve sleep you should try to go to sleep and wake up at the same time each night and each morning. Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime because both disrupt the sleep cycle. Caffeine is a stimulant, making it hard to fall asleep. Alcohol might help you to fall asleep, but will later disrupt the sleep cycle. Be sure your sleep area is dark, limit screen time before bed, exercise regularly, but not too close to the time you need to go to sleep. Be sure your hormones and minerals are in balance. Melatonin, estrogen, progesterone, cortisol, and testosterone, calcium, and magnesium impact sleep by regulating our sleep-wake cycle. The right balance of hormones and minerals will help to improve sleep. If you aren’t sure what your levels are, get those checked.
Comments