Sleep your way to Good Health …

September 6, 2022

We spend about a third of our life sleeping, and yet there is still a lot of research being done on why we actually sleep. Sleep is an important part of our health. Insufficient sleep is often directly linked to human errors, disasters, and diseases. Sleep quality relates to depression, increased mortality, and reduced productivity and quality of life.

We live overcommitted over simulated lifestyles with not enough downtime for sleep and rejuvenation – and that is affecting us significantly. Insomnia is pervasive and people feel exhausted most of the time.

Wakefield Research from 2019 shows the following:

78% of Americans reveal they do not set aside time in their days for sleep/relaxation
49% report they do not get the sleep they need
63% struggle to get a good night’s sleep while on vacation

Consuming caffeine late in the day, alcohol late at night, binging on political news reports, lack of scheduling, and simply not taking enough time off are among the main reasons why we cannot get sufficient rest.

The amount of sleep we get is related to the quality of life issues such as:

Cell renewal and rejuvenation
Management of stress hormones
Gut health
Weight gain
Chronic disease development
Cognitive functioning
Safety

And more…

This leads many to seek medical care and often start relying on drugs to get and stay asleep, setting them up for even more negative side effects

So… what is considered a normal sleep pattern? How do we even know that we have a sleep problem?

Sleep professionals like to use the “rule of threes” to figure out whether you should be concerned about your sleep and seek help.

Pay attention to the following three:

3 nights a week – trouble falling or staying asleep
30+ minutes– stay awake per night
The above lasts for 3 weeks or more in a row

What factors lead to sleep?

Strongest sleep drive: between 2-4 am, 1-3 pm
Melatonin (sleep hormone) is one of the biggest influencers, increases with evening darkness and reduces when it is bright, helping orient the body’s circadian rhythm.
Melatonin Production decreases after the age of 50

What are the stages of sleep?

Sleep is not uniform. On a typical night, a person goes through four stages of sleep, one for Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and three for Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM). Sleep stages allow the brain and body to recuperate and develop.

We spend the most time in deep sleep during the first half of the night.

Failure to obtain enough of both deep sleep and REM sleep can have a profound impact on our cognition and physical health.

What are the prime causes of Insomnia? (~ 30% population)

Increased Cortisol
- Over-committed, over-simulated, not enough downtime
- Anxiety and depression
- Wired and tired – mentally overstimulated, physically exhausted
- Can’t stop thinking that bad things may happen
- Can’t relax and sleep
Diet – High sugar, gluten, processed food
Leaky Gut – inflammation
EMF (Electro Magnetic Frequency) Exposure – Devices especially around in the bedroom

What do people with Insomnia report?

I can’t fall asleep
I can’t stay asleep
I wake up too early
Anxiety
Depression
Pain
Medications
Stress
Environment is not conducive to rest

Health effects from Lack of Sleep

Weight Gain (increased cravings, late-night snacking)
Risk of type II Diabetes (Increased hunger and consumption of carb-dense sweet, salty foods
Increased cortisol levels (Affects BP, circulation, hormones, digestion, and brain chemicals)
Decreased Melatonin levels
Increased Gut inflammation (exacerbates colon inflammation and vice versa)
Adrenal fatigue (tired with body aches)
Memory loss (brain rejuvenation impaired from prolonged lack of sleep)

How can we apply self-care for better sleep?

Try mindfully focusing on the six dimensions of wellness as below:

Emotional Wellness
- Reduce Stress, Hot bath, Decrease EMFs, darken rooms or use an eye mask, white noise machine, and shift thinking from negative to positive
Physical Wellness
- No exercise just before bed, drink plenty of water, balance blood sugar, lose weight
Intellectual Wellness
- Repair digestion, use your own best sleep time (everyone is different), and light reading 1 hour before bed
Social Wellness
- Electronic curfew 1 hour before bed, reduce alcohol 3 hours prior, follow sleep hygiene tips (set a schedule, exercise daily, relax before bed, sleep until sunlight)
Occupational Wellness
- Power naps, stress relieving breaks during the day, flex hours, healthy lunches
Spiritual Wellness
- Meditation, Prayer, Walk around trees and foliage, Relaxing Music