More SLEEP for sustainable weight loss??
I want you to note how much sleep do you get per night?
Are you able to sleep deeply?
Do you fall asleep easily?
Do you have a bedtime routine that allows you to easily slip into ease, relaxation and slumber?
I have some excellent information and tips that will help you ease into and get more sleep.
FACTS:
Most adults need between 7 to 9 hours of sleep per day. Getting less than 6 to 7 hours of sleep for just one night can have an effect on you the next day. And chronically missing out on sleep increases the risk of disease. All the more reason to get some sleep, right? Here are 10 reasons why you should call it an early night.
- 2021 saw a new record of adults worldwide experiencing high amounts of stress (40%). This 5% jump from 2019 represents nearly 190 million extra highly stressed-out people.
- It’s estimated that 20% of the world’s population is sleep deprived. (Even though lower sleep lengths have been linked to 7 out of the 15 leading causes of death, like heart disease, diabetes, and accidents due to lack of alertness, and more.)
- Lack of sleep wreaks absolute havoc on every bodily system, and impacts everything from your relationships, to your concentration and cognitive capacity.
- The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says that education about sleep and sleep disorders is lacking in “medical school curricula, graduate medical education, and education programs for other health professionals.”
- Sleep science is advancing at unseen-before speeds, and stress management is becoming the agreed-upon key difference that sets high-performers like athletes and executives apart from their peers.
1. Sleep Keeps Your Heart Healthy
During sleep, your body releases hormones that keep your heart and blood vessels healthy. Lack of sleep has been associated with worsening blood pressure and heart function. This can be a problem if you already have a heart condition, and, over time, it, can lead to heart disease.
Your heart will be healthier if you get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
2.Sleep May Help Regulate Blood Sugar
Sleep helps regulate your body’s metabolism. And sleep deprivation can have a number of health effects related to your metabolism. One of these is a fluctuation of your glucose (sugar) levels. This can be a problem for people who have diabetes and it can also increase the risk of developing diabetes
Sleep helps your mind and body relax and recover from your day. When you are deprived of sleep, your body releases stress hormones. Stress can cause you to react in ways that aren’t productive—sometimes making rash decisions or acting out of fear.
3.Sleep Reduces Stress
Without a good night’s sleep, you can end up feeling anxious until you finally get some much-needed rest. TIP: Learn relaxation techniques to fall asleep faster so you can get the sleep your body needs.
4.Sleep Reduces Inflammation
Sleep regulates your immune system. When you don’t get enough sleep, inflammation can result. You won’t usually notice excess inflammation, but it can have an effect on your body. Chronic inflammation damages the body and increases the risk of many health conditions, including ulcers, dementia, heart disease, and more.
5.Sleep Makes You More Alert
A good night’s sleep makes you feel energized and alerts the next day. This will help you focus, get things done, and be able to socialize and enjoy recreation and hobbies. Energy and alertness also help you exercise, which is important for your overall health.
Being engaged and active throughout your day feels great—and all that activity from your day also increases your chances for another good night’s sleep.
6.Sleep Improves Your Memory
Researchers have found that sleep plays an important role in a process called memory consolidation. During sleep, your body may be resting, but your brain is busy processing your day, making connections between events, sensory input, feelings, and memories.
Deep sleep is a very important time for your brain to make memories and links, and getting more quality sleep will help you remember things better in the long run.
7.Sleep May Help You Lose Weight!!! YES YES YES!
Researchers have found that people who sleep fewer hours per night are more likely to be overweight or obese. It is thought that a lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body that affect appetite.
The hormones ghrelin and leptin which regulate appetite, have been found to be disrupted by lack of sleep. If you want to maintain or lose weight, don’t forget that getting adequate sleep on a regular basis is a huge part of the equation.
8.Sleep Helps Your Balance
Sleep helps you maintain optimal physical abilities. Studies show that sleep deprivation leads to impaired short-term postural stability. This can lead to increased injuries and falls. Even if it’s mild, postural instability can affect your daytime physical performance during exercise and sports.
9.Sleep Helps Executive Function
Executive function involves complex thinking, such as the ability to problem-solve, plan, and make decisions. Along with alertness and memory, executive function helps you with work, school, social interactions, and life in general. One night of sleep deprivation can impair executive function the next day.
10.Sleep Helps the Body Repair Itself
Sleep is a time for you to relax, but it’s also a time during which the body is hard at work repairing damage caused by stress, ultraviolet rays, and other harmful exposure. Your cells produce certain proteins while you are sleeping. These protein molecules form the building blocks for cells, allowing them to repair the damage of the day so you can stay healthy.
BONUS: Health Benefits of Deep Sleep
During deep sleep, the body releases growth hormone. This is a chemical that helps build and repair tissues.
Growth hormone is vital for normal growth in childhood, but it also plays a role in adult bodies. It helps build muscle after exercise and limit the effects of normal wear and tear on the body. The increased blood flow to the muscles that happens during deep sleep helps these processes.
Deep sleep may also play a role in clearing waste from the brain, such as a protein called beta-amyloid, which is found in abnormal amounts in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Removing this waste helps your brain process and store memories.
Deep sleep also helps your immune system function better, and puts energy back into your cells.
How many hours of sleep do you get?
How many hours of deep sleep do you get?
What are some ways you can start your bedtime routine earlier, even 15-30 minutes so you can start getting these amazing benefits of sleep?
HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR EASING INTO AN EARLIER AND BETTER NIGHTS REST:
1. Create a bedtime routine. Assess how much you get now and start practicing getting into bed 15-30 minutes earlier, until you reach the desired time you need for sleep.
2. This could look like;
>Taking an epsom salt bath for 10-15 minutes, use lavendar oils for more relaxation.
>Have some sleepytime chamomile or lavendar tea to ease you into relaxation and hour before bed
>Try using melatonin – not too much. Most come in the form of 5 mg, try 1/2 to start with. Don’t make a habi os using it noghtly otherwise your body will require it to relax. Perhaps take weekends off, or really decide if you need it during the week. Taking too much could have you waking up groggy if you don’t get enough sleep.
> Try using sound to fall asleep. You can go to YouTube for sounds that soothe – I like rain sound. Or I use the Calm App which also has sounds for sleep. I use the Rain sound every night.
>There is an excellent YouTube Channel dedicated to sleep hypnosis and guided mediations for sleep. Go here, the name is Michal Sealey. I often fall asleep to many of these.
In love, light, and empowerment for living your true highest self and your best life!
Shelley xoxo
