Many of us have spent the last few weeks adjusting to a new lifestyle. Due to the changes in our environment, our eating habits, exercise routine and sleep habits are adapting to a new norm. Eating a well balanced diet, exercising 1 hour a day and sleeping 7-9 hours a night are a few things that can keep us healthy and well!
We may find ourselves eating more than usual because we are feeling stressed or we maybe we are just closer to the kitchen. Many of us are unsure about working out at the gym, and we are relying on walking or hiking near home or finding videos online to use to keep up our exercise routine.
We may find we are not sleeping as well either because we are concerned about catching the virus, working from home, having enough food and/or toilet paper in the house!! The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults should sleep between 7-9 hours and teens need at least 8-10 hours of sleep. Studies show one in three Americans do not sleep well on a regular basis (28%)
There are so many benefits of sleep!
There are so many benefits of sleep!
When we sleep, our bodies may be at rest, but are brains are busy at work! During sleep the brain
is able to clear out any toxins that build up during the day and prepare you for a new day of
thinking and learning!
1) Good sleep allows us to think clearly, remember information, make good decisions and be
more creative. A lack of sleep can lead to difficulty focusing, paying attention or reacting to
situations in a timely manner.
2) Good sleep allows our hunger and weight to remain in check. A lack of sleep is associated
with an increase in Ghrelin and a decrease in leptin which can lead to increased intake and higher
calorie intake.
Leptin and Ghrelin are two hormones that assist with the regulation of food intake and weight.
Ghrelin is involved with hunger initiation. Think of Ghrelin as your stomach "growling," and it
is time to eat! As you eat and your stomach stretches. Ghrelin levels will decrease and you will
begin to feel full. As a person eats and adds body fat, leptin levels increase and this signals
appetite suppression.
BUT, if you wake up in the middle of the night and are craving a snack--it is typically because leptin levels are low and ghrelin levels are high. When you are deprived of sleep, ghrelin levels are high and leptin levels are low--again you feel hungry.
3) Various research studies have shown sleeping less than 6 hours a day can increase the risk of heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, about 45% of middle aged adults with these conditions (high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and heart disease) could have an increased risk of cancer or death if they sleep less than 6 hours a day.
4) Yes, it is true- lack of sleep can negatively affect your immune system. Studies have shown that people who don't get enough sleep are more likely to get ill after being exposed to a virus, and it can take longer to recover.
Here are some great tips to sleep better at night:
Consider non-caffeinated beverages and non-alcoholic beverages two or more hours before bedtime. Consuming caffeine can keep you awake and alcohol can disrupt your sleep.
Exercising too close to bedtime can lead to an interrupted sleep.
Check if your bedroom creates a "soothing" environment. Is it cluttered and distracting you from sleeping?
Limit screen time before bed--the bright lights from electronics and LED bulbs can disrupt your sleep. The artificial blue light on electronics can suppress melatonin (a sleep inducing hormone).
What if you cannot fall asleep within 15-20 minutes of laying down or you wake up in the middle of the night and just cannot go back to sleep? According to sleep experts, it is recommended you get up and go to another room. Engage in a relaxing activity--maybe listening to soothing music or reading. Return to bed when you feel sleepy.
Wishing you a Wonderful Restful Night-and many more to come!
Klok, MD, and S Jakobsdottir . “The Role of Leptin and Ghrelin in the Regulation of Food .” Https://Onlinelibrary.wiley.com/Doi/Full/10.1111/J.1467-789X.2006.00270.x, 2007, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2006.00270.x.
Layton, Julia. “Is a Lack of Sleep Making Me Fat?” HowStuffWorks Science, HowStuffWorks, 27 Jan. 2020, science.howstuffworks.com/life/inside-the-mind/human-brain/sleep-obesity1.htm.
Olsen, Eric. 28 Nov 2018. "Lack of Sleep: Can it make you sick?" May Clinic, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/expert-answers/lack-of-sleep/faq-20057757.
“Sleeping Less than Six Hours and Heart Disease, Stroke – Deadly Combo.”American Heart Association, newsroom.heart.org/news/sleeping-less-than-six-hours-and-heart-disease-stroke-deadly-combo?preview=2800.
“Sleep Topics.” National Sleep Foundation, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics.
Anita Ramani MEd, RDN
Edited by Judy Bailey MS, RD CDCES
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