Sleep is vital. Very vital. It's the fair-weathered friend we've had since birth (prenatal even). As babies, we magically slept all day with no problem (no bills or a care in the world, right)??! As toddlers and little kids, we fought our sleep like Mike Tyson in a twelve-round bout (worried we would miss all the fun if we closed our eyes for a second). By the teenage years and early 20s, we acknowledged sleep as a chore we put off for a more enjoyable activity (like going to the club and parties with our friends). Oh, but now that we are older (much older, but still fabulous), we realize sleep is the backbone of wellness and we chase it like a contestant on Amazing Race.
I eagerly raise my hand in the guilt of buying a million dollars' worth of products and services to help me relax and destress for better sleep (point me in the direction of the best spa, please). But after raiding the beauty/relaxation section at Target for the third time this month it dawned on me that there is probably a deeper cause for people's lack of sleep, so I did a little digging (threw on my Sherlock Holmes hat and magnifying glass). It shocked me to learn that 70% of Americans are insufficient in sleep (I mean, I'm glad I'm not alone in this, but it's still shocking) [Lipman, 2018]. And even more shocking was that the main cause of sleeplessness is daytime stress. Let's face it, we all have a lot going on these days, covid-19, working from home, face masks, Lysol and toilet paper stock up and so much more. But that's not even the best part. Are you ready for it??! Lack of sleep makes you fatter, biologically older, causes inflammation, and a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes [Lipman, 2018].
So, of course after reading that bit of information (I immediately laid down to take a nap, lol). But sadly, there is no such thing as playing catch-up when it comes to sleep (I wish I would have known that before my nap). Even though lack of sleep is inflammatory and has a direct effect on the immune system, it doesn't immediately return to normal when you try to "catch up" on sleep (darn it).
At this point in my search, I needed to find the benefits of sleep to offset all the information I've learned thus far (is it just me, or are you still reeling off of the "makes you fatter" part, too)? During sleep, the body repairs itself like a well-oiled machine. Starting with the brain. Fun fact about the brain: it uses ¼ of your daily burned calories (thank you brain, much appreciated). While sleeping, the brain cools down and blood flow slows down allowing the detoxification process to take place [Lipman, 2018]. And as you probably already know, anything that affects the brain affects every other system of the body and is linked to numerous health conditions [Ballantyne, 2017]. Once the brain cools down, it shrinks slightly in size and releases toxins (detox) that build up during the day. Those toxins are released into the bloodstream and filtered out through the liver and kidneys (the Batman and Robin of the organs).
All of this busy work your body does during sleep is essential for mental performance, stable mood, a stronger immune system, healthy stress response, proper cellular repair, and optimal metabolism. I know what you're thinking, "all of that information is fine and dandy, but how much sleep should I be getting?" You ask great questions. You should be shooting for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Easier said than done, right??! #sleepgoals Well, here are some tips to help you reach those sleep goals.
Noire Nutrition
by Aziza Lucas, NTP
留言