The Sleep Factor
Tired of feeling tired? Addressing your sleep may be the key to feeling better and losing weight.
Your dry, itchy eyes struggle to make out the numbers on the clock after the loud buzzing wakes you from a deep sleep. Feeling half alive, you swing your heavy arm over the clock and drop it a few times until you finally silence the alarm. Bringing the covers up to your chin, you revel in the warmth and drift back to sleep.
Even though this might sound somewhat typical, it actually could be a sign of sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation has been linked to motor vehicle accidents, reduced employee productivity, and serious health problems like obesity, cardiovascular disease, and depression. In fact, getting adequate sleep is just as important to disease prevention and weight loss as eating healthy, exercising, and controlling your stress levels.
According to the National Sleep Foundation, people are getting over an hour less sleep today than they were a few decades ago. Ideally, most adults should be getting just over eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night Stats Canada reveals that 47 per cent of Canadians will cut back on their sleep in order to add more time to their day. Women report more problems sleeping than men.
So what are some of the most common causes of sleep problems? What exactly occurs in your body while you sleep? Is weight gain really associated with a lack of sleep? What can you do to support healthy sleep habits?
Common causes of sleep problems
There can be many underlying conditions that may cause a variety of sleep problems, including stress, a newborn baby, shift work, sleep apnea (breathing problems during sleep), Restless Leg Syndrome, menopausal symptoms, (e.g., night sweats), digestive disturbances, and an over-consumption of alcohol and/or caffeine. It is important to seek the advice of your primary health care practitioner for a proper assessment and treatment solutions for your sleep problems.
What happens when we sleep?
Contrary to popular belief, our body is very active while we sleep. Growth, follicle stimulating, and luteinizing hormones are released during sleep and affect growth, development, the reproductive system, memory, and learning. Your metabolism does slow down during sleep, but other systems and their associated organs in the body, such as the endocrine, nervous, and immune systems, remain quite active.
Good sleep regime
In order to avoid the potentially serious effects of sleep loss, consider following some of these lifestyle recommendations:
- Keep the bedroom as dark as possible and keep light sources (digital alarm clocks, night lights, etc.) away from your eyes while you sleep. Light may decrease the release of the melatonin hormone, which plays an important role in helping you fall and stay asleep.
- Avoid eating right before bed. It will be difficult to achieve a good night's sleep if your body is busy digesting a large meal. Eating a lot before bed may also contribute to heartburn.
- Try to limit your intake of excess caffeine, alcohol, tobacco, and other stimulants that can affect your quality and quantity of sleep.
Weight gain s a result of sleep loss
There is some evidence to suggest that not getting enough sleep can adversely affect levels of leptin, cortisol, and ghrelin, the hormones that are involved in appetite control, fat storage, and muscle tissue development, and in turn, weight loss. In short, a lack of sleep can lead to being overweight and obese.
Are There Natural Supplements that can help improve your sleep?
Supporting healthy sleeping habits involves addressing the cause. Again, it is important to talk to your primary health care provider about any health-related concerns you may have. However, if menopausal night sweats are contributing to many sleepless nights, we offer Meno-Plus. It contains Black Cohosh and may help relieve those symptoms, for more information, visit your local Herbal Magic centre. One of the major causes of sleep apnea is being overweight or obese, so a safe and effective weight loss program can benefit people with this condition. Deficiencies or sub-optimal levels of nutrients like folic acid, iron, vitamin B12, and the complex of B vitamins may contribute to symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome. Ensuring adequate calcium and magnesium intake through diet and supplements can help decrease muscle tension, support the nervous system, and act as a sleep aid.
Remember...
Try to get eight hours of sleep every night, and try to aim for the same eight hours to establish a regular bedtime and waking hour.
Think twice before you consider burning the midnight oil. Your lack of sleep can affect your heart, nervous system, and even your waistline - hampering your efforts to lose weight.
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