Issue 6.2010
Do you get enough? Did you know lack of sleep is the North American deficiency that most people do not even realize they have.
In this issue you'll learn:
- You can not catch up on missed sleep
- Sleep delivers much more than just a feeling of rest
- How to improve your quality of sleep
I hope you find value in this information and thank you for allowing me to share my passion, training and experience in nutrition,
holistic healing, natural health and wellness with you. I welcome your comments & feedback!
Warm & Healthy Regards,
Diane McLaren C.C.Ir., R.O.H.P., R.N.C.P.
Natural Health Practitioner
(905) 855-3000
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From birth, we spend a third of our lives asleep, but after many years of
intense research, science still doesn't know why! We all know we can't live without sleep so
let's look into why quality of sleep
directly affects our health, and what we can do about it.
How often have you put off a decision until you've had time to sleep on it?
Consider a quote by John Steinbeck "It is a common experience,
that a problem difficult at night is resolved in
the morning after the committee of sleep has
worked on it.”
Too many people are not just sick and tired of struggling with weight or battling symptoms of illness, they are actually sick just because they are tired!
Contrary to popular belief, you cannot catch up on lost sleep!
When you sleep less than you are mean to,
melatonin is not the only hormone affected, in
fact, there are at least 10 different hormones
as well as many more neurotransmitters in the
brain that scramble when you do not sleep well/enough.
Melatonin is just the tip of the iceberg!
It is all the other shifts that negatively affect appetite, fertility,
stress, mental and cardiac health, happiness and so on!
Of course there are now countless research studies linking a lack of adequate
restful sleep with accident rates. The dangers of operating machinery
including motor vehicles continues to take its toll.
When you become aware of the impacts
and begin improving your quantity and quality of daily sleep, you
will:
- Lose weight and easily maintain it
- Curb craving for carbohydrates
- Dramatically improve levels of
depression
- Lower blood pressure and stress levels
- Reverse symptoms of Type II diabetes
- Minimize risks of heart disease
- Reduce the potential for developing
cancer
- Improve the ability to learn, remember
and recollect information
- Notice heightened awareness and clarity
of real-time thinking
- Enjoy more positive moods and
an ability to better cope with challenges
- Get more done, in less time with less
effort
Not bad for getting a few quality zzz's
each night but for many, getting good, adequate
sleep is difficult.
Why is it difficult to get a decent
night's sleep?
The trouble began with the invention
of the light bulb.
The human body evolved based on its environment over tens of thousands of
years whereas our modern reality spans not much more than a hundred years.
- When we do not sleep in synch with seasonal light exposure, we alter our
pre-wired biological rhythms that control hormones and neurotransmitters
determining appetite, fertility, mental and physical health.
- By relying on artificial light and warmth to extend our days, we fool
our bodies into living in a perpetual state of summer.
- Anticipating the food scarcity and inactivity of each winter season, our
bodies automatically begin storing fat and slowing the metabolism to sustain
us thought months of hibernation and hunger ... that never arrives.
The additional effects of work place stress and long hours cannot be
ignored!
How to get a good night's sleep?
The demands of today’s lifestyle are never ending but the one part of your
day you should covet is your sleep time.
Sleeping, eating, and sex control aging by counter-acting the effects of
stress giving our bodies time to recover. Sleep is “the great healer”.
Research at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., shows that
less than an average of 8 hours of sleep at night causes premature aging and the
science of circadian rhythmicity (light-and-dark cycles) explains how sleeping
controls eating and stress.
The hormonal changes caused by sleep deprivation and more free
radicals mean faster aging.
- Avoid the effects of sleep deprivation and pre-mature aging by
establishing a regular, restful sleep cycle even if it’s only 7 hours (8-9 in
winter)
- Go to bed at the same time every night
- Adopt a relaxing routine, bath, herbal tea, reading 20-30 minutes before
bed time, Do not eat 2-3 hours before going to bed as it impairs both
digestion and sleep
- Consider avoiding any caffeine after noon
Don't try to change everything tomorrow.
Instead, focus on making 1 or 2 small changes like no coffee after 11:30 am.
Try that for a week or two then move on to 15 minutes of personal time each
evening and make sure everyone knows it's your time for reading or a favourite
hobby.
In a few weeks establish your bed time and what you'll be doing in
preparation e.g. reading, bath, etc.
You didn't fall out of the habit of poor
sleep overnight so give yourself a break and
take it slow. As you begin to change old
habits, you'll find you ability to relax
improves and that in turn will contribute to
better sleep .. and the many benefits of it!
Want to learn more? Get the book "Lights Out" by T.S. Wiley and Formby.
If you have questions about sleep, troubling symptoms, a weight goal or would like to know
how to get a formal wellness plan in motion, I would be honored to be of service.
Consulting services are available in office or by-phone in Canada or the USA.
Healthy regards,!
Diane McLaren
Healthy You Naturally Wellness Centre
(905) 855-3000
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