The Importance of Sleep

Of all the aspects of health and fitness, I believe sleep is the one that’s most often underrated. You could be doing everything right to get to your goals, but not seeing any progress.

If this sounds like you, poor sleep may be the culprit. Studies have shown inadequate sleep (5 hours or less) is correlated with higher weight (1).

Why is this? Well, your body senses poor sleep as a stressor. A stressor is recognized as a threat (2).

Photo Credit: http://www.sleepinglittledreamers.com/2014/04/how-parents-can-manage-sleep-and-stress/

Once your body senses this threat, it begins to secrete the stress hormone cortisol. As you get less and less sleep each night, that stressor is increased.

Chronic elevation of cortisol makes primary use of sugar to meet the body’s energy demands instead of fat. It can also break down muscle tissue, so you burn less calories throughout the day. Recent studies have actually shown that increased secretion weakens the immune system, which is why you may get sick after a several days of insufficient sleep.

So its no wonder why poor sleep can wreak havoc on your body composition. But it doesn’t have to be this way. All you have to do is sleep better. It sounds so easy, right? Well you can definitely make it that way.

Here are three easy tips to get you on the path to sleeping well.

1. Plan when you are going to bed.

I know this may sound weird, but most people live by a schedule. It is full of meetings, events, and tasks that need to be done throughout the day.

If you do not get those things done, you will be more likely to work on them during the night. This is the time you should be sleeping.

Most research shows that 7-9 hours seems to be the magic number. So, set an event in your calendar or an alarm to go off when you need to get to bed that will allow you to get this many hours.

When you are extremely busy, time can get away from you easily. This serves as a friendly reminder to drop whatever you are doing and rest.

This tip may sound odd at first, but trust me it works. You just have to be disciplined to put your work down and finish it later.

2. Do not use any electronics 30 minutes-1 hour before you go to bed.

Most come home from work, eat dinner, then watch tv before bed. In fact, 95% of Americans report use of some sort of electronic device in the hour before they sleep (3).

The problem with this is it disrupts your hormone secretion. Your body is very smart, and it senses when it is dark or light outside.

This controls what type of hormones are secreted. They will either help you wake up or fall asleep.

In the case of sleep, the hormone melatonin is released. It helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. This is also why it is also very important for your room to be dark when you sleep.

If you are using an electronic device, the light can interrupt melatonin secretion. This can disrupt your sleep cycle, contributing to your stress.

So the best thing to do is to cut electronic use 30 minutes-1 hour before bed. This will ensure your hormone cycle isn’t disturbed, meaning more peaceful sleep for you.

3. Create a sleep routine

A sleep routine is a routine you perform before you fall asleep.

It is a great option for those who have trouble falling asleep once they go to bed. In a sense, you are training your body to fall asleep faster.

All you need to do is pick a few different things to do right before you plan on falling asleep. These can be anything you want like taking a shower then reading a book.

As you do this over time, your body begins to learn this routine. Once this happens, you will find yourself getting very sleepy as you start reading your book. Your body now realizes it’s time for bed, and you will fall asleep much faster.

When you pair this with the other two tips, it can be the  perfect solution to better sleep.

So there you go!

Three easy tips that can be put into practice tonight.

Sleep is highly undervalued. But the fact is, it is imperative to your health and fitness goals.

Do not take it lightly. It’s not just about getting sleep. It’s about getting quality sleep.

These three tips can be used to do just that. Try them out and you will feel more energized, less stressed, and look better too. 🙂

If you are looking for a personal trainer in Savannah, contact me to set up a consultation.

And if you found any of this information helpful, or know of someone it could help please share with others!

References:

1. Spivey, A. Lose sleep, gain weight: another piece of the obesity puzzle. Environ Health Perspect. Jan 2010, 118(1): A28-A33.

2. Seaward, Brian L. Managing Stress: Principles and Strategies for Health and Wellbeing. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2006.

3. http://sleepfoundation.org/media-center/press-release/annual-sleep-america-poll-exploring-connections-communications-technology-use-