Let’s talk about SLEEP…

Do we need more sleep?

Does lack of quality sleep affect our health?

Is there a link between poor sleep and Alzheimer’s disease?

Dr. Mark Hyman, MD, Functional Medicine, says:

*Sleep is a major cornerstone for an energetic, joyful and healthy life.

*He says to: “Get better sleep and live longer.”

*He says: “Sleep is more important than your diet.”

Well, I haven’t been sleeping good lately. So I think, okay, this is just random; it’ll get better.

Well, it hasn’t. And my Our ring tells me it affects my heart rate variability when I don’t sleep good.   So I decided to re-organize my life and make it better.

I also did some research and thought you might want to check out some things I uncovered, which most of us know but which I had transferred to the back of my mind.

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So here are a few “sleep facts”.

*Sleep is your body’s first line of defense against infections and disease.

*During sleep, your body produces proteins called cytokines that fight inflammation and infection.

*When you are exposed to infectious pathogens, or are chronically stressed, or have inflammation, your body increases production of these cytokines to fight the illness.  (Sleep deprivation hinders this, hindering your wellness)

*Sometimes sleep disturbances are linked with early stages of infection.  Irregular sleep patterns could signal that your body is fighting off illness.  (Lack of sleep slows down this immune response and allows illness to progress.)

*You may be part of the ⅓ of Americans who don’t get enough sleep every night.

Do you know that what you do during the day affects how you sleep at night?  Here are some tips suggested by Dr. Mark Hyman:

1.     Our bodies like Rhythm.  Try your best to keep a regular sleep schedule.  Go to bed and wake up close to the same time every day—even on weekends.

2.     Getting out of your circadian rhythm can be one cause of “chronic fatigue syndrome”.  Getting up at the same time (approximately) and going to bed (mostly) at the same time, helps set your internal clock to get your mind and body prepared for bedtime, and makes it easier for you to get up the next morning.

3.     Get more daylight and less artificial light.  Spending time outside during the day can make it easier for you to fall asleep at night.  If you must spend a lot of time inside, try to sit close to a window, or take breaks outside.

4.     A walk outside in the morning is perfect to reset your rhythm give a boost to your sleeping well at night.

5.     Spend less time with electronics.  The blue light stimulates alertness, especially in the evenings when your body should be winding down.  Give your eyes and your mind at least a couple of hours’ break before bedtime.

6.     Create a ritual.  Train yourself to have a nighttime routine before bed: dim lights, quiet your surroundings, and generally give your body and mind a signal that it’s time to rest.

7.     Exercise.  Make sure your body gets good movement (exercise) during the day (but no strenuous exercise late in the evening).  It helps you feel more alert during the day, and promotes better sleep at night. 

8.     Watch what you eat and drink.  Caffeine, heavy meals, alcohol, etc. can greatly affect your sleep.  What, and When you choose to eat and drink affects good rest.

9.     A clean, peaceful, cool, dark and quiet room is best for optimal sleep, away from electronics.

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It is fundamental knowledge, you just can’t function as well if you are tired.

Poor sleep usually leads to getting less things accomplished, having less energy, feeling tired, and your performance can be on the same level as a person registering the alcohol level of a drunk. 

Some things that can affect your sleep in a big way are:

Physical stress

Psychological stress

Junk food

Alcohol

Toxic lifestyle

Too much screen time

Hormone levels

Toxins

Environmental influences

“Stuff in your mind”  (Solution: Journal your thoughts)

All of these can increase inflammation, including brain inflammation and also cortisol.

What other things affect our sleep?

Over-work during the day (either physical or mental/emotional) makes you exhausted and ready to “fall into bed” and fall asleep, but your body is still in a stressed state, and your sleep will suffer.

Also, even though eating sugar is pleasurable, it is a stress to your body, raising your cortisol and adrenaline levels—and it is a hindrance to your sleep.

There are two other main things that can also interrupt your sleep:

1.     Blood sugar imbalances

2.     Chronic stress

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So you intend to work toward making changes to improve your sleep?

Are there “helps” that can support your changes?  Dr. Hyman recommends trying:

1.     Magnesium (known as the relaxation mineral); magnesium glycinate.  He recommends it to help relax your nervous system and muscles.

2.     Melatonin can help re-set your circadian rhythm.

3.     Ashwagunda is a cortisol manager, can improve sleep quality and help you get in rhythm.

And in adding these supports, be sure to cut back on these:

4.     Caffeine: stop after breakfast

5.     Alcohol: stop or cut down.

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It’s generally recommended that people get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep at night.

Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems including: heart disease,

kidney disease,

high blood pressure,

diabetes,

stroke,

obesity and

depression. (National Institute of Health)

Lack of sleep makes us tired, and irritable. 

It takes our energy and makes us feel anxious.

It can cause us to have chronic snoring.

It can lead to low grade inflammation which can weaken your immune system.

And do you know that the quality of your sleep can determine your food cravings, and also can control how hungry you may feel?

(If you’re hungry all the time, lack of good quality sleep could be part of the reason.)

What does Poor Sleep have to do with Alzheimer’s Disease?

Long before they forget important dates, events or names of their loved ones, people with Alzheimer’s disease often experience changes in their sleep patterns, according to Dr. Hyman.

Luisa Torres, PhD, says these changes may include difficulty in falling asleep, waking frequently, or awakening early in the morning, with the changes worsening as the disease progresses.

Research at Harvard Medical School (lead by neuroscientist Kenia Kastanenka) found that stimulating specific neurons in the brain could improve sleep which improved memory function in mice.  This suggests that link is active, and also suggests that improving sleep might possibly prevent disease advancement.

Alzheimer’s diseased mice showed early sleep impairment, including decreased time in REM sleep.  The researchers were able to increase REM sleep and improve slow-wave sleep, which seems to be the connection to the Alzheimer’s risk.

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If you would like to improve your sleep, try these tips:

1.     Focus on getting a good night’s rest—truly FOCUS on it, during your day.

2.     Slow down, rest a bit during the day.

3.     Get more sunlight, especially in the morning.

4.     Practice grounding

5.     Drink more water, with a pinch of salt.

6.     Eat slowly, and slowly chew your food.

7.     Have a good stress management practice

8.     Sit for a short bit of time with your hunger.

9.     Eat regular, nutritious meals (not perfect meals, just focus on better ones)

10. Meditate daily, or practice being still and focus on just “Breathing”.

11. Journal your thoughts daily, especially your stressful ones.

12. Have a Thankful state of mind.

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So my changes are:

Leaving off gluten and sugar (since I had let it creep back into my life)

Going outside for a few minutes in the early morning.

I’ve added back my 10-15 minute daily meditations.

I’m drinking more water.

I’m interrupting my days with some rest/relaxation times. (We used to call these breaks. lol)

I’m getting off social media by 7 pm. I’ll be removing the app on weekends (removing temptation, and hopefully forming different habits).

You know, we’re responsible for our health. The doctors aren’t responsible. Medicine is not responsible. We’re responsible. We can do it. It’s mostly diet and lifestyle. Do we want to live a better life? Feel good? Have energy? Be able to think good?

We can make ourselves well.

If you would like more information on Dr. Hyman’s 10-day Detox, it is in his book titled the same.

If you’d like to find a Functional Medicine Doctor, you can research IFM.org, or I can help you locate one.

If you’d like help with a stress management practice, I can help you come up with a plan that is specifically designed for you.

Here’s Hoping your sleep is good, or that your work toward improving it will be blessed, for your health, your energy, your mood, and your long life.  If I can help in any way, I will.

Thank you for reading!

Sharon

P.S.

Chronic disturbances or insomnia could be caused by underlying health conditions.  If you see no improvement in your sleep after trying these tips, or if you are consistently not feeling rested in the mornings, you might want to contact a Functional Medicine Doctor.