Are you getting your zzzz’s?
Good quality sleep is foundational to overall health and is often under-rated.
Don’t fall victim to the old saying “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” else you will drive yourself to an early grave!
So many things occur in our body whilst we sleep, so if we don’t sleep, these vital functions don’t effectively complete.
Below are just some of the major things that happen during sleep:
So why is sleep so important?
Regulation of hormones, including Ghrelin (the hunger hormone), Insulin (fat storing hormone) and Cortisol (stress hormone) which aids in weight management.
Repair of tissues and muscles.
Strengthening of the immune system.
Memory consolidation and problem solving.
Detoxification of waste in the brain - research is showing that when this does not occur the risk of Alzheimer’s increases.
Sleep supports collagen production by undergoing cellular repair processes, reducing oxidative stress and reducing cortisol.
Numerous functions that improve heart health including: blood pressure regulation, inflammation reduction, and heart rate control (HRV) just to name a few.
Optimal sleep duration, so your body can perform all the required repair functions, is at least 7 hours.
There are many things within your control that you can
focus on to improve your sleep.
Below are some great starting points:
What are some sleep tips?
Maintain a consistent waking time to regulate your circadian rhythm.
Expose yourself to natural light in the morning, this reinforces your circadian rhythm.
Limit exposure to artificial light at night. Blue light interferes with the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone).
Sleep in a cool room.
Practice breathing and
meditation techniques.Read this book - it will scare
you into improving your
sleep hygiene!
