I've decide to "out" myself! What could it be you ask? What "secret" am I "hiding"? It must be sinister if it's a secret, right? OK! Ready? Listen closely since I'm only going to say this once... I love to sleep! I LOVE a nap on a lazy Saturday or Sunday afternoon . And just forget about it if I'm on vacation! Interestingly a couple of famous individuals, Winston Churchill and J F Kennedy, were "nappers". I'm obviously in good company! Naps or sleep, in my humble opinion, rocks! I enjoy getting to bed early and when I do actually get to bed early, I feel great the next day! But if you think about it, most people don't want to be labeled as "sleepers"! As weired as it sounds, its just not popular to be a "sleeper" If you look closely, the word "sleeper" is very similar to "leper"!
Instead, most people BRAG about how little sleep they need. Most people wear they're 5 hour maximum sleep badges as proudly as a triathlon winner wears their blue ribbons! But the point I want to make; without proper amounts of sleep you'll actually be a LOSER and diminish your chances of being a winner. At least your chances of being a weight loss winner! Fact: weight loss efforts are hindered without adequate amounts of sleep!
According to the CDC website (www.cdc.gov/sleep/how_much_sleep.htm, also see National Sleep Foundation's website) the average adult needs 7-9 hours of sleep! Scandalous! Teens (10-17) need 8.5-9.25 hours! Any self respecting Teen would be laughed right out of high school! What is even "worse" school age children, 5-10, need a whopping 10-11 hours per day! So it obvious that sleep is a necessary evil no matter how old or young you are.
Lack of sleep has been found to alter concentration, perception, motivation, memory formation and even increase the incidence of obesity. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School (website), states that "there is a direct link between how someone sleeps and their overall health and function. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to a number of other illnesses; cardiovascular disease such hypertension, stroke, diabetes (and) the development of obesity and weight gain". Harvard's website video "Why Sleep Matters" reports, "people who are sleep deprived have poor regulation of some of the hormones that control appetite and hunger and (alter those) hormones in such a way that promotes eating and weight gain."
Many things can interrupt a restful nights sleep. Stress and anxiety are probably the biggest culprits that can alter sleep patterns and sleep stages. However, menopause, hormone imbalances, diet, and lack of exercise can also contribute to insomnia. In much of today's society "the go go go" mentality rules and caffeine is often a stimulant used to maintain that go go go lifestyle. Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and soft drinks, just to name a few. Can you imagine starting your day without a cup of joe? Just what would Starbucks think?! The foods and drinks in one's diet can greatly impact sleep. Alcohol is another culprit. Many people will use and abuse alcohol by naming it as a "stress reliever" and use it as a sedative. In actuality, it negatively affects the quality of sleep by causing dehydration which alters sleep quality and patterns.
So what can you do to help induce and improve sleep? Exercise! I knew you'd guess it! Exercise can be a great stress reliever; hence, a fabulous "fixer" to insomnia. According to www.holisticonline.com insomniacs lead more sedentary lives than good sleepers. Exercise fatigue acts as a tranquilizer improving quality of rest. Exercise can reduce tension and anxiety. Exercise can cause the brain to compensate for physical and emotional stress by increasing deeper sleep: deeper sleep means less stress. Hence, a cycle effect.
So, if you're working hard to loss a few pounds or even a LOT of pounds stop to consider if you're getting the necessary amounts of sleep. Take a hard look at the amount of caffeine that is finding its way into your daily diet and try and minimize caffeine especially 4-5 hours before bedtime. Include strenuous cardiovascular exercise in your fitness routine to induce deeper more restful sleep but ideally early in the day or mid day. Remember exercise can help you "wake up" or stay alert during the day which can be substitute to caffeine so don't do strenuous exercise near bedtime. Gentler relaxing strolls, warm baths and meditation can help promote relaxation and sleepiness in the evening.
So, I don't want to be a trendsetter but if I must, I must! If someone has to be the person to put the "good" back into a "good night's sleep" it can be me! Because, I LIKE sleep and I don't mind being called a "sleeper".
