The best bridge between despair and hope is a good night’s sleep.
~ E. Joseph Cossman
Insufficient sleep over time becomes detrimental to health
I have always been a light sleeper, and I have suffered the consequences of poor quality sleep in the past.
Public health messages stressing the importance of sleep did not help. It made me feel inadequate. So my intention here is not to create fear about how much or how little you sleep.
If you bounce out of bed first thing in the morning feeling rested and eager to go, keep doing what you’re doing. I’m happy for you. It’s a gift.
Researchers have recently discovered that sleep clears from the brain clumped proteins and waste products accumulated throughout the day.
During sleep, the newly discovered glymphatic system flushes the brain with fluid and drains it out. Impaired glymphatic function is associated with ageing, memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease.
Not only does restful sleep take out the trash, but it helps with memory formation, concentration, immune system fortification, DNA repair, mood, appetite regulation, improved body composition, hormone balance and more.
It’s tough to get people to change habits when they're feeling exhausted
In my wellness coaching and consulting experience, addressing sleep issues first has solved more health concerns than diet and exercise combined. An underlying cause of many of our health concerns is poor quality sleep.
Studies show that when we don’t sleep well:
We hurt more and move less throughout the day.
We prolong recovery from injury and other health afflictions.
Learning, memory, mood, and reaction time become impaired.
When we sleep well we make more informed decisions.
Optimal sleep happens when we honour natural light-dark cycles
Early to bed and early to rise makes a [person] healthy, wealthy, and wise.
~ Benjamin Franklin
A good night’s sleep starts when we get out of bed in the morning. Exposure to morning light sets the rhythm to align us with 24-hour sleep/wake cycles. It produces hormones that increase energy (cortisol) upon awakening, improve mood (serotonin) throughout the day, and create drowsiness (melatonin and adenosine) when the sun sets.
Early on in the night, we experience more deep sleep, producing more anti-ageing growth hormone, which helps repair tissue, regulate blood sugar and prevent cravings. There is some truth to the adage, an hour before midnight is worth two after midnight.
Exposure to artificial light from electronics and overhead lighting after sunset interfere with the natural production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
If you are a night owl, one week of camping outdoors in nature, where there is no artificial light, can reset your body clock and your natural sleep/wake cycles.
Living in a remote rural environment where sunshine, the stars and the moon are my preferred source of light, has been game-changing for me.
What I currently do to improve my sleep:
I avoid electronics after 9:00 PM.
I seldom watch TV.
I am consistent with my bedtime routine, avoiding social jet lag. Younger adults need not be quite so regimented.
In the winter, I set the thermostat to 62° F (17°C) at bedtime. I increase it by 5° in the morning.
I greet the day outdoors upon awakening (barefoot for grounding, no matter what the weather)
I watch the sunset.
I supplement various natural remedies like magnesium, melatonin and GABA as needed (talk to a trusted healthcare provider for targeted supplementation).
I build physical activity into my day but not late in the evening, and not excessive or else I become hyper-energized and sleep eludes me.
I occasionally drink tart cherry juice, rich in melatonin.
I never eat or drink anything other than herbal teas after 7:00 PM.
When I awaken in the middle of the night and have trouble falling back asleep, I ponder why the excitement. Occasionally I get a brilliant idea or come up with a solution to a perceived problem. If not, I meditate. Meditation is better than medication. The body can produce its own medicine with the right mindset.
I don’t drink caffeine after 12 noon.
I avoid alcohol.
I’ve written more about this in Why I’m a party pooper.
Fortunately, I am now enjoying some incredibly restful nights. I wake up feeling refreshed and never feel sleepy during the day.
To conclude, sleep is essential to recovery and rejuvenation. Prioritizing sleep may be the one small step to take right now to reduce the burden on an overtaxed health care system.
So lights out. Early to bed and early to rise. Sleep-well to age-well.
This is the sixth in my AGE-WELL series of blogs. For the first five blogs in the series please click each of the following letters A G E - W E .
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