To Sleep or Not to Sleep

Quality sleep is vital - it actually repairs your mind and body thru a complicated process. Those who are sleep deprived are at risk of several serious health illnesses.

The more relaxed your mind & body is before you go to bed, the better sleep you'll have. It's usually the brain in turbo-drive that needs to calm down to get good sleep. Mini-retreats during the week, and vacations are super helpful: Vacations are Health Bombs.

One of sleep's purposes is to empty your brain so you have a fresh start each day. If you wake up feeling stressed from yesterday & feel like you haven't hardly slept - then you didn't get the quality sleep you need, and lacking in Phase 3 and 4 sleep.

Common Causes for Sleep Deprivation

If we don't get quality sleep, over time you could go looney tunes for sure. Lack of sleep - also called sleep deprivation is not getting quality sleep even though you've slept (restlessly) for 8 hours. The lack of sleep I'm discussing here is not the Saturday night dancing until the wee hours and still getting up early for a round of golf with your besties.

The number one cause of sleep deprivation = stress, anxiety, and depression. I know this first hand since I suffered thru sleep deprivation for years due to chronic stress. It's not surprising since we are living in a stress era. The following are other common reasons for lack of quality sleep.

• Stress, anxiety, depression.

• Drinking caffeine too late in the day.

• Sleep apnea, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.

• Alcohol abuse.

• Poor eating habits.

• Deficient in magnesium. See page bottom.

• Shift changes at work, daytime to night.

• Sleeping in an unfamiliar place like a hotel.

• Having a baby.

• Deficient in Vitamin D (sunshine).

• Illness, like a bad cold or the flu.

• Deficient in melatonin. See page bottom.

When you fall asleep you go thru several phases. REM = rapid eye movement. While in non-REM sleep your muscles will begin to relax. In REM sleep, a majority of your muscles actually become paralyzed.

These are the phases of sleep you need:

1. Phase 1 = light sleep for about 5% of sleep.

2. Phase 2 = deep sleep for about 45% of your sleep - reported to help with memory & learning.

3. Phase 3 = non-REM is the deepest sleep for about 25% of your sleep - reported to be the most important for your mind & body to repair & restore itself.

4. Phase 4 = REM sleep is your dream state for about 25% of your sleep. You will move in and out of different phases for 90-120 minutes and then start again with a new cycle. Adults 18 and older need 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Sleep & Physical Health

Sleep deprivation attacks organs, body systems and functions. The longer you go without quality sleep, the more damage you have, and the longer the effects are felt. Example: it took me 2 1/2 years to recover from chronic stress and sleep deprivation.

• Heart disease - heart attack and stroke.

• Vascular disease - the blood vessels that carry oxygen & nutrients to the body.

• The immune system is seriously weakened.

• High risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.

• Weight gain and obesity.

• High blood pressure.

• Kidney disease.

• Sleep apnea.

• Fatigue, exhaustion, and slower reaction times.

• Higher chance of getting injured in children & adults.

• The nervous system is compromised, so pain is felt more than before.

Sleep & Mental Health

Mental health concerns like chronic stress will affect your sleep, and vice-versa - a vicious cycle to break. In sleep deprivation, your brain changes the way it functions making it very difficult to manage emotions like stress.

It's common for sleep deprived people to feel more stressed, anxious, or depressed. The following are common mental health issues that develop from sleep deprivation. If you have existing mental health conditions, that condition will worsen.

• Anxiety and depression.

• Bi-polar disorder.

• PTSD - post traumatic stress disorder.

• Irritable.

• Trouble thinking, focusing, learning new concepts, and remembering.

• Headaches.

• Panic disorder, mania, or psychosis.

Quality sleep = when you can wake up feeling like you've slept well, and you feel like you're starting out with a clean slate even though a problem from yesterday may still exist.

Sleep deprivation = when you wake up feeling like you've barely slept despite trying to get a good night's sleep for 9 hours, and you still feel stressed & exhausted.

Occasional lack of sleep that occurs for 1-2 nights won't have lasting affects - you'll just be sleepy & a little grumpy during the day. Meet Sleepy & Grumpy from the 7 dwarves! If sleep deprivation continues a 3rd night, Dopey steps in. Chronic sleep deprivation however, is serious and proven to cause a variety of mental & physical health issues.

Sleep - Body Benefits

• Physical health - Sleep helps repair our heart and blood vessels, keeping heart & vascular disease away.

• With faster reflexes we're able to avoid many injuries.

• Hormones - hormones are better balanced, and hungry or full feelings are regulated.

• Immune system - our immune system functions properly and fights off illness.

• Metabolism - our metabolism is more efficient helping us maintain a healthy weight & lower blood pressure.

• Development - from infants to teen, more sleep is needed than adults to help with everything that happens during the growing-up stage - physical growth, puberty, further development of brain functions and the development of emotional & social skills.

Sleep - Mind Benefits

• Stress/Anxiety - Phase 3, the deepest sleep helps us reduce stress & anxiety in the vital areas of our brain, and lifts our mood.

• Brain Functions - Research shows that good quality sleep helps us learn and be more creative.

• We're able to make better decisions, and our mind remains sharp & focused.

• Research shows we're able to form & keep long-term memories.

• The brain is able to receive & process new information better.

• Empties Waste - Quality sleep helps the brain empty out waste & toxic junk that accumulate during the day, like plaque forming substances in the brain.

• Development - During early development, the primary brain activity is sleep. Makes sense that infants sleep so much as the brain takes longer than anything else to develop completely.

Electronic Devices

Don't use electronic devices within 1 hour of bedtime: cell, computer, kindle, T.V., fluorescent lights, and LCD/LED screen light. The blue light from natural sunlight or electronic devices disrupts your sleep making your body feel it should stay awake. It also reduces your melatonin production, the sleepy hormone. Blue light also reduces 2 types of deep sleep that you need for proper brain function. Bottom line - blue light makes it difficult to fall asleep & stay asleep per a study by the National Academy of Sciences.

Napping

Personally, I don't take naps unless I'm really sick or exhausted from a grueling & stressful period of mental or physical exertion. Those who don't exercise or get enough physical activity, are more prone to taking naps but then have trouble falling asleep.

Bedroom

Keep your bedroom for sleeping, dressing, and for those happy times with your spouse. Hopefully, your bed & pillow are comfortable, and your blankets should not keep you too warm. See: Turn Home Spaces into Healing Places.

Close the Blinds

When it's dark, your body tells itself it's time to sleep. Too much light can keep you from falling asleep and prevents your body from producing melatonin. However, you want enough natural light to come into your bedroom in the morning as this helps your internal clock to regulate sleep & wake times.

Set a Schedule

Stick to the same schedule to regulate when to sleep and when to wake. Another way to help your body set it's sleep/wake cycle - within 30 minutes of waking up, go outside for 15-20 minutes of daylight/sunlight. Once your body's cycle sets, you can close the blinds all the way - and your body will know when it's time to wake up.

Food/Drink

Avoid sugar & caffeine later in the day. Also, eating a meal later in the evening can cause sleep issues, as well as problems with your digestive system & acid attacks. Avoid alcohol & nicotine after mid-evening. Also, don't drink water several hours before bed.

Lower the Temperature

As bedtime nears - your body automatically begins to lower your internal temperature. As the room temperature cools, your body will make more melatonin, the sleep hormone, to help you get better sleep.

Magnesium Powder

If you're having trouble falling asleep, even after trying to relax before bed, you may be a little deficient in magnesium. There are a few reasons you might need a magnesium supplement.

People that take medication regularly, or suffer from stress, or have certain diseases won't be able to absorb magnesium & other nutrients very well. Or, if you're not eating foods containing magnesium, you may be deficient - leafy greens, nuts, avocadoes, fatty fish, fruit, soy, dairy, beans, and dark chocolate (minimum 70%).

Add magnesium powder to a few ounces of water and drink several hours before bedtime to relax. Make sure to check the maximum amount your body needs based on age & gender. Check with your doctor if you're taking medication or have an existing health condition.

Exercise & Physical Activity

Exercise & physical activity are so important for almost every aspect of living a healthier & happier life. Exercising for 30 minutes, 5-6 days per week will improve sleeping habits and you'll wake up feeling restored.

However, don't do high intensity exercise within 1-2 hours of sleeping because it heats up the body when you're supposed to be cooling down before bedtime.

Try these fun activities: What's Always With You & Healthier Than a Gym?

Melatonin Chews

If your body is not producing melatonin, the sleep hormone, you can supplement by taking a 5 mg melatonin chewable before bedtime. The primary reasons your body slows melatonin production are: a health condition, high stress & lack of sleep, aging, and bright or blue lights at night.

Relax & Dump the Stress

Spend 30 minutes doing a relaxing activity, with no electronic devices. The goal here is to stop your mind from racing, to slow down and relax. Read a book, take a hot bath, or listen to relaxing music. Relax Your Mind or Go Cuckoo Crazy

You can also start a diffuser before bed and use the aromatherapy technique - breathe in sleepy time essential oils like lavender, jasmine, chamomile, or sweet orange to help sleep. Stress is a major cause of disrupting sleep patterns. Try this: Learn to Combat Stress.

Next Blog...