Sleep – The Foundation Of Good Health?
“Maybe we could have avoided the crisis we are in now if these people had just gotten proper sleep,” the founder of an international fatigue-risk management consultancy suggests, referring to the current global financial crisis.
The business world has long praised those willing to forego sleep and burn the candle at both ends to complete the task at hand. These people view sleep as a luxuary, but time poorly spent. This is, of course, incorrect – and businesses are starting to take notice, with companies such as Google, Cisco Systems and Procter&Gamble all hiring specialist sleep consultants.
Sleep enhances performance, learning, memory, immune function, and a host of other things. New research has highlighted another benefit: sleep improves the creative ability to uncover novel connections among seemingly unrelated ideas. Because sleep assists the brain in flagging unrelated ideas and memories, forging connections among them, it increases the odds that a creative idea or insight will surface. Dr. Ellenbogen’s research at Harvard University indicates that although few people notice the effect, they are 33 percent more likely to infer connections among distantly related ideas after sleeping. In other words, you probably won’t recognise it, but you are far more creative after “sleeping on
it”. So sleeping can actually save time and facilitate better decisions.
Research also indicates performance-limiting effects from a lack of sleep: a single night of sleeping only four to six hours can impact your ability to think clearly the next day; and sleep deprivation can cause changes in your brain activity similar to those experienced by people with psychiatric disorders.
But that is not where the health benefits of getting the right amount of sleep end. If you prioritise your performance at work over your health, you might want to look away from the list of just a few of health risks that arise from a lack of sleep…
1. Metabolism is altered, which can lead to weight-gain.
2. The brain can stop producing new cells.
3. Because the balance of hormones in the body changes, the
risk of serious illness such as cancer increases.
4. Levels of the hormone Leptin decrease, which can lead to
diabetes.
5. Aging is accelerated.
6. The risk of heart disease and stroke increases.
7. Blood pressure increases.
8. Growth of tumors can speed up. Tumors grow two to three
times faster in laboratory animals with severe sleep
dysfunctions.
9. The immune system is weakened, decreasing the body’s
ability to fight illness of all kinds.
Many of those health challenges have been hitting the headlines in recent times, being identified as growing problems in western civilizations – perhaps due to the effect a number of factors such as work, social culture, and light pollution have on sleep (at least one new study has suggested a correlation between higher rates of breast cancer in women and the nighttime brightness of their neighborhoods). And although all of them can in some cases be directly attributable to a lack of sleep, the chances are that the treatment conventional medicine offers will involve harsh drugs to control what is, in fact, just a symptom of the underlying health issue. The lack of sleep may itself be a symptom of some other challenge. It is unfortunate that practitioners of conventional medicine simply aren’t able to give each individual the attention they require.
On with the specific issue of sleep. Generally speaking, adults need to get between six and eight hours of sleep a night. But there are exceptions. Some people can function well on as few as five hours a night, while others need up to 10 – although it’s not necessarily a case of “more is better”. There is evidence that getting too much sleep can cause health problems too: numerous studies have been published that indicate 9 hours sleep or more per night correlate with serious illnesses. What’s important is that you get enough good quality sleep.
So how can you be sure that you are sleeping properly?
Your body depends on your biological clock (circadian rhythm) to steadily regulate your sleep/wake cycles. Your circadian rhythm influences a multitude of things, including your heart rate, hormone production and body temperature. When it’s disrupted, your health can suffer severely; and unfortunately, it is very easily disrupted. Here are some general guidelines to help ensure you are sleeping properly:
- Try to avoid staying up late. Working night shifts is a problem, as is jet-lag or switching time zones.
- Exercising regularly. A Stanford University Medical School study found that after 16 weeks in a moderate-intensity exercise program, subjects were able to fall asleep about 15 minutes earlier and sleep about 45 minutes longer at night. However, don’t exercise too close to bedtime or it may keep you awake.
- Practice clearing out your mind before bed.
- If you wake in the middle of the night, do not turn on any lights.
- Light pollution is a big problem. Black-out curtains are worthwhile, and avoid nightlights!
- Try to avoid eating in the middle of the night or too close to bedtime.
- If you feel tired when you wake up, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep.
- Allow for more sleep if you are ill or otherwise stressed, during the winter months, or if you are pregnant.
Natural Remedies That May Help You Sleep
If all of these factors seem to be in order and you occasionally need a little help getting a completely restful night, before you rush to a drug dispenser to buy an over-the-counter sleep medication, try one of the following natural sleep remedies. They are safer and have fewer side effects. Many of these can not only help you fall asleep and stay asleep, but they can also promote muscle relaxation.
Magnesium and calcium
Magnesium and calcium are both sleep boosters, and when taken together they become even more effective. Plus, by taking magnesium you cancel out any potential heart problems that might arise from taking calcium alone. Take 200 milligrams of magnesium (you can lower the dose if it causes diarrhea) and 600 milligrams of calcium each night.
Wild lettuce
If you’ve suffered anxiety, headaches, or muscle or joint pain, you might already be familiar with wild lettuce. It’s also effective at calming restlessness and reducing anxiety, and may even quell restless legs syndrome. When using a wild-lettuce supplement, take 30 to 120 milligrams before bed.
Hops
Beer fans are already familiar with the calming effect of hops, the female flowers used in beer making. For sleep purposes, this extract has been widely used as a mild sedative for anxiety and insomnia. Take 30 to 120 milligrams before climbing under the covers.
Aromatherapy
Lavender is the trick here, as studies have proven that it aids in sleep. It’s also an inexpensive, nontoxic way to slip into a peaceful slumber. Find a spray with real lavender and spritz it on your pillow before bedtime, or buy a lavender-filled pillow.
Melatonin
Melatonin is the hormone that controls sleep, so it’s no wonder that it naturally induces sleep. Studies show that lower doses are more effective — plus, there’s concern that too-high doses could cause toxicity as well as raise the risk of depression or infertility. Take at most 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams before bed.
Yoga and Meditation
Choose gentle yoga or stretching, not vigorous power or ashtanga yoga, which could energize you instead. Try easy yoga stretches in bed followed by simple meditation. Close your eyes and, for 5 to 10 minutes, pay attention to nothing but your breathing.
L-theanine
This amino acid comes from green tea, and not only helps maintain a calm alertness during the day but also a deeper sleep at night. However, green tea doesn’t contain enough L-theanine to significantly boost your REM cycles, and might make you wake up to go to the bathroom. Instead, buy pure, active L-theanine (some brands have inactive forms of theanine that block the effectiveness), and take 50 to 200 milligrams at bedtime.
Valerian
Valerian is one of the most common sleep remedies for insomnia. Numerous studies have found that valerian improves deep sleep, speed of falling asleep, and overall quality of sleep. However, it’s most effective when used over a longer period of time. Keep in mind that about 10 percent of the people who use it actually feel energized, which may keep them awake. If that happens to you, take valerian during the day.
But Even Natural Remedies Are Short-Term Solutions
The best option if you regularly have trouble sleeping (beyond simply not being able to find the time) is to try to find out the root cause. While it may be tempting to look for a pill to quickly help you sleep, this is not a solution. At The Centre For Integrated Health, we find that these are the most common causes of insomnia:
- Stress: All types of negative emotions, including worry, fear, and anxiety can keep you up at night.
- Overactive adrenals: Increased levels of stress hormones in your body can lead to a hyperaroused state that makes it difficult to sleep.
- Eye problems: People with damage to their optic nerve can have problems sleeping, including difficulty falling asleep, waking up at strange times, sleepiness during the day and insomnia at night.
- Cell phones: Using a cell phone before going to bed could cause insomnia, headaches and confusion, and may also cut your amount of deep sleep, interfering with your body‘s ability to refresh itself.
This article goes some way to not just explain the issue of sleep, but also to illustrate the symbiotic nature of the body, the mind, and our health. If you have a health complaint, the only real way to resolve it is to pin-point its root cause; and then treat it using natural, integrative means. Working this way is what has given practitioners at The Centre For Integrated Health such a reputation for success. If you have any health challenges you would like to discuss, please don’t hesitate to contact The Centre on 01730 233 414 or info@nutrivital.co.uk.