So what is so wonderful about sleep and why does our body need so much of it?
Sleep what is it and why 8 hours of it?
Sleep:"A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body... there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli..." according to freedictionary.com. Human sleep consists of two main types: REM (rapid eye movement), and NREM (non-rapid eye movement). Throughout the night, the body goes in and out of each type. Adults spend about 20% in REM and 80% in NREM. REM is the dreamy sleep and NREM is the repair and growth "deep" sleep (Washington Faculty).
The sleep cycle (NREM and REM) can be further broken down into 5 stages, which your body cycles through about 4 times per night (see diagram- left). If sleep time is too short, your body will be unable to rotate through each stage, leaving you sleep deprived. This results in feeling irritable, anxious, and lethargic. NREM sleep is the type of sleep the body needs in order to fully repair and restore itself for the next day. According to the LA Times contributor, Dr. Harold Lancer "...as the body settles into the fourth and deepest stage of rest -- often called Delta Sleep (which precedes REM, the last stage of sleep) -- growth hormones peak and initiate cell and tissue repair. Limited or restless sleep can cut into this crucial restorative process..." which is beneficial not only to internal body repair (muscles, bone, cell), but also to good skin health. So in essence, research is correct when they tell us that we need 7-8 hours of sleep to achieve full rest as a human. This time interval allows the body to go in and our of REM and NREM in adequate cycles to achieve full rest (Washington Faculty).
Sleep More, Weigh Less:
We have all heard it, "sleep more to weigh less", but why? What is the magic of sleep? Hormones play a huge role in the size of your waist line. Hormones are your body's chemicals that make things happen. Hormones tell the body to turn systems on and off. It is their primary job to keep us in homeostasis so we feel, look, and function optimally. One organ of the endocrine system that is essential to producing and releasing hormones is called the pituitary gland. It secretes hormones that regulate various cycles, such as growth, appetite, sleep and reproductive (Wikipedia). To focus our discussion and answer the question, we are going to learn about four of the hormones this brilliant organ controls:
We have all heard it, "sleep more to weigh less", but why? What is the magic of sleep? Hormones play a huge role in the size of your waist line. Hormones are your body's chemicals that make things happen. Hormones tell the body to turn systems on and off. It is their primary job to keep us in homeostasis so we feel, look, and function optimally. One organ of the endocrine system that is essential to producing and releasing hormones is called the pituitary gland. It secretes hormones that regulate various cycles, such as growth, appetite, sleep and reproductive (Wikipedia). To focus our discussion and answer the question, we are going to learn about four of the hormones this brilliant organ controls:
- Leptin- appetite suppressant
- Ghrelin- appetite stimulant
- Growth hormone- repairs tissues and cells
- Cortisol- keeps heart rate and blood sugar elevated during times of stress.
I want to make it clear that NO hormone is "bad" each is present for evolutionary purpose. However, since hormones are like traffic lights that inhibit or cause reactions to occur in the body, if there is too much of one hormone versus the other homeostasis is thrown off, thus the signals go array. For example, the hormone, Cortisol, although in its definition seems "bad", it actually plays a critical function for survival during stressful times, such as making a big play in a football game. Cortisol is excellent at keeping a person's heart rate and blood sugar elevated, which keeps them alert and able to react and respond as needed in stressful times (Your Amazing Brain). This being said, Cortisol is only meant to be present in large amounts for short period's of time. Unfortunately, in the modern workforce, stress is common place. Consequently, the majority of us in this type of environment have elevated levels of cortisol, which eventually, raises blood pressure, lowers the immune system, and causes excess fat storage (Medscape). Likewise, living in an environment that causes constant stress, lack of sleep has a similar affect on the body. Sleep deprivation places the body in a state of stress, which elevates cortisol levels (Medscape). Again, cortisol has its benefits, but in abundance it can really be trouble to our anatomy. Exercise and sleep keep cortisol levels at bay and your body feeling happy.
Sleep and your appetite:
Another hormone that is altered from lack of sleep is leptin and ghrelin. The same study mentioned above, indicates that those who do not catch enough sleep have lowered levels of leptin and elevated levels of gherlin (Medscape). This distorted ratio causes the body to be constantly hungry, which leads to consuming too much and gaining excess weight. Again, both grehlin and leptin are necessary hormones to survival, but only in the right balance. One keeps your satiated and the other encourages you to eat, which keeps you alive.
Another hormone that is altered from lack of sleep is leptin and ghrelin. The same study mentioned above, indicates that those who do not catch enough sleep have lowered levels of leptin and elevated levels of gherlin (Medscape). This distorted ratio causes the body to be constantly hungry, which leads to consuming too much and gaining excess weight. Again, both grehlin and leptin are necessary hormones to survival, but only in the right balance. One keeps your satiated and the other encourages you to eat, which keeps you alive.
Sleep and your back:
According to the book Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, Stuart McGill, PhD the "Spine needs bed rest...". Those who slept for at least eight hours each night indicated an increase flow of nutrients to the tissue in between your discs of their spine. Throughout the day, the stress of gravity and your activities, squeeze the fluid out of this area, which prevents nutrients from getting to these key spots. Sustained pressure like this will eventually cause backache. During sleep, the spine is able to relax and nutrients are able to get into these areas and reduce back discomfort and maintain back health.
According to the book Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance, Stuart McGill, PhD the "Spine needs bed rest...". Those who slept for at least eight hours each night indicated an increase flow of nutrients to the tissue in between your discs of their spine. Throughout the day, the stress of gravity and your activities, squeeze the fluid out of this area, which prevents nutrients from getting to these key spots. Sustained pressure like this will eventually cause backache. During sleep, the spine is able to relax and nutrients are able to get into these areas and reduce back discomfort and maintain back health.
Sleep and your happiness:
Most of you have probably heard about seratonin- the happy chemical. Seratonin is a neurotransmitter or chemical released by your brain that controls your mood, sexual functions, and sleep cycles (ehow health). During the day, it is present and when you sleep it is absent. At night a chemical called melatonin takes its place, which helps you achieve deep sleep (ehow health). As the morning approaches, the presence of light spurs the production of seratonin and eliminates the production of melatonin (ehow health). Hence, a healthy sleep cycle ensures that proper levels of these hormones are circulating at all times. So lack of sleep disrupts these natural processes, which can leave you with too little seratonin, which in turn can leaving you feeling uneasy and depressed (ehow health). Contrastingly, disrupting your sleep patterns can can also lead to too little melatonin, which results in insommina. Other ways to help regulate your seratonin and melatonine levels are a healthy diet and exercise.
Most of you have probably heard about seratonin- the happy chemical. Seratonin is a neurotransmitter or chemical released by your brain that controls your mood, sexual functions, and sleep cycles (ehow health). During the day, it is present and when you sleep it is absent. At night a chemical called melatonin takes its place, which helps you achieve deep sleep (ehow health). As the morning approaches, the presence of light spurs the production of seratonin and eliminates the production of melatonin (ehow health). Hence, a healthy sleep cycle ensures that proper levels of these hormones are circulating at all times. So lack of sleep disrupts these natural processes, which can leave you with too little seratonin, which in turn can leaving you feeling uneasy and depressed (ehow health). Contrastingly, disrupting your sleep patterns can can also lead to too little melatonin, which results in insommina. Other ways to help regulate your seratonin and melatonine levels are a healthy diet and exercise.
Tactful Steps to Getting on Track with your Sleep
- Pencil it in: Put your sleep time into your planner, just like a very important appointment
- No caffeine: Stray away from stimulants 4 hours prior to bedtime
- Routine: Devise a pre-bed time routine to help your body get ready for its date with the bed
- Remove Stress: Anything in your life that is bringing you down, find ways to mitigate the stress it causes you. Ensure the space you are in prior to going to sleep is free of anything that triggers stress (computers, bright lights, work, etc)
- Supplement: If you struggle with going to sleep and staying asleep, supplement with melatonine. This can be purchased at any drug store and comes in different amounts. It is an all natural supplement and simply works with your body to aid in your sleep process.
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http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/sleep.html
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/nov/08/image/ig-beautysleep8
http://www.youramazingbrain.org/brainchanges/stressbrain.htm
http://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/502825
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5179940_serotonin-affect-sleep_.html
