They say that about 45% of the world’s population isn’t getting enough sleep (discoveryhealth.com). This is not a great statistic. Not only does this lack of shut-eye play havoc with our only our ability to function on a day-to-day basis, but it also affects hundreds of our genes – and not for the better.
CBC News reported that sleep deprivation affects the cells within our body involved with inflammation, immunity and the cells’ response to stress. Decrease your body’s ability to fight inflammation and you are welcoming a whole host of diseases, from high cholesterol to heart disease and certain cancers.
No Sleep = Weight Gain
Lack of sleep can also be blamed for the widening of our waistlines. When the body is sleep-deprived, it dramatically affects the two hormones (leptin and gherlin) responsible for making us feel full, thereby triggering the brain (and hence the stomach) with the message that we are hungry.
Sleeplessness also makes us insulin-resistant, which in turn puts our bodies in a fat-storing mode instead of fat-burning mode.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
What is the ideal amount of sleep? According to the National Sleep Foundation, that all depends on your age.
- School-age children (5-10 years) should be getting 10-11 hours of shut-eye
- Teens (10-17 years) need 8.5-9.25 hours a night
- Adults 7-9 hours
Try these 6 tips that experts recommend to help you fall to sleep suffer from a mild case of sleep-deficiency.
1. Exercise.
It’s no surprise that a personal trainer is telling you to exercise, but now science is telling us that it can help us sleep better too.
A new poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that people who reported exercising vigorously were almost twice as likely to say that had slept well.
It was also noted that there was no ill effect on the participant’s ability to fall asleep – even with those who exercised close to bedtime – throwing out the old conventional wisdom that exercising in the evening will only stimulate you and keep you up.
2. Stay away from electronic devices.
Stay away from your computer and any other electronic device (like a laptop or iPad) for at least an hour before bedtime. The light in computer screens actually stimulates our brains and messes with our circadian rhythm.
3. Same time, everyday.
Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Don’t think that you can store sleep by sleeping in on the weekend and sleeping less on the weeknights. This messes with our melatonin production, which in turn will make it harder to fall asleep.
4. Taper your sleep.
Try the less is more plan and taper your sleep by keeping your wake-up time constant, but go to bed one hour later. After two weeks, add back the time in half hour increments. A lot of sleep clinics use this technique on their patients and find 25 percent success rate within one to two weeks.
5. Keep it cool or warm.
Your body sleeps better when comfortable, so make sure that your bedroom is either cool enough or warm enough for you. According to WebMD.com, when you go to sleep your body tries to maintain your set point for body temperature – the temperature your brain is trying to meet. If you are too hot, or too cold, the body struggles trying to make this set point and, in turn, you lose sleep.
6. Natural sleep aids.
Some natural and alternative sleeping aids that you can try are:
Melatonin
- Our body produces melatonin and secretes it on a daily, regular rhythm. This rhythm can get messed up, though, especially with jet lag and insomnia. When ingested for a few evenings melatonin can help to reset the body’s circadian rhythm and get you back to sleep.
Magnesium
- This mineral plays a key role with sleep regulation. When purchasing aim to buy calcium citrate. This is one of the most digestible forms of magnesium and available at most health food stores.
Valerian
- This medicinal herb can have a sedating affect and help you fall asleep. However, it can take a few weeks and it does interact with certain medications so make sure that you consult with your doctor before taking.
5-HTP
- 5-HTP is a chemical compound that is naturally produced in your body to make serotonin (our “happy” hormone), and it is also a by-product of the amino acid L-tryptophan. The same amino acid found in turkey, and the same turkey dinner that makes you want to snooze for the rest of your Thanksgiving evening.
GABA
- GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is a chemical in the brain that counteracts with another chemical in the brain that keeps us alert. When purchasing GABA ensure that you only buy natural GABA supplements. Synthetic supplements do not cross the brain barrier and are therefore ineffective.
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