7 Reasons to Go to Bed Now
Monday, July 29, 2013
Reality check: when was the last time you were happily drifting off to sleep before 10:00 p.m.? Now the kicker: when was the last time you were in bed early without the faithful companionship of T.V., Facebook, work email or Candy Crush? Most of us can laugh at the thought. In a society with an often obsessive focus on productivity, achievement and busyness, we’ve lost touch with the old adage, “early to bed and early to rise, makes a man (or woman!) healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Before you throw in that load of late night laundry or start a round of retail therapy at 10:00 p.m. on the computer, consider these 7 significant effects cheating on sleep can have on your quality of life--and health. 1. Weight Gain
While there are intricate biochemical pathways influenced by poor quality sleep (the impact of which influence weight gain), another simpler truth reigns clear: if you are awake too late, you’ll eat more. Whether you find yourself bored on the couch with Doritos or in the library cramming during finals with contraband lattes and muffins, anytime you develop a habit of food consumption without physiological need or hunger, your weight loss—or even weight maintenance—efforts will almost surely be thwarted. These bad habits more easily plague us during those late night hours when we’re more prone to meaningless cravings and “magical thinking.” You’re likely tired, not hungry. Go to sleep.
2. Diabetes
Research has shown that disturbed sleep—including late night shift work—may directly impact metabolism and blood sugar control. Don’t allow the chaotic cravings caused by sleep deprivation to side track your commitment to reducing starchy carbohydrates, increasing quality proteins, skipping dessert and swapping out soda pop for water. When life happens and your sleep schedule is unavoidably disturbed, do allow yourself the time to catch up and get out of sleep debt on weekends. The makeup snooze time may prevent the development of diabetes.
3. Heart Disease
Many of us are aware that we should exercise, focus on nutrition, and avoid smoking and excess alcohol consumption to protect our cardiac health. Did you know that adequate sleep duration may lower your risk even further? Focus on a minimum of seven hours per night to help protect your heart. With heart disease being aleading cause of death, it’s time Americans try to hit the sack a little bit earlier.
4. Belly Fat
I once heard the phrase “Abs are made in the kitchen.” How about “Abs are made with sleep”? No, this isn’t the latest infomercial gimmick. It might actually be a necessary part of the washboard stomach achievement plan. An imbalance of cortisol, commonly referred to as the “stress hormone” (it is actually one of many), can potentially make the fat in your belly region cling on for dear life. When poor sleep patterns cause variations in your stress hormones, the deviation from a normal cortisol curve might be the ultimate nemesis to your skinny jeans. Your best bet would be to eliminate the guesswork by checking your cortisol levels and following an action plan to address imbalances. Complement your planks, pilates program and nutrition efforts with an extra hour of quality sleep time.
5. Cravings
Have you ever noticed yourself reaching for the sugars, starches, and salt after a poor night’s sleep? We talked a few weeks ago about combating our sugar cravings, and a key point in fighting them is to arm yourself with adequate sleep. Whether a sweet tooth or a pizza tooth is your downfall, could it be possible that your sleep patterns are the root cause? Try keeping a log of your sleep duration (and sleep quality) with your food journal. You might surprise yourself with the realization that your mid-afternoon vending machine raids are invariably linked to the previous night’s sleep schedule. An earlier bedtime might just give you that elusive edge over difficult cravings.
6. Cancer
Given that cancer causes one out of four deaths, research in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment is an ongoing initiative. Sure, every week seems to present a different news story about what causes or prevents cancer development. It’s no surprise that sleep habits, which play an integral part in our body’s functioning, may also have a role in colon cancer and prostate cancer. Even more concerning is the complex web of hormone imbalances—from estrogen to cortisol--that are linked to cancer progression. While it seems that we are surrounded by news of ever-looming cancer risk factors, it makes sense that investing in whole health practices can lower your risk. It’s one more reason to give yourself some extra shut-eye.
7. Emotional Regulation
While it’s no shocker that we tend to be cranky when we’re tired, did you know that your night owl habits can disrupt how your brain processes experiences and emotions? If you feel that you could be handling the stressors of day to day life in a calmer, more balanced way, take note of your sleep/wake cycle. Our REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep might play a critical role in our mood. What is perhaps even more interesting than our cranky tendency to over-react when we’re sleepy is what appears to be the amplification of our reaction to positive things. The ramifications of altered emotional response/overreaction to either good or bad circumstances are obviously situation dependent. It’s safe to say, however, that big decisions are best made with a solid 7-8 hours of sleep.
Those precious evening hours can easily get away from all of us. This is especially true when the summer days are long and the most peaceful time in your house may be during the late evening. For many, winding down when we feel like the night is just beginning is a challenging yet rewarding habit change. Start by inching your bedtime back by 15-30 minutes each week, using a “sleep alarm” to prompt you when it’s time to go to bed. Remind yourself that a leaner body composition, lowered disease risk, and better state of mental health are waiting for you!
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