Gaining Health 102

Sleep- Unleash your Superpower!

The foundations of health are not complicated concepts, but that does not mean that they are necessarily easy to incorporate. I remember listening to a comedian explain sleep like this. When you’re a little kid you don’t sleep as much as your parents want you to, when you’re a teenager your parents won’t let you sleep in, when you’re an adult you’re exhausted and wish you could get more sleep and then in your golden years you can finally sleep, and sleep is nowhere to be found.

We know that high-quality sleep is vital. While the body appears to be still and inactive, there’s a whole bunch of work being done, we produce hormones, process significant toxins for excretion, repair damaged cells, and tissue, generate white blood cells for immunity, eliminate the effects of stress, and process information learned and commit them to memory. So poor sleep over time can adversely affect every organ system in our body, leading to the dysfunction, lots of symptoms, and possible downstream disease.

Unfortunately, we have an epidemic of sleep disorders from trouble falling asleep, to interrupted sleep to actual insomnia. There’s even a new term out there called Revenge Bedtime Procrastination where you get “revenge” from your busy schedule to engage in leisure activities and entertainment we don’t have time for during the day at the expense of less sleep.

So ideally, our pineal gland secretes a neurotransmitter and hormone called melatonin, that is released in response to our circadian rhythm (our sleep/wake cycle). Melatonin suppresses the activity of other neurotransmitters and helps calm the brain (in part by countering the effects of the stress hormone cortisol). Melatonin should be rising steadily, and cortisol should be rock-bottom at bedtime. But here’s the catch: the pineal gland secretes melatonin largely in response to darkness and cortisol is lowest in a peaceful quiet environment. That may have been easier to achieve 100 years ago but does not reflect the modern lifestyle we live in.

Some of the most common reasons my clients struggle with sleep are:

• Inconsistent bedtime, dysregulated circadian rhythm

• Too much stimulation before bedtime, TV shows, Video games, social media, or even checking work email.

• Caffeine too late in the day

• Alcohol’s rebound effect

• Hot Flashes

• Frequent Urination

• Being a “light” sleeper, everything wakes them up.

• Stress & Worrying (Ruminating thoughts they get into bed and start thinking…)

• Aches and pains (hard to get comfortable and waking often)

• Sleep apnea

Some of the proven benefits of great sleep are:

• Weight and fat loss (due to better regulation of appetite hormones & glucose)

• Improved mental health (anxiety & depression)

• Improved immune function

• Improved cognitive function (brain fog, memory improvement)

• Better cardiovascular health

• Reduces risk of neurodegenerative conditions

• Improved Recovery (athletes, stroke victims, traumatic brain injury, illness)

What you can do now:

• Avoid stimulating activities/devices a few hours before bedtime.

• Focus on relaxing and restorative activities.

• Get a sleep study if you snore.

• Get fresh air and movement daily.

• Work on resetting your circadian rhythm.

• Optimize your diet (it takes nutrients to make melatonin and make needed repairs)

• Work with a practitioner to support you with herbs and minerals such as magnesium, valerian, l-theanine glycine, and melatonin.

When we feel better, we do better! Sleeping soundly will increase your motivation to make further lifestyle changes.