There are only so many hours in the day and achieving all we want and staying fit is a challenge for the best of us. New science reveals that the key to a more productive day and a healthier body is good quality sleep. For some high achievers, this may seem counterintuitive. The phrase "I'll sleep when I'm dead." has been a commonly used mantra for the focused and goal oriented. We now know however that sacrificing sleep is holding us back and sending our bodies into ill health.
According to Shawn Stevenson, the host of The Model Health Show our sleep quality is actually more important than diet and exercise when it comes to our overall health. In a University of Chicago study, people who had an optimal amount of sleep burned over fifty percent more fat than when sleep deprived. The reason for this is that melatonin is a critical factor in fat loss because it aids in the production of brown adipose tissue which is a type of fat that burns fat and regulates metabolism. Sleep is the critical ingredient for hormonal balance.
Here are three more essential hormones that quality sleep will keep in harmony.
- Human Growth Hormone is a significant health factor, and we produce the most of it while sleeping. This hormone spares and promotes muscle growth while being a catalyst for energy in our body.
- Leptin is a hormone that regulates our appetite and cravings. A Stanford study showed that just one bad night's sleep could throw off our leptin production and can lead to overeating.
- Cortisol is another important hormone that regulates our thyroid. Only one night of inadequate sleep can raise our cortisol levels and throw us into weight gain. High cortisol levels will break down our muscles into glucose and cause us to pack on the pounds even further. This glucose neogenesis is an evolutionary survival response to stress.
With knowing how our bodies suffer from lack of sleep, it's time to get into how we can fix it. Here are seven tips to optimize sleep and keep our hormones in balance.
- You need absolute darkness. Melatonin production is at its peak in total darkness. Cornell University found that light the size of a quarter was enough to disturb sleep. Our skin is a natural photoreceptor. Get some blackout curtains and remove or cover up all light sources in the bedroom.
- Excersize in the morning. In an Appalachian State study, they observed that people who exercise in the morning spend more time in the deepest cycles of sleep. They even saw a twenty percent drop in blood pressure at night. The reason being that exercise in the morning will give us a jolt of cortisol which will slowly diminish as the day goes on.
- The way we exercise is essential. Studies show the high-intensity training in the morning resets our cortisol levels. Five minutes is all you need.
- Shut off all screens at least a half an hour before you sleep. Blue light from screens can delay the production of melatonin in the body according to a Harvard study. You can use an app to reduce the blue light from devices which your body thinks is sunlight.
- Create an evening ritual. Our brains are always looking for patterns. Most athletes and high performers have pre-game rituals. We always tell our kids to put their pajamas on and brush their teeth. It's time we took the same advice and create a pattern before bedtime. Timothy Ferris suggests reading some fiction in a book and not off of a screen is a great way finish the day.
- Turn down your thermostat. 62 to 68 degrees is optimal for sleep some studies have shown. If you're not comfortable at that temperature put on some warm socks and get under some heavy covers.
- Make your bedroom a sleep sanctuary. Get all tech out of your room. Remove the television and make the bedroom a temple of rest. Let your body and mind know that it's time to retire once you lay down your head on that cold pillow.
I hope these tips help you on your way to the best sleep of your life.
Here are some links that I've cited
https://news.uchicago.edu/article/2010/10/03/sleep-loss-limits-fat-loss-study-finds
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20557470
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2004/stanford-study-links-obesity-to-hormonal-changes-from-lack-of-sleep.html
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side