1/3 Of Your Life Determines the Quality and Duration Of The Other 2/3
Sleep is the 3rd Pillar of Health alongside diet and exercise. Actually, sleep is more like the foundation on which the other two sit. Take away the bedrock of sleep and you have nothing. No matter what you do to be healthy while you’re awake, your physical fitness or good diet (while incredibly important) prove no match for a short night of sleep.
What Happens When We Sleep?
Sleep is an Anabolic State during which the body goes into clean up and restore mode. Sleep allows the body to replenish its energy stores, regenerate new tissue, produce new proteins, mop up diseased and damaged proteins/metabolic waste and rid the body of toxins. Without sleep the Human body simply cannot function properly.
The Shorter your Sleep the Shorter your Life…
Every major system and organ of your body becomes negatively affected when sleep is cut short.
Staying up late causes unhealthy changes to your immune system and increases the release of Cortisol, and the production of Cell signaling molecules called Cytokines which are sign of inflammation.
Sleep Deprivation is a predictor of Obesity. When you are sleep deprived you’re body is in a state of stress and you’re brain is looking for that feel good Serotonin hit so you are more likely to reach for the sugar and fat heavy processed foods.
Chronic Sleep Deprivation leads to insulin resistance, which is a predictor of type 2 diabetes, depression, cardiovascular disease, and the seasonal flu.
Adults that sleep less than 6 hours per night are 200% more likely to have a heart attack or stroke during their lifetime.
Even just one night of sleep reduction by 1-2 hours leads to an increase in blood pressure and heart rate hour upon hour.
For my men, 1 night of under 5 hours of sleep your Testosterone levels could be as if you are 10 years older. No Bueno.
Like water from a burst pipe in your home, sleep deprivation will seep into every nook and cranny of your biology and lead to serious problems.
How much Sleep do I need?
New Borns: 14-17 Hours
Infants: 12-15 Hours
Toddlers: 11-14 Hours
Preschoolers: 9-11 Hours
Teens: 8-11 Hours
Adults: 7-9 Hours
3 Simple Rules/Strategies you can implement today to Improve Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality
- Protect your Sleep and don’t let work or play get in the way. Your schedule should work around your Sleep not the other way around.
- Be consistent with your Sleep-Wake times. Yes, that counts the Weekends. Your body operates in rhythms (Sleep Rhythm, Chronobiology Rhythm, Circadian Rhythm etc) so going to bed and waking up at a consistent time is a major key to improving sleep quality.
- Play the long game. If you’re struggling to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night start by just going to bed 30 minutes earlier. Add 30 minutes each week for 4-12 weeks. This will allow you to progressively improve your duration until you reach that goal.
Hope you found this Helpful.
By Coach J.J.
