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Sleep - The Importance of

Catherine W

By Catherine W
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Catherine W

Catherine W

Posted
Posted

Hi,


I have been looking into the importance of sleep and wrote a few words on the topic, feel free to get in touch if you have any questions:



Sleep. A subject very close to my heart, quite literally. The quality, quantity and regularity of sleep dictates so much of what goes on inside our bodies including heart health and how we function in our daily lives.

I?d say I had a 6/10 sleep last night. Waking a few times, uneasy dreams but I feel pretty perky this morning. Here are a few health related facts which I find fascinating, shedding light on this enormous subject which is still much debated:


Sleep boosts your immunity


Whilst we are asleep our bodies repair themselves. Think of what we demand of our bodies during waking hours, then this starts to make sense. When asleep our the brain is as active as when we are awake, but voluntary muscles are paralysed.


Sleep is slimming


Sleep affects the hormones Ghrelin (hunger) & Leptin (fullness). After a poor slumber our hormones urge us to the temptations of calorie dense foods such as the croissant or fatty sugary snacks.


Sleep is when we get fitter


When we train we create the stimulus for the physical adaptions of getting fitter, but it is when we sleep that hormones favourable for muscle growth kick in to repair the damage caused by exercise in order to prepare for the next challenge.


Sleep wards off heart disease and diabetes


It appears that getting less than 5 hours sleep a night may promote the onset of type 2 diabetes by affecting the processing of glucose in our bodies. Lack of the snoozy stuff may also increase the risk of the former by increasing resting heart rate, blood pressure and inflammation in the body.


Studies show that we need sleep for memory consolidation


?Giulio Tononi, a noted sleep researcher at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, published an interesting twist on this theory a few years ago: His study showed that the sleeping brain seems to weed out redundant or unnecessary synapses or connections. So the purpose of sleep may be to help us remember what?s important, by letting us forget what?s not.? National Geographic

Here is how to promote a good night with the pillows:


Restrict caffeine intake 8 hours prior to when you wish to sleep


Try to instill a routine in your waking / sleeping patterns


Eat a light meal in the evening which is nutrient dense


Dim the lights an hour before bed, including screens on smart phones, I Pads and blue light emitting screens


Try 5 minute meditations which include breathing techniques to slow down the racing mind


Invest in a blackout curtain



New parents excepted!!


I hope you enjoyed reading this and welcome comments etc.


Catherine Wilkinson

Advanced Personal Trainer



http://www.movewelllondon.com


https://www.facebook.com/MoveWellLondon/


[email protected]

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uncleglen

uncleglen

Posted
Posted
Yes- noise pollution is a massive problem around here- since moving under the flight path I have had to wear ear plugs to sleep past 4 am (or keep the windows shut all year round-awful) ...not for everyone though- my brother in law tried them and he said it made him feel like he was dead...so Catherine W what are we going to do about the NOISE that keeps us awake?

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