Today (14th March) is World Sleep Day. What time do you normally go to bed? Getting to bed early is very important for your health, and bed between 10-10:30pm is optimal. Well actually, 10-10:30pm isnt really that early its just that in our fast paced, busy, hectic lifestyles where there doesnt seem to be enough hours in the day, we stay up later in a desperate attempt to get things done and as a result we steal time from our sleep. This happens because many people perceive sleep as not being all that important, theres too much stuff to do, I havent got time to sleep! I can sleep when Im dead! is a classic one I hear from clients :) Sleep is hugely underrated in our society and a lack of it is contributing to many health problems including obesity. Chronic lack of sleep causes unfavourable changes to certain hormones which can stop your fat loss efforts dead in their tracks, even if diet and training is on track: A lack of sleep is associated with increased insulin levels resulting in an increase risk of type 2 diabetes(1) Partial sleep deprivation has been shown to decrease leptin and increase ghrelin levels in your body (your appetite controlling hormones) causing increases in perceived hunger and sugar cravings(2) Sleep restriction is found to increase cortisol levels in the afternoon and evening which destroys precious muscle tissue (your main fat burning tissue that you want to make more of not destroy!) Also, cortisol promotes fat accumulation around the belly button region. A study of 33 men were examined for 36 hours and some slept 8 hours, some 4 hours and some had total sleep deprivation. Those who slept 4 hours had a cortisol elevation of 37% above baseline and those who had total sleep deprivation had an elevation of 45% in cortisol levels(3) Due to all these reasons, a lack of sleep may favour the development of obesity. The subject of sleep is so important to your health and your body composition that over the next few days Im going to share with you more info on the subject. Heres what well cover: 1) How much sleep do you need? 2) How to guarantee a good nights sleep 3) What to do if you cant get to sleep So, book an early night in the diary tonight, sleep well and Ill speak to you tomorrow... HAPPY WORLD SLEEP DAY! Ryan References: (1) Spiegel K, Knutson K, Leproult R, Tasali E, Van Cauter E. Sleep loss: a novel risk factor for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. J Appl Phys. 2005; 99: 2008-2019. (2) Spiegel K, Tasali E, Penev P, Van Cauter E. Brief communication: sleep curtailment in healthy young men is associated with decreased leptin levels, elevated ghrelin levels, and increased hunger and appetite. Ann Intern Med. 2004; 141:1-52. (3) Leproult R, Copinschi G, Buxton O, Van Cauter E. Sleep loss results in an elevation of cortisol levels the next evening. Sleep. 1997; 20:865-870.
Posted on: Fri, 14 Mar 2014 18:53:19 +0000