Group Wellness Program 60-DAY

sleep tight

Reasons for not getting enough Too much to do Wake in the early hours and cant get back to sleep Second wind late at night Tired but wired syndrome End up watching television too late without meaning to Kids or babies waking you up in the night Partner snores Have to go to the toilet in the night (nocturia) Noisy street outside Lack of physical exercise – mind is tired, but body isnt

How much should we get? The average person in the USA gets just 6.7 hours of sleep per night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from sleep disorders. The National Sleep Foundation also reports that studies show that sleeping for less than seven hours per night is associated with increased risk of illness and death.

How much do we need? Between seven and eight hours is recommended, although it varies between individuals and age groups. Teens need between eight and a half and nine and a half hours each night, and older people tend to sleep less. Oversleeping is linked with chronic illness such as heart disease and diabetes, and increased risk of death. One study of over a million Americans showed that those sleeping either less or more than seven hours per night had an increased risk of mortality, suggesting that seven hours could be the average ideal. (Kripke et al., 2002).

How much do we need? However, needs vary and you yourself are probably the best judge of how much you need in order to feel refreshed and to function optimally. People in the Hot Spots get good sleep. They go to bed when it gets dark and gets up when it gets light. A University of Rome study on sleep habits in Campodimele found that locals slept eight hours per night on average. Campodimelani were also found to have good circadian rhythms due to going to bed during hours of darkness and being awake during hours of daylight.

Good sleep = good health

Sleep reduces stress When we sleep well, we are less prone to becoming stressed, and when we are stressed, we are less likely to sleep well. Stress is aging and encourages chronic disease.

Sleep is anti-cancer Good sleep boosts the immunity, which we need for destroying cancer cells. It has been found that people working night shifts have a higher risk of getting breast or colon cancer (Karbownik et al. 2001). This is thought to be due to a lack of melatonin, the sleep-promoting hormone we produce in darkness, which is antioxidant and has anti-cancer properties. To boost your melatonin production, make sure your bedroom is dark and turn off electrical appliances emitting light or put a dark cover over them.

Sleep protects the heart Sleep deprivation is a ticking time-bomb in terms of raising the risk of getting heart disease or stroke, according to a recent large-scale UK study, with those sleeping less than six hours a night having a 48 percent increased risk of having heart disease. (Cappuccio et al., 2011). The likely reasons for this include increased levels of stress hormones, excess inflammation, raised blood pressure, raised cholesterol and unbalanced blood sugar levels. Over-sleeping is also linked with a higher risk of heart disease: the Nurses Health Study involving 72,000 women showed that those sleeping more than nine hours per night had a 38 percent increased risk of getting coronary heart disease than those sleeping for eight hours.

Sleep promotes repair During deep sleep, our levels of HGH, or human growth hormone, reach peak levels. HGH is needed for repairing our cells and tissues. Sleep is essential for our bodies to do any repair work they have been too busy to do during the day.

Sleep boosts mental function We have better memory and concentration after a refreshing nights sleep. Drowsy driving can be as dangerous as drink driving, with 100,000 crashes a year caused by insufficient sleep, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Even if you think you need to work during the night time, you may produce work more efficiently if you limit working hours to daytime and make sure you get to bed at a reasonable hour. Some people find that over-sleeping can cause headaches; it is thought that this may be caused by the effect of over-sleeping on certain neurotransmitters. Both insomnia and over-sleeping are thought to be linked to depression.

Keeps immune system working Sleep is the best medicine, the saying goes. When we are asleep, the immune system increases production of certain disease-fighting agents. Studies show that sleep deprivation lowers immunity, and it is thought that when a nation as a whole is sleep deprived, this may have far-reaching consequences for public health.

Helps keep you slim Getting enough sleep can help keep your weight down! In a study of 1.1 million Americans, it was found that sleeping less than seven hours per night increases the risk of obesity. (Kripke et al., 2002). Studies also show that not sleeping enough leads to lower levels of leptin, the hormone which switches our appetite off, and 28 percent higher levels of ghrelin, the hormone which makes us want to eat. Other studies show that sleep deprivation impairs glucose tolerance, leading to weight gain. (Spiegel K, 1999, 2004).

Getting a good nights sleep

Go to bed and get up at the same time each day Going to bed and rising at the same times each day helps our circadian rhythms to function properly so that we are alert in the day and sleepy at night. This way we are more able to produce the right hormones for being awake and for sleeping. We are designed to sleep during darkness and be awake during hours of light. Have a bedtime routine Try having the same routine before bedtime most nights, in which you do a relaxing activity such as reading, meditating or having a hot bath before you go to sleep. Getting a good nights sleep

Have an electronic sundown Avoid watching television or browsing the internet before bed, since these are stimulating activities which may keep you awake long after you turn them off, and will also disrupt the production of melatonin. Getting a good nights sleep

Teenagers and sleep If you are a teenager or the parent of one, be aware that teens produce growth hormone later in the evening which prevents the secretion of melatonin. This is why teens often want to stay up late or cannot get to sleep even if they want to, which can make them tired and irritable when they have to get up early for school the next day. Rules of sleep

Focus on the breath If you tend to lie in bed worrying, try meditating or simply focusing on the breath. Let the thoughts which come into your head float past, and keep returning to the breath. Example: Breathe in…breathe out. Breathe in…breathe out. Oh my goodness I totally forgot to boil the eggs for the kids packed lunches. Breathe in…breathe out. Im so annoyed with my neighbor for taking my parking place when he knows perfectly well that I always park there. Breathe in…breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in… This can help you get to sleep and it can also make the times when you are awake restful rather than exhausting, so that you wake up refreshed in the morning. Rules of sleep

Check your magnesium and calcium levels If you dont have a problem falling asleep, but you regularly wake in the early hours and have trouble getting back to sleep, you may be short of magnesium and/or calcium. These are also known as the calming minerals. Leg cramps or twitching legs are a good indicator, since magnesium and calcium work together to help muscles relax. If you suspect you have this problem, try taking a magnesium and calcium supplement before bed. Dark green leafy vegetables and seeds are also good sources of these minerals. Rules of sleep

Look after your adrenals Many people are tired throughout the day but have a second wind during the night. This is also known as being tired but wired. This can be a sign of adrenal fatigue, which is common in people today as a result of poor diet and chronic stress. A good diet, avoiding stimulants such as sugar or coffee, and adopting healthy lifestyle habits can help the adrenals to recover. Going to bed before 10pm is also recommended so as to help hormones to function well. Rules of sleep

Use ear plugs and eye masks Eye masks and ear plugs can solve problems with noisy street or household sounds or light coming in through the window. Take cat naps In the Mediterranean Hot Spots, many people take siestas during the midday heat. A six-year study of 24,000 Greeks found that those who napped had a 37 percent lower risk of getting heart disease. This was thought to be because having a nap reduced stress from work (Naska et al., 2007). Naps can also help you feel relaxed and less wired at bedtime. If sleeping makes you feel bad when you wake, try just lying down for ten minutes and meditating or focusing on the breath instead. Japanese office workers do this in order to make their work day more productive. Rules of sleep

Dont go to bed too hungry or too full Digesting and sleeping do not make good bed companions. Therefore, try to eat three or even four hours before you go to bed. Also avoid going to bed hungry as this may prevent you from getting a good nights sleep. Try having a warm drink and a small snack around bedtime. Avoid having caffeine, alcohol or sugar too close to bedtime, since these are stimulants and may disturb your sleep. Eating some whole grains at the evening meal can promote sleep, since carbohydrates encourage the release of serotonin which will help you relax. Rules of sleep

Dont go to bed too hungry or too full A study conducted in the UK in 2005 indicated that eating cheese before bed seems to promote good sleep as well as pleasant dreams, including dreams about the film star Johnny Depp. The effect was put down partly to the presence of the amino acid tryptophan in cheese, which is converted to serotonin. However, cheese is high in saturated fat and is not easily digestible, and it comes as no surprise to find that this study was conducted by the British Cheese Board. Tryptophan is also present in turkey, so eating some turkey at supper time may be a preferable alternative. Rules of sleep

NEXT WEEK: how does this end?