1. Weighing In On Sleep
Getting plenty of sleep is something few people do in today’s world. Being sleep deprived can certainly affect your ability to think clearly or to safely drive a car. But did you know lack of sleep can make you gain weight and raise your blood glucose levels?

2. A Good Night’s Sleep
Allows us to relax, restore, and revitalize our bodies
Is as important as exercise or a healthy eating plan
A good night’s sleep is as important as exercise or a healthy eating plan to maintaining our optimum healthy weight and well-being. Sleep allows us to relax, restore, and revitalize our bodies every night. We spend a third of our lives in sleep. Sleep is an active state that affects physical and mental well-being. Sleep impacts dramatically how we think, perform, learn, remember, and feel while we are awake. When we sleep well we awake refreshed and ready to go!

3. The Sleep Hormones and Weight Gain Link
Ghrelin: appetite-stimulating hormone
Leptin: stop-eating hormone
Lack of sleep increases ghrelin and decreases leptin
As a result we get hungry when we are tired
Review slide points.

4. Losing Sleep? Modern, busy lifestyles are stealing our sleep time
Long work hours have reduced our sleep by nearly 20 percent
Modern, busy lifestyles are stealing our sleep time. Long work hours have reduced our sleep by nearly 20 percent according to the National Sleep Foundation. Those who get insufficient sleep are at greater risk for weight gain even though they exercise regularly and generally eat a healthy diet. When we are tired and sleep deprived, we often try to maintain our energy level with high sugar or high carbohydrate food (such as cookies, doughnuts, candy bars) for fast energy.

5. Multiple Effects On the Body!
Chronic sleep loss
Decreased growth hormone which encouraged weight gain
Increased excess insulin which promotes the storage of body fat
Contributes to diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension
Chronic sleep loss has other and multiple effects on the body. Inadequate sleep is linked to decreased levels of growth hormone, which is released during deep sleep. Reduced levels of growth hormone seem to encourage weight gain. Chronic sleep debt also prompts the body to create excess insulin. Excess insulin promotes the storage of body fat and contributes to the development of obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes. According to the 2003 Sleep in America poll, adults who report having diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension are more likely to report sleep problems or diagnosed sleeping disorders than those who have not been diagnosed with those diseases. If you are overweight or obese and have a sleep disorder, such as obstructive sleep apnea, losing as little as 10 percent of your weight will improve your sleep.

6. What Is Good Sleep? We have 4 to 5 sleep cycles each night
Each cycle takes about 90 minutes
There are two parts to each cycle
Non Rapid Eye Movement ─ NREM
Rapid Eye Movement ─ REM
Each has special functions
Each sleep cycle takes about 90 minutes and is composed of two parts, Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep and Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. Each has special functions. A good night’s sleep means 4 to 5 cycles should be completed each night.
When it is time to sleep our brain begins to slow down, our bodies relax, and within 5-10 minutes we begin to fall asleep in stages.

7. Non Rapid Eye Movement Sleep
This is slow wave sleep and has four stages:
Stage 1-lightest stage of sleep
Stage 2-brain activity continues to slow
Stage 3-Delta waves-low frequency/high voltage waves appear and disappear
Stage 4-deepest level of sleep
Stages 1-4 are known as Non Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) or slow wave sleep.
Stage 1- the lightest stage of sleep. Brain activity is characterized by alpha waves. Often this is described as being in the twilight zone.
Stage 2- brain activity continues to slow and the body relaxes further.
Stage 3- Delta waves – low frequency/high voltage waves – occur then disappear and we begin to enter deep sleep. This takes about 30 minutes
Stage 4- is the deepest level of sleep and we are barely aware of any outside stimulation.

8. What Happens During NREM Sleep?
Muscles are relaxed
Blood pressure drops
Pulse and breathing slow down
Body temperature decreases
Digestion and metabolism are slowed
Growth hormones and other hormones are released
What happens during deep sleep (NREM sleep):
Muscles are relaxed
Blood pressure drops
Pulse and breathing slow down
Body temperature decreases to conserve energy
Digestion and metabolism are slowed to allow for physical repair
Growth hormone and other hormones are released to promote tissue growth and repair.

9. What Happens During Rapid Eye Movement Sleep?
This is when we experience most of our dreams
Very active state
Breathing, blood pressure, pulse rate, and blood flow to brain increase
Muscles don’t move
Next we begin REM sleep, when we experience most of our dreams. This is a very active state when breathing, blood pressure, pulse rate, and blood flow to the brain increase. At the same time, a message is sent to our muscles to keep them from moving as we experience our dreams.

10. REM Sleep Helps
Memory
Replenish brain chemicals called neurotransmitters
Organize ideas
Resolve problems
Stimulate and develop Neural circuits
Maintain good mental and emotional stability
Review slide points.

11. Do You Get Enough Sleep? Age Hours of Sleep Infants 16-18 hours
1-2 years hours
3-5 years hours
10 years hours
12-18 years hours
19-65 years hours
hours
Recommended hours of sleep for different age groups

12. Tips For Healthy Sleeping
Create a calm routine before bed
Avoid exercising or working in late evening
Use the bedroom for sleep and privacy only
Eat a light snack such as fruit or whole wheat toast
Avoid sleeping with pets
Some tips for a healthy sleep environment:
Create a calm routine just before bedtime. Take a bath, read a novel, listen to music.
Avoid exercising or working in the late evening. This makes quality sleep more elusive.
The bedroom should be used for sleep and sex only. Make sure your pillow and mattress are comfortable and provide good support. Your bedroom should be cool, dark and comfortable.
Eat a light snack such as fruit or whole wheat toast.
Avoid sleeping with pets.

13. Sweet Dreams
See your health care provider if you snore or have ever been told you stop breathing during sleep
Sleep disorders can be treated
Often losing small amounts of weight helps promote a good night’s sleep
Let your health care provider know if you snore or have ever been told you stop breathing during sleep. This may indicate a sleep disorder that can be treated and help you achieve adequate restful sleep. For more information about programs that promote health and well-being, contact your County Extension Office.

14. Janet Tietyen Mullins, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.
Mention or display of a trademark, propriety product, or firm in text or graphics does not constitute an endorsement and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other suitable products or firms.
Stock images by 123rf.com
Janet Tietyen Mullins, Ph.D., R.D., L.D.
Extension Specialist for Food and Nutrition
Professor
Department of Dietetics and Human Nutrition
School of Human Environmental Sciences
January 2017
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