The importance of sleep
Recently in health circles, the importance of sleep has been under the microscope. In the clinic, you will often hear us ask about the duration and quality of your sleep. Research suggests that sleep quality plays such an integral role in both your neurological and endocrine health. It is well known that sleep gives our brain a chance to rest and reset between one busy day to another. But, many do not realise that during sleep, our hormonal and chemical systems within the body are influenced by the time, quality and patterns of our sleep cycle.
For example, we know that consistent sleep regulates hormones such as ghreliin and leptin, which are responsible for hunger and the feeling of fullness after eating. So without this regulation, we can expect weight gain, overeating, and dissatisfaction from eating.
Insulin regulation is also heavily influenced by sleep, we understand that the body is less efficient at controlling our insulin levels when we have poorer sleep. This means that the body’s ability to utilised and convert energy from food is compromised. This explains the lethargic feeling when we are under rested.
Sleep enhances muscle recovery and growth through protein synthesis. When you sleep, you can be in different stages of sleep (REM, non-REM). Simply put, when you reach “deep sleep” or what we might call high quality sleep, there is a chemical secretion of Growth Hormone, that does what? Stimulate muscle mass and growth of coarse!
Generally with sleep, there are multiple recommendations for improving sleep quality.
These are 5 tips for a healthy bedtime routine that we love!
Set a bedtime. (and follow it! consistency is key remember)
Decrease your screen time 1 hour before bed. Bright screens tell your eyes to tell your brain its still daytime and to pause all the sleepy signals they’re going to send to the rest of your body.
Take a hot shower. Trick your brain into being warm and relaxed by, well, being warm and relaxed.
Prepare your room. You will best relax in a space you are comfortable, can switch off, and don’t have to worry about the temperature, lights, or blankets. If you prepare your space for a good sleep you will likely have one!
Read a book. Reading can put your mind in a different state of consciousness, and is an active method of switching off cortisol levels before sleepy time. Added bonus, it will improve cognitive function too so you are not only getting a better sleep, but also sharper when you are awake!