Sleep is one of the underrated aspects of health, fitness, and wellness. Health and fitness experts talk about the latest exercise, supplement, or meal planning hacks, sleep unfortunately, isn’t always one of them. “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” is a common phrase for people burning the proverbial midnight oil. That reality can come sooner than later when proper sleep is avoided.
During the holidays, people get less sleep. Traveling and sleeping in a different bed, weeknight parties, multiple parties over a weekend, and increased alcohol consumption all contribute to less sleep. When you sleep less, your body does not repair itself. Add all of these issues together, and you know why you get sick, are grumpy, and constantly fatigued!
Lack of sleep contributes to weight gain, and during the holidays, you’re eating more than usual anyway! Leptin is a hormone that tells your body to stop eating. When you sleep less, leptin does not work effectively to tell you to put down the fork. Ghrelin is a hormone that tells you to eat more. Sleep deprivation adds more ghrelin, so you eat even more the next day! It’s a vicious cycle!
Another culprit for holiday weight gain from lack of sleep is high cortisol levels. Cortisol is elevated from chronic lack of sleep. If you struggle to get over six hours a night in your own bed, it will be tougher on the road. Higher cortisol levels increase your cravings for high fat comfort foods, which are plentiful at chain restaurants and holiday parties.
In a study by Ensellem and Whiteley in 2006, rats deprived of REM sleep died after five weeks. Are you prepared to have the same fate? There are five stages of sleep:
1. Interim between consciousness and sleep: prep for deep sleep
2. Heart rate and brain activity slows beginning ofdeep sleep and human growth hormone
3. Body makes repairs
4. Body temperature and blood pressure decreases
5. REM sleep: eye movement, blood pressure, heartrate, and breathing increase
Your body naturally moves through these and sometimes you wake up to use the toilet or change positions. Adults need 7 to 9 hours of healthy sleep per night. Make good sleep a priority each night, to help you stay alert and refreshed for the holidays and beyond.
Eating late and alcohol throw wrench in the normal sleep cycle. Because alcohol is technically toxic to the body, you must first metabolize it before moving on to food and other life functions. When you drink late and go to bed, your body does not start the sleep stages until the alcohol is metabolized out. Food digestion, muscle repair from workouts, and hormonal balance are all placed on the back burner until the last drop of booze is processed. This leads to your body storing excess energy (food) as adipose tissue (fat) over time. Math is hard, when you add up the drinks over a few days, you can see and feel the difference in your waistband!
Over a five-day work week, 1.5 hours of sleep loss/night builds into a 7.5-hour sleep debt by the weekend. Do this for a couple weeks and you know why you’re a fat zombie. Ensuring you're getting the 7-9 hours of proper sleep becomes even more important.
Our constant attachment to devices does not help us relax before bedtime. Mike Bracko, Ed.D., suggests these tips to help you sleep:
· Turn off the cell phone/tablet up to 1.5 hours before bedtime. LED suppresses melatonin
· Take a hot bath or shower an hour or so before bedtime. Your body temp drops quickly after showering and bathing so you’re cooler when falling asleep.
· Decrease alcohol, big meals, and caffeine closer to bedtime
· Keep the room temp around 68 degrees Fahrenheit (20Celsius) or less
If you have chronic sleep problems, please see a doctor for potential medical issues. Do not self-prescribe yourself medications you know nothing about.
Sleep does make your world go around. Neglecting it makes you fall out of rotation and become a dumpster fire over time. Use these tips to help you maximize your sleep to be your best athlete in your game of life!