Trimmendous sleep advice

Sleep it off  

We all know that sleep is a necessary function which we human beings must do in order to survive. For example, we know how much more we can get done on a Sunday when we haven’t been out enjoying ourselves the night before, although we don’t always like to admit it!  Night-time is a blessing to those who sleep well, but it is a curse for those who cannot.  Anyone who experiences sleeplessness on a regular basis understands the true horrors of what the word ‘frustration’ really means.  They will also know how they feel the next day; groggy, fatigued, irritable and unable to concentrate.  They certainly do not feel well rested and able to deal with all the challenges that begin with each new day. 

Getting a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference in a person’s daily life. A fact that is evident in the findings of numerous medical and scientific studies.  The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that as many as three quarters of Americans experience at least one symptom of a sleep disorder on two or more nights each week.  JAMA and the Lancet both show that sleep loss disrupts a series of complex and interwoven metabolic and hormonal processes, necessary for general good health and wellbeing, for both the body and mind.    

Many people do not realise that one of the key bodily processes affected by a poor sleeping pattern is the ability to achieve and sustain an optimum body weight.   

Continuous lack of sleep, even in the short-term, tends to increase hunger and affects the body’s metabolism. Poor sleeping patterns are increasingly being linked to the epidemic of obesity in many developed nations. New research shows that overweight and obese people sleep less than their normal weight peers. 

The link between sleeping too little and the inability to lose weight can become a dieter’s worst nightmare.  Having insufficient sleep makes it very difficult to maintain weight loss or even begin losing weight in the first place.  This can also apply to those following a strict daily diet and tough exercise routine. Quite a sobering thought for the many tired and frustrated people, who try their hardest to lose excessive weight, never to be rewarded with the results they had hoped for.   

Writing in January 10^th issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, Robert D. Vorona and colleagues from Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA, surveyed the sleeping times of 1,000 adults. They reported that the total time spent asleep by the people studied, within a 24 hour period, decreased inversely in proportion with their body mass index (BMI).  In short, those that slept less tended to weigh more. 

It is recommended that an adult should aim for eight to nine hours of uninterrupted sleep every night.  This is fairly standard advice that most people are (probably) already aware of.  Whether or not they are actually able to adhere to it is another thing.  Nevertheless, the use of the term ‘uninterrupted sleeps’ leads us to the other sleeping dilemma faced by many.  It is not only the quantity of sleep that matters; it is also the quality of the sleep! 

Sleep quality has a direct link to the workings of your metabolism.  Deep sleep, or slow-wave sleep, is the stage of sleep when restoration and repair occurs within our bodies.  If deep sleep is hindered then hormone imbalance can occur.  An example of this can be seen in the fact that decreased amounts of deep sleep have been associated with significantly reduced levels of growth hormone.  Growth hormone is a protein that helps the body regulate the proportions of fat and muscle in adults.  Furthermore, insufficient deep sleep has been associated with changes in hormone levels that may stimulate unwanted appetite and cravings during the waking day, especially for foods high in carbohydrates. 

Last month a population study by researchers from the University of Bristol found that people who habitually slept for around five hours had 15% more ghrelin, a hormone which increases feelings of hunger, than those who slept for eight hours. And, combined to this, those who slept for fewer hours were also found to have 15% less leptin, a hormone which suppresses appetite.   

A Catch 22 situation now occurs. Not only can a poor sleeping pattern of reduced sleeping hours lead to an increased appetite for food that the body does not really need, it can also restrict a person’s ability to burn off the excess calories, as they feel more tired and lethargic during the day and, therefore, less likely to exercise!   Of course, it is not always possible to achieve good quality, uninterrupted sleep. There are, however, some basic tips that can be followed. Where possible avoid stressful situations directly before bed, such as doing the accounts or revising for exams. Instead, try relaxing by reading a book or magazine, or letting your cares soak away in a warm bath.  It is also important to eliminate light and sound from your bedroom. Sleep in a dark and quiet room and avoid drifting off with the landing light on or the television shouting at you from downstairs. 

Surely it can’t be too far off the mark to suggest that our stressful and hectic lifestyles are influencing the rise in overweight and obesity. But it is not just a result of the drastic changes to our diet, such as an increasing reliance on fast food, and lack of exercise. Sleep deprivation is also playing a part. Those people who are trying to gain the upper hand in the battle against the bulge should take a good look at their regular sleeping habits, both in the amount of time they spend asleep and the depth of sleep.  A sensible and sustained sleeping pattern is vital to achieving a trim and healthy body.  So, next time you are faced with the problem of piling on a few extra pounds, sleep on it first.  You may have already found the solution you are looking for! 

Written by Green Bear, owners & producers of the trimmendous range.

Published in the Guild News, April 2006.