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| Monday, December 06, 2010 |
| Sleep and Metabolism |
This is the time of year when most people get less sleep than usual. There are parties to go to, shopping to do and family and friends to spend time with. However, it is very important that you get an adequate amount of sleep to stay feeling your best. Getting a good night sleep can help boost your metabolism and help you maintain your weight this holiday season.
This may sound crazy but most adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Most adults I know get far less than that. Many of my friends tell me that they just don’t need much sleep. They may feel okay on 4 or 5 hours of sleep but they are not helping their metabolism. Personally, I aim for between 7 and 7.5. If you are getting less then 7 hours of sleep each night, it may be effecting your metabolism and therefore your weight.
While we sleep, important hormones are released in our bodies. Two hormones called melatonin and growth hormone are released during sleep. These hormones have a great impact on metabolism. When you don’t get enough sleep, when you experience interrupted sleep or when you don’t sleep in the dark, you don’t produce enough of these important hormones.
Cortisol is a hormone that is increased when a person has a lack of sleep. Cortisol is a stress hormone. Increased cortisol leads to an increase in appetite and therefore an increase in food intake and possibly weight. Getting a good night sleep can help keep your cortisol levels low and can help keep your food intake under control, which can be especially difficult at this time of year. Low levels of cortisol also cause the breakdown of muscle for energy. Muscle is metabolically active, which means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn each day. Lastly, a high level of cortisol is associated with increased abdominal fat. Not Good!
It may be true that different people need a different amount of sleep each night. However, most experts go with the recommendation of between 7 and 9 hours of sleep per night for adults. Unfortunately, many of us are not getting the amount of sleep we need. If you are waking up feeling tired, you are probably not getting enough sleep. You should be feeling awake and alert with a positive mood for most of the day. If not, you may need more sleep. If you feel a strong urge to take a nap almost every day, you need more sleep at night. The more active you are, the more sleep you may need. Stick with the recommended guidelines and you should be fine.
Lastly, pay attention to your quality of sleep. Try to sleep in a comfortable space that is not too hot or too cold. It should be quiet and most importantly, it should be dark. You want to sleep deeply at night so that your central nervous system has a chance to recover from the day. Don’t let people or things interrupt your sleep. If you do wake up, go right back to sleep. Don’t get up for a snack or to check your emails! If you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, try exercising during the day and exposing yourself to bright light. For more suggestions on improving your sleep check out my blog Catch Some Z’s.
- Jennifer
If you like this article, you might also enjoy…
Sensei Talks: Anti Energy Drinks
Sensei Talks: Boost Your Immunity
Labels: Jennifer, Metabolism, Mind-Body Connection
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posted by My Sensei @ Monday, December 06, 2010   |
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