Poor quality or chronic lack of sleep can play havoc in our lives and have an incredible negative effect on how we feel and look.
Truth is, sleep is a powerful rejuvenating factor and one of the most powerful components to looking and feeling young. It is a true warrior in the anti-aging arena.
Consistent lack of quality sleep hinders metabolism and hormone production.
Age related issues such as memory loss, high blood pressure, obesity and type 2 diabetes are compounded and increased when sleep is compromised.
You see, you as a conscious entity may be sleeping but there is lots of activity occurring at the cellular level at this time. Only during the night when “growth hormone” is released and levels of adrenaline and corticosteroids drop do these “busy little bees” come alive and begin repairing and rebuilding.
Lack sleep and you impair this valuable anti-aging function and prohibit the release of “growth hormone.”
Cells are continually dying and reproducing…without proper sleep, how and when do you expect your body to repair and rebuild…to rejuvenate and re-balance itself?
Feeling stressed? Reflect on your sleep the last few nights? If your sleep is suffering at night then your stress levels are suffering during the day. Stress isn’t the only thing contributing to the aging process. Inflammation is also brought about by lack of sleep.
Tips for getting a good night’s sleep:
Keep a consistent night schedule and jump in bed around the same time every night
Use deep breathing exercises and muscle relaxing therapies
No exercising close to bedtime
No caffeine starting in the afternoon…no tea, coffee or chocolate containing caffeine before bedtime
Enjoy a hot bath in the evening with added lavender or other relaxing aroma-therapy oils
Sleep in a dark room
Limit alcohol consumption
Use calming exercises like meditation or gentle stretching
Sleep on quality bedding. Make sure your pillow provides adequate support for your neck and that your mattress feels comfortable and conforms properly to your body.
Take a natural supplement like Melatonin
Your immune system relies on your body getting enough sleep. Functions like removing proteins (that could otherwise build up) ultimately responsible for neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease are removed more efficiently during sleep than during waking hours.
The immune system is also reliant on proper levels of cortisol to function optimally and the best and most natural way if regulating cortisol levels is to get the proper amount of sleep.
Lack of sleep causes the production of too much cortisol which causes us to be anxious, irritable and depressed. It also interferes with healing and regeneration.
To make matters even worse, lack of sleep not only disrupts the body’s ability to repair itself at the cellular level but it messes with other hormones like the warriors of appetite and fat storage…ghrelin and leptin. You end up gaining weight/fat because your body is lacking sleep! You are caught in a vicious cycle of insomnia and weight gain.
Most healthy adults require between 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Others may require a bit more and it’s important that you listen and pay attention to your own bodies needs and not those of another.
You will know by how you feel the next day if you are getting enough sleep.
Many of the physical and mental signs of aging that were once thought to be caused by aging itself have now been found to be brought on by lifestyle habits which places them totally in our control. It’s a good thing.
Be sure and check out my newest addition to my anti-aging library of help…“Reclaim Your Longevity.”
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