Sleep – Why It’s Essential & How To Get Some Zzzz’s
Sleep Good Tonight, You Deserve It!
Sleep is essential to our overall well-being, yet many times we put sleep towards the bottom of our priority list, especially when it comes to meeting the demands of life. Whether it’s work, family or running errands, or simply keeping up with the Joneses; sleep is often put on the back burner and supplemented with that extra cup of coffee or energy drink to “get us through the day.” But is this really healthy? The answer is a resounding “No!”.
Sleep is imperative to overall physical, cognitive functioning, and body repair. A lack of sleep can cause impaired memory, depression, a decreased immune response, fatigue, and increased pain.
Yet for many Americans it’s not just the lack of sleep, but about the quality of sleep. Millions of individuals report difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. This can often be attributed to certain chemical deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, an individuals lifestyle or a combination of all the above. No matter what the cause, the results are deleterious to ones overall health.
How Much Sleep Do You Need?
Recommendations for sleep vary depending on where you look. However, the general consensus for adults ranges from 7-9 hours per night. This variance accounts for the wide variety of differences found in each individual, so genetic and some environmental. Simply put, some individuals need less sleep, and some require a bit more.
5 Stages Of Sleep
One factor that may account for this variance appears to be the type of sleep an individual receives. According to the APA there are five stages of sleep (counting REM sleep), all of which are essential however, it’s stages three and four that are most restorative. The less time one spends in stages three and four, the more warn out and tired they will feel, even after what may seem to be a “full nights rest.” Whether it’s lack of sleep, difficulty falling asleep or trouble staying asleep; many doctors are quick to prescribe medications such as Lunesta, Xanex, Valium. Yet, the problem with these medications is that they do not promote stage three and four sleep and are thus not as regenerative as a normal nights rest.
Unfortunately, there is no one cause or solution to all sleep problems. To understand why repair is necessary we need look no further than our hormones. Cortisol, which is secreted through our adrenal glands is highest between 6 and 8 am and at lowest levels around midnight. However, cortisol levels also increase, along with adrenaline, during stressful situations. Now this works great when we are faced with acute stress, but not the chronic stress that many of us face today.
Stress
The chronic stress found in today’s world often results in adrenal fatigue, which can throw the whole system out of whack. The result of which can be difficulty falling asleep when cortisol and adrenaline are running high at night, or difficulty staying asleep as cortisol levels spike in the middle of the night. Cortisol is also catabolic, meaning that it breaks down chemicals and muscle in the body. On the other hand, human growth hormone (HGH) is anabolic meaning that it builds and repairs.
Consequently, HGH is released at night when we sleep, working with other mechanisms in the body to repair damage. But as we said it’s not as simple as just one mechanism that can throw our sleeping patterns off kilter. Sleep can also be effected by the following:
GABA – is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which can be used when levels of excitatory hormones are too high. GABA can be found in prescription form or through over the counter supplements that have been specially formulated so that the GABA molecules can penetrate the blood brain barrier.
Melatonin – helps regulate our sleep cycle. Levels normally increases at night. Melatonin also acts as an antioxidant.
Vitamin D – Is directly related to Melatonin. A good example of Vitamin D’s effects is to think of how you feel after a long day in the sun. Most individuals report feeling tired or very relaxed afterwards, which is attributed to increased Vitamin D exposure.
Serotonin – is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which promotes relaxation and a sense of wellbeing. There are prescription medications and over the counter supplements that increase levels of serotonin.
Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone– All have effects on energy levels and the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters.
So instead of grabbing an extra cup of coffee, eating more sugar, or having an energy drink, why not seek out a healthy long-term solution. Sleep disturbances can have many causes, but there are solutions. Life style changes, bioidentical hormone therapy and natural supplementation are safe and easy ways to get back on the right path towards optimal sleep. To find out more, click on the links in this blog and contact Vitali-T Medical Clinics to find our more about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, natural supplementation and overall wellness.