Healthy Lifestyle - Get Some Sleep!

We’ve all experienced it. Whether it’s due to a crazy schedule or too much stress, we don’t get enough sleep these days. Yet, by short-changing yourself by not getting enough sleep – you’re doing yourself more harm than good!

All those workouts you do aren’t what build muscle – those workouts actually break down muscle. That’s right – whether you’re at the gym, running at home on your treadmill, or doing that long bike ride outside, you’re tearing things down. Where you gain muscle and improve your muscle tone is when your body rebuilds the damage. And, your body does that during your rest periods – in other words, you break things down when you’re awake, and you rebuild when you sleep.

And, it doesn’t stop there. The stress on your body keeps building up when it doesn’t get rest. In a recent sleep study, researchers at the University of California at San Diego studied 135 men. When they collected and analyzed their blood, they found that those that suffered from interrupted sleep increased clot promoting proteins, which may increase the risk of heart attack.
So, how can you make sure this doesn’t happen? Simple - get some sleep! Make sure you make sleep a priority most nights of the week. Stay on a regular schedule wherever possible – and get those 8 hours. Also keep in mind that recent studies have shown that if you’re sleep deficient, getting an extra couple of hours on the weekend won’t make up for it. (Although, it might be good for your mental health!).

And, there are a few things you can do to make your sleep deeper. First is – keep up those workouts! When your muscles are tired, you’ll sleep deeper! Also, limit the amount of carbohydrates you eat before bedtime. Eating carbohydrates late in the day causes your blood sugar levels (and insulin levels) to drop dramatically at night, causing your body to wake up to seek more food.

So, avoid morning grogginess, feel healthier - and enjoy some sleep!

Healthy Living – Get A Good Night’s Sleep!

We’ve all heard for years that we should all get 8 hours of sleep per night. And yet, sleep is one of those areas that we seem to short-change ourselves. In fact, one in four Americans don’t even get 6 hours per night. Yet, you need 8 hours of sleep nightly to function at your best.

Lack of sleep is bad for your health. Your body needs that time to rebuild damage that occurs during the day. And, in a 15-year longitudinal study of nearly 2,500 women, those who had disturbed sleep turned out to be much more likely to have cognitive decline as they aged – your brain needs sleep just as much as the rest of your body!

Unfortunately, too many people are seeking the help of prescription sleep aids. IMS Health, a pharmaceutical research company, said that in 2005, 42 million sleeping pill prescriptions were filled, which is an increase of nearly 60 percent since 2000.

It gets difficult trying to marry a busy schedule with a good nights sleep. And many times, our crazy lives keep us from getting to sleep in the first place. How then, can you get to sleep, and get a restful sleep, without resorting to prescription medication?

First, make sleep a priority. You can’t “make up” for lost sleep by sleeping in (and…sometimes, sleeping in on a weekend isn’t an option anyway). Make sure that you establish sleep as a priority in your life.

Second, avoid caffeine after noon. Not only does this mean avoiding that afternoon trip to Starbucks, but also watch your soft drink intake, as well as what types of tea you drink (herbal tea or green tea is a great substitute).

Third – exercise! That’s right – getting a good, regular workout in is a great way to make sure that the sleep you do get is a deeper, more restful sleep! Plus, those regular workouts are a great way to relieve stress, helping you get the “sweet dreams” that you need!

In the end, if you get your “8 hours” nightly, you’re going to be more efficient during the day – once you get into a good sleep routine, you should find that you can still get everything accomplished that you need!