Get your Sleep!

Here are 8 reasons to get your 8 hours of sleep:

1. Sleep Deprivation Makes You Hungrier

Research shows that sleep deprivation leads to increases in grehlin (the hunger hormone) and decreases in leptin (the satiety hormone, that tells the brain “I’m full”). This hormone imbalance leads to more hunger and cravings.

2. Lack of Sleep is Linked with Hypertension

Researchers from the American Heart Association have found a link between sleep quality and resistant hypertension, which is a form of high blood pressure that is difficult to treat with drugs.

3. Lack of Sleep is Linked with Diabetes

Diabetes and sleep problems are often linked. One reason why is because when your blood sugar levels are high, your kidneys try to get rid of it by urinating, and getting up to use the bathroom all night obviously disrupts your sleep. Another problem is that when you’re not sleeping well, you may eat sugary foods for quick energy, which then leads to high blood sugar. So you can see how the vicious cycle can begin, leading to a hormonal roller coaster and insulin resistance. When you are eating well and your blood sugars are under control, you’ll be able to sleep better at night.

4. Lack of Sleep is Linked with Obesity

The American Journal of Human Biology has reported that short or poor quality sleep is linked to increased risk of obesity by de-regulating appetite, leading to increased energy consumption. The European Congress on Obesity has also reported that “children who don’t get enough sleep or who vary in their sleep pattern extensively are more likely to eat a poor, obesity-promoting diet.”

5. Sleep is Healing

When you’re sick, people tell you to get lots of rest and drink lots of fluids. That’s because we instinctively realize the healing power of sleep. Sleep is the time that our body is devoted to rest and repair, and it’s the time when your immune system is most active. So all you over-achievers out there take note: sleep is not passive, it’s very active on a physiological level!

6. Our Ancestors Slept

If you’re following a Paleo lifestyle, you know that sleep is a huge component. Paleo is not just about eating like a caveman, but also sleeping like a caveman. This means that you respect the cycles of nature and start to wind down when the sun goes down, turning off the TV and computer, which are disruptive to our circadian rhythms and melatonin production.

7. Sleep is a Success Principle

Considering that sleep helps our neurological performance – including memory, problem solving skills and creativity – you really can consider sleep a success principle.

8. Sleep is Joyful

What could be better that hitting the sheets for a long night’s slumber and waking up refreshed! When you sleep well, you are so much more likely to take good care of myself the next day – no coffee needed to get going, choosing healthy foods, and the energy to exercise. It’s a virtuous cycle of feeling good!

Sweet dreams!