Counting Zs

Sleep is the most underestimated recovery tool. Bottom line is we NEED sleep. We were created to have natural cycles of wake and rest. If we mess with that too much, we see a big deviation in body and brain function. So here we are going to talk about the circadian rhythm, stress and hormones, and finally tie it together with some tips about sleeping better.

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Our circadian rhythm is essentially the natural wake rest cycle that is dictated by our environment. This is important because it's a trigger for many other operations in our bodies. Stress is one of the biggest things that impact our bodies, because we are wired to produce a stress response. Overtime if we experience prolonged stress or chronic stress, the response gets taxed. Mainly because our hormones aren't cycling properly and don't have the proper rest to recover. If you find yourself waking in the middle of the night, feeling wired and tired at the same time, difficulty recovering from exercise, getting injured often...you're probably experiencing some level stress. Your body is constantly in a fight or flight state, producing hormones continually, which is NOT optimal!

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With any sort of stress, the hormone that reacts is cortisol. With high levels of cortisol, you'll start to see your sleep suffer. This is because a normal cortisol levels peak in the morning and steadily decline throughout the day so by the time it's night time, your body is ready to retire and produce melatonin. With high or chronic levels of stress, your cortisol spikes numerous times a day, disrupting it's normal function. Even if you don't experience high levels of stress or think you're experiencing chronic stress, it's important to recognize healthier patterns so your body operates at optimal levels.

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This study (2013) explored the effects on the central nervous system on neurobehavorial functions. Lapses in sleep showed changes in sustained attention, psychomotor slowing, cognitive slowing, and altered reasoning. That seems obvious doesn't it? It's true, they found that there were metabolic reductions and significant decreases in regional brain activity following a night of sleep deprivation. With such a lapse in physiology and behavior we KNOW that our body is not getting the adequate rest it deserves.

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The very basics of reducing stress on your body regarding nutrition is adhering to a whole food diet...include vegetables with every meal and stay balanced with carbs, fat, and protein throughout the day. DRINK ADEQUATE AMOUNTS OF WATER EVERYDAY. Did you get that?? DRINK WATER, it's important :) With exercise, maybe limiting frequency is really what your body needs. Taking it down a notch and focusing on nutrition and sleep will do better for your body to recover than tasking it with 5 workouts a week. Now, sleep...it might be best to actually think about type of routine you keep in the evening and also in the morning. Keeping a generally consistent routine will help regulate that circadian rhythm we talked about at the beginning. A few lifestyle shifts that you might want to consider is deep breathing, guided meditation, or stretching before bedtime. Limiting artificial light before bed will help your body recognize it's time for bed and wind down properly. You can read before bed time or even drop some lavender oil in your diffuser. Most of these have become routine for us, the cutting out artificial light has been the biggest challenge!!! But there's a lot of options for finding blue light blocking lenses if you're a student or shift your work in the evening!

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Whether you're a competitive athlete, teacher, mom, or sedentary worker....it's imperative to understand what stressors may be causing you to lose sleep so you can kick your body BACK into an optimal state. That's what we all want right?! To feel better, have more energy, lose weight, enjoy life?!?

You've gotta start somewhere!

Do not use the information on this website to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease, or to determine your need for medication or treatment. Always consult your healthcare professional before adjusting any diet, exercise or medical regimens. Nothing contained in this website should be considered complete or instructional for medical diagnosis or treatment.