The Natural Sleep Aid Blog

Adequate sleep is fundamental for the body to perform properly. The importance of quality sleep is obvious for preventing various health issues but one of the most overlooked reasons why sleep is so valuable is because it can actually slow the rate at which the body ages.

While you sleep, your body has a chance to rejuvenate itself both mentally and physically. It can speed up healing of injuries or surgeries, increase weight-loss, boost immune function, and help to manage or reduce stress. These are all things that are very taxing on the body and when sleep deprivation occurs the body begins to fall apart from the inside out.

Key hormones are released during your sleep which helps to slow the aging process and repair cell damage. Between the hours of 11 and 1am your body produces human growth hormone (HGH). Insufficient sleep inhibits the production of growth hormone which ultimately leads to physical deterioration, emotional problems, and premature aging.

About 40% of Americans do not get enough sleep each night which increases more than just health or premature aging; it can also impair brain function during the day and increase the risk of accidents. In order to prevent these problems from occurring, you should try to get about 8 hours of quality rest each night. Studies show that sleeping less than 8 hours a night can begin wreaking havoc over a period of time.  Proper sleep can boost mood, encourage weight-loss, slow the aging process, reduce the stress hormone cortisol, and help to stabilize hunger and blood sugar levels in the body.

There is some truth to the saying “get your beauty sleep” as it can really help to keep you looking beautiful longer. Things to consider during the day that will help you achieve better rest are limiting the amount of alcohol or caffeine you consume and eating a well balanced diet packed with super foods like, berries, veggies, salmon, raw almonds, oatmeal, and lean sources of protein.

There are times when you truly feel famished because you don’t have time to eat all day and by the time dinner hour rolls around you can barely contain your hunger. Hunger can also be an issue after an intense workout at the gym or if the body is lacking certain nutrients from a restricted diet. However, there are times that hunger is not the issue and eating is used to console emotional behavior. There are several reasons for emotional eating but once this habit is established it can be very hard to break.

When food becomes a comfort it becomes an addiction. Some of the biggest reasons why people turn to food are stress, anxiety, anger, pms, depression, loneliness, an eating disorder, or to cope with the loss of a loved one whether it be death or divorce. Food is no longer looked at as nourishment for the body but rather medication to help ease emotional tension. When you begin to recognize the different triggers that send this behavior spiraling out of control you can practice alternative ways of coping. You also treat the cause of uncontrollable eating, break the vicious cycle of self abusive, reduce various health risks, and regain control of your eating habits.

 There are several steps you can take to regain control of your eating habits as well as your thought process. The most important step is to try and see what things trigger this kind of eating. Track it on paper to see if there are specific patterns that you can break. Once you are able to track what prompts your emotional eating, begin comforting yourself with something other than food such as calling a friend, listening to music, exercising, or taking a relaxing bath. It is best to eliminate all junk food in the house so there are no temptations knocking at your door. Only go to the grocery store when you are satisfied both emotionally and physically so you don’t buy the wrong things to feed this behavior. Make healthy eating a priority in your life and eat a balanced diet everyday to help decrease cravings. Once you have switched to healthier eating try to recognize the signs between true hunger and emotional hunger. When you feel the need to eat wait about 15 minutes to see if your hunger passes, if not, pick a healthy snack such as a piece of fruit or a handful of unsalted almonds. Lastly, get regular exercise and sleep because they both help the body to release key hormones that help stabilize mood and well being.

Many of us experience a plummet in energy around the mid-afternoon shortly after lunch time. It is common to feel lethargic and tired after digesting a meal, or spending hours in front of a computer screen. The question that comes to mind is will a power nap recharge you?

Research shows that your brain is very much like a machine in the sense that when it functions to the fullest of its capability, your body will not require sleep. For the most part it will tell you when it is tired and when it needs a break and in these cases taking a power nap during the day may be the answer to rejuvenation. Power napping is usually considered to be 20-30 minutes of rest. Here are some other benefits associated with regular napping.

Napping for as little as 20 minutes can increase your energy naturally and eliminate the constant reliance of caffeine and harsh stimulants.

Most people would agree that taking an afternoon nap can refresh the mind and increase alertness at work. If you break for lunch, this may be a wise way to spend it. Studies show that it can enhance learning, memory, creativity, and productivity.

The demands of each day can be overwhelming and leave you feeling exhausted and stressed out. When the body gets adequate rest it inhibits the release of the stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is produced during times of fight or flight responses. An overproduction of this hormone can lead to exhaustion and weight problems. Making time for a nap during the day can reduce stress and help with weight management as well.

Recharging your battery by napping can also help with motivation for exercise. One of the biggest reasons people omit this from their day is that they are simply too tired to. Napping can increase both motivation and the duration of a workout.

Sleep deprivation can be a problem for many people. If lack of sleep persists it can accumulate and increase unwanted stress and health risks. One of the best ways to combat this issue is to make up for it in increments such as power napping. Over time it will help the body catch up on lost hours of sleep.

There are countless reasons why you should make sleep a priority in your life. If you suffer from a sleep disorder you are especially at higher risk for health issues. In any case taking a nap each day can do the body good both mentally and physically.

In today’s society we are constantly pushed and pulled in every direction in order to accomplish all the demands of the day. One of the biggest sacrifices we make is lack of sleep in order to get ahead. You may think that skimping on your zzz’s is ok but it can actually affect your health in a negative manner by increasing your waistline and your weight. Studies show that there are key hormones the body releases during sleep that can be beneficial or damaging depending on how many hours of rest you get.

One of the most important hormones released between the hours of 12-2AM is Human Growth Hormone otherwise known as HGH. HGH is what we call the beauty hormone because it slows the aging process, rejuvenates the body, increases fat burning, reduces stress, and gives the body an overall sense of well being. If you are not sleeping during these hours you could be missing out on all the benefits HGH has to offer.

Ghrelin is a hormone that increases hunger and is secreted by the stomach. Lack of sleep increases this hormone and increases your blood sugar levels which trigger the need to eat. Studies show that individuals that receive 5 hours of sleep or less each night increase this hormone by as much as 15% than those that sleep an average of 8 hours. An increased amount of Ghrelin will ultimately lead to an increase in weight.

Leptin is a hormone that decreases appetite and hunger when you get proper sleep. Getting 8 hours of sleep each night helps to increase the amount of Leptin the body produces which reduces weight gain.

Whatever the demands may be, work, school, family, stress, or perhaps the love of television, get in the habit of tucking yourself in at a reasonable hour and feel the difference sleep can have on your waistline.