Monday, October 28, 2013

Are you Getting enough Shut-eye?

Introduction:

Most of us already know the importance of getting enough sleep, but equally as important is the quality of sleep we get.  Getting enough quality restful sleep is crucial to lean tissue development as well as replenishing our mental capacity.

Exercise and Nutrition while important maybe futile if we don't back it up with restful quality sleep.  Research shows that sleep is equally as important as exercise and the food that we eat.  If most of us already know this than why are we such a sleep deprived nation?  While stress definitely plays into the quality and quantity of sleep we get I think more is the lack of knowledge surrounding setting the environment and body for a restful night of sleep.

Today we'll look at some ways to achieve a more restful night of sleep.  Put these things into practice and I assure you will have an easier time getting and staying asleep at night.



Establish a Sleep Routine:

In order to eat healthy we take time to prep and prepare food that will nourish and support our activity levels.  Prior to a workout we take (or should take) time to warm-up the body doing bodyweight movements in various planes to ensure that we have a good, injury free workout.  Why then do we not take the time to prepare the body for rest?  Why do we expect that we can go from 100mph to 0 without any time to unwind?

First step create a nighttime routine that prepares your body for a restful night of sleep.  Consistency is key here and overtime if you are consistent your body will begin the unwinding process naturally.



Be Regular:

Our bodies are fans of consistency.  Striving to wake/sleep at the same time everyday should be priority.  If you have young children like I do this can sometimes be difficult, or they can be the consistency that you need.  If they are on a regular sleep/wake cycle they may provide you with the same consistency.  The trick is going to bed when they do or shortly there after.

If you can be consistent with your sleep patterns then the body will naturally adjust sleep/waking hormones that will facilitate both processes just as mother nature intended.

Drinking stimulus:

While it may seem relaxing to have a few drinks at the end of a long day, this can disrupt your deep sleep cycle.  Drinking your afternoon pick-me up may have the same effect.  While caffeine can be a good tool for increasing the efficiency of your workout if used too close to bed time it will prevent a deep and restful nights sleep.

Use caffeine if you need to, but try to limit or omit using it after 1pm to ensure that it does not disrupt your sleep cycles.

Electronic stimulus:

If your like most today your cell phone is your alarm clock as well as your nightly reader.  iPad, Nooks, iPhones, TV, computers, laptops all these are stimulus.  Research is showing that the artificial light put off by these devices is stimulating and can trick our brain/body into thinking the sun is still up.  Thus, releasing stimulating hormones that keep our body in a waking state.

If you must use your table for reading select the black or sepia screen to reduce the glow.  If your using the computer then download one of the many programs that will "soften" the glow of the screen.

The body naturally releases Melatonin as light levels decrease.  Artificial light can disrupt the release of melatonin therefore reducing the quality/quantity of the sleep we get.  Try to eliminate artifical light 30 mins prior to sleep to ensure a restful night.


Before Bed Eat/Drink:


Eating a large meal or consuming a large amount of fluids before bed will disrupt your sleep cycles and leave you headed to the bathroom perhaps several times a night.  To ensure this doesn't happen to you it's a good idea to pick a particular time of night to "close the kitchen."  Pick a time that is 2 hours prior to your bed time.

Write it down:

We've all spent wakeful hours looking at the ceiling thinking about all the things we have to do, email, call, go here go there etc.....Instead of wasting precious sleep why not take a few mins prior to bed to write down the things that are keeping your mind active.  Sleep well and tackle your to-do list in the morning with a full nights sleep you are sure to be more productive.

Stretch/Meditate/Read:

What is it that calms you?

  • Mediatation/deep breathing
  • Light stretching/fluid movement
  • Reading/writing
What ever it is that allows you to quiet your mind and prepare your body do that before bed, and make a routine of it.

5 Hour energy:

We've all heard someone say that they do better on 5 hours of sleep.  While this maybe true for a while research shows that it's only a matter of time before their productivity/performance will suffer drastically for the lack of sleep.  Most people do best on 7-9 hours of sleep so make 7 hours your baseline.

Exercise is key:

Yet another reason to exercise.  Regular exercise will stabilize your circadian rhythms leading to a more restful nights sleep.  As if you needed me to tell you that......

Setting your sleep environment:

Perhaps as important as setting a pre-bed routine is setting your sleeping environment.  Here's a few pointers on creating an environment for restful sleep.

  • Keep it dark - use blinds or curtains to keep the room dark as possible during resting hours.
  • Leave electronics out - try to leave electronics in another room or on "do not disturb" mode to prevent the late night email/text notifications
  • Use white noise - live in a busy area?  Try a white noise machine to create a more restful environment.
  • Set the right temperature - get a programmable thermostat not only will it save you a few bucks on your heating/cooling bill, but it will also automatically set the room temperature for you.
Conclusions:

Good sleep is crucial in order to be the best you can be rest is so important.  It's the reset your body needs in order to grow and repair.  Give it the time it needs.

Get plenty of it shoot for at least 7 hours although 8 to 9 would be better.  Your emotional, physical and mental self will thank you.

Take control all the things you do during the day play into how well/bad you sleep so think about your day and especially think about the hour to half hour leading up to sleep.  There's not a lot of things we can control in today's world, but the environment and preparation leading up to sleep is something you can control.  

References:

B. St.Pierre. Hacking Sleep: Engineering a high quality, restful night. Retrieved from http://www.precisionnutrition.com/hacking-sleep.








Friday, October 11, 2013

Healthy stress

While a certain amount of stress can be a good thing (i.e. Project deadline, work promotion) too much stress can compromise your immune system and leave you feeling drained and unmotivated. How then do you find a happy medium?  Individuals differ on stress management so to say there's a tried and true exact would be nothing short of a lie. 

The stress response is a normal physiological response to elements within our environment. When working correctly it can be a positive that drives us to success or reacts in a time of need to help others (i.e. Car accident).  Too much stress,however, is damaging to your health, mood, relationships and motivation all of which reduce the quality of life. 

Take a second to write down your daily stresses: go ahead you'll be glad you did!  Your list probably looks something like this.  
            - Work deadline
            - kids
            - overwhelming to-do list
            - relationships (husband/wife, boyfriend/girlfriend, friends, co-workers)
            - commuting
            - events 
This load alone is enough to create an unhealthy level of stress without adding the daily stress of work, prepping food and all the other daily stresses. The culmination of all these stresses is enough to lead to an unhealthily level of stress. 


Recognizing the good versus the bad can be key to keeping a healthy balance in your life. 

Good:
          - is infrequent
          - is short in duration (i.e. Exercise lasting 15-50mins)
          - leads to a better version of yourself
          - leaves you feeling inspired and motivated
          - leads to a reduction in bad stress (i.e. Blood pressure/cholesterol)

Bad:
          - lasts a long time
          - is de-motivating
          - is chronic
          - does not leave you feeling motivated and inspired
          - creates a "bad" physiological response
          - leaves you worse off than before

One of the best ways to determine the good from the bad is how long/well do you recover from it?

Stress affects every aspect of being (mind,body and soul). No two people handle stress the same way. A number of variables can impact your "recovery" from stress. 

- Glass half full:  having a glass half full attitude makes you more resistant to the effects of stress.              Accepting the challenge will reduce the amount of time it takes to recover from whatever life may throw at you. 

- All too often:  the amount of stress you face on a day to day basis can build up leading to a breaking point. 

- Got genes?  Some of us are just more genetically prone to "deal with" or "crater under" the stresses that we face. 

- Are you in control?  Stress signals our flight or fight response so as you can imagine when we feel trapped the stress that is trapping us can become or feel overwhelming. 

Handling your stress:

We all have different ways of coping with the daily or periodic stresses we face. Here are a few of the things that I do personally to help me deal with stress whether daily or overwhelming. 

            - listen to soothing music 
            - unplug from electronics 
            - take 5 deep breaths eyes closed and present for each one
            - head outdoors (hiking,playing with my kids, riding horses, running, biking)
            - exercise (duh) 
            - build something
            - give/get a hug
            - stretching/foam rolling

Finding a balance that works for you is the most important part when dealing with stress. Find what works for you and add it to your routine religiously. For some this may be drinking green tea or meditation. 

Take Away:

While mentally we may be able to differentiate between stress stimulus our body can not. All stress affects our body the same way good or bad. How you react to stress is what makes the difference. We are in control of our attitudes and the way we choose to react. Instead of stressing about stress view it as a challenge, be open to change, stay flexible, have a plan b, but most of all try to view it in a positive light. 

References:
K. Scott-Dixon, B. St.Pierre. Good stress, bad stress: Finding your sweet spot. Retrieved from http://www.precisionnutrition.com/good-stress-bad-stress