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SLEEP - DID YOU KNOW???   by Sue Miley           Do you get a full 8 hours of sleep each night?  Research indicates the average adult sleeps a little less than seven hours per night. I have always been a strong proponent of “good” sleep. I have personally found that without a good night of sleep people tend to: • be more emotional- increased anxiety, depression, anger or your emotion of choice • reduce their ability to concentrate • get irritated with others more quickly and for minor issues • lower performance on tests or other important tasks • general feelings of fatigue I learned about the impact of sleep on our emotions and concentration years ago and I have always worked diligently with clients to help them to devise a consistent sleep routine. Recently though, I read some interesting information that I did not know about sleep. The source is a book called The Great Physician’s Rx by Jordan Rubin. Here are some facts I wanted to share: Excerpt #1 – Effects on the Liver “Our biological cycles normally follow the twenty-four hour cycle of the sun, or what is known as a circadian rhythm. During this time, the body does things that we don’t even know about, such as an automatic system that carries on functions of cleansing and rebuilding. The liver goes through a cleansing process between 11:00 pm and 1:00 am. If you’re awake during that time, your liver will not cleanse properly. Take it from me: the liver is the one organ that receives the brunt of our poor lifestyle abuse.” Excerpt #2 – Effects on food choices Researchers from the University of Chicago’s Department of Medicine did a study with 11 young men, ages 18-27. They were allowed only four hours of sleep for six days straight. “Researchers hypothesize that a lack of sleep hurts one’s ability to metabolize carbohydrates (sugar and starches) and produce gland secretions. In fact, after just four nights of four hours of sleep, the men consumed 35 percent more calories than they had on day one, with most of those excess calories coming from junk food loaded with sugar and fat. It appears that lack of sleep triggers cravings for the wrong foods. Excerpt #3 – Correlation to weight “Americans sleep the least of anyone in modern countries,” Dr. Eve Van Cauter, a sleep researcher at the University of Chicago, said on ABC’s 20/20 newsmagazine show. “And Americans are the most overweight and obese. Perhaps it’s worth thinking about the possibility that we don’t sleep enough, and therefore our appetites are unregulated.” Another quick fact that they mention is that one hour of sleep before midnight is worth about four hours of sleep after midnight. I have to admit, sleep is very important to me. I may not get a full eight hours per night, but I do try to wake up around the same time each morning and target at least seven hours per night. There has always been an extreme difference in my mood; but I wasn’t aware of these additional physical benefits. If you think about some of this information it does makes sense. If I am tired and fighting for energy during the day, I will probably eat more. Many times I am running around and end up grabbing something unhealthy. The liver concept is the most foreign one to me, but with my occasional glass of wine I want to make sure I have the 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. sleep hedge. If you are not sleeping well, I suggest that you work on a plan to change your sleep habits. The best way to do this is to create a routine. Following a routine tends to assist us in actually being able to fall asleep and wakeup consistently. Here are a few things you can try: • Get into bed and set an alarm to wake-up at the same time each day. • Drink a cup of green tea or herbal decaffeinated tea before bed. • Read for a little while before your bedtime. • Take a warm bath. You get the idea. The routine needs to be soothing wind down activities. Watching a horror movie or action adventure movie does not qualify as soothing. It’s a new year and a great time to start a new routine. When God created the earth and heavens in six days, we’re told he rested on the seventh day. We need to make sure that we get enough rest too!