Unlocking The Mysteries of Sleep Hygiene…
Dr. Siobhan Newman explains the Health Benefits of Sleep. She shares her 25 years of Emergency Department experience where she has managed acute patient care, often treating end-stage chronic disease which she believes are entirely manageable and often preventable.
In this article:
- What is normal sleep?
- The damage of sleep loss and poor sleep quality
- The hormones that regulate sleep
- Peptides and sleep
- Nutraceutical support for sleep
During my medical career I have spent countless hours in the Emergency Department and many of those hours have been working the night shift. As many shift workers know there is a true love/hate relationship with the night shift. We love our colleagues and enjoy the camaraderie of the night shift workers but deep down inside we know that it is slowly killing us. Years of research has proven sleeping during the day and sleeping short hours leads to obesity, metabolic syndrome, inflammation, dementia, cardiac disease, and early death. Daily I am reminded by my own lifestyle, and that of my beloved coworkers, how important it is to prevent these outcomes to lead a healthier, happier life.
What is normal sleep:
Adults require 7-9 hours of sleep nightly whilst teenagers need 9-10 hours. Many people believe that their sleep needs are different and they may be right to some extent. There are genetic differences that cause us to sleep shorter or later in the evening but it does not vary that much from the required 8 hours of sleep that we all need. Our sleep cycles are driven by the light and dark cycles of the sun. Sunlight reflects light into our retinas and this light directly affects our brains through the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus driving our circadian rhythm. This sets off a cascade of hormones and cellular metabolism setting our body clocks to function perfectly. Disruption to these clocks leads to a multitude of problems.
Normal sleep cycles through four levels, known as sleep stages I – IV, with the last stage defined as our deep sleep. It is this deep sleep where our brains are cleansed and healed from the inside so that the neurons and cells can continue to function properly. Another important stage in our sleep is our REM stage, or dream state. This stage of sleep is important for learning and memory consolidation. It is therefore important to know which quality of the stages of sleep you experience to fully evaluate how to heal your body through sleep.
The damage of sleep loss and poor sleep quality
:
Many people believe they sleep well and that they only require “4 hours of sleep”. This may feel normal to them but research shows us this leads to immediate issues with decreased mental functions and long-term issues of obesity and ultimately a shortened lifespan.
Listen to your body and your body will tell you a lot about your sleep quality. If you fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow, you are sleep deprived. If you tend to sleep longer on your “off days”, then you are sleep deprived. If you find yourself craving salty and sugary foods and are gaining weight, then you may be sleep deprived. If you are experiencing mental fog and confusion, you are probably lacking in good quality sleep. Short sleep is directly related to increased Body Mass Index (or BMI), elevated cholesterol, elevated stress, diabetes, dementia, and heart disease. This is directly related to our circadian rhythm described above which drives or body clocks and controls our cellular functions and hormone release.
The hormones that regulate sleep :
- Melatonin – This amazing hormone is released from the Pineal gland in the brain controlled by our circadian rhythm. As the sun goes down we produce Melatonin and as the light returns this hormone is degraded. This powerful hormone is directly related to a decreased risk of obesity and diabetes. It is anti-inflammatory and protects us from heart attacks, cancer, and disease. It supports our immune system. This hormone decreases with age and is greatly affected by shift work.
- Progesterone – This hormone in women has a profound impact on sleep. As women go through perimenopause and menopause they often experience poor sleep quality and sleep disorders due to a loss of this hormone.
- Testosterone – Men with low levels of Testosterone often experience a desynchronization of their circadian rhythm and can experience loss of quality sleep, especially a decrease in the deep healing sleep.
- Serotonin – This regulates the sleep/wake cycle and is greatly affected by many pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals.
- Thyroid – This is the hormone of wakefulness and is often sub-therapeutic leading to increased obesity and slow metabolism.
- Cortisol – This is our stress hormone, necessary for awakening and response to “flight or fright” situations. Elevated levels lead to inflammation and cardiac disease including heart attacks and death.
Peptides and Sleep:
These peptides help repair the cellular metabolism of sleep:
- Growth Hormone Releasing Hormones (GHRP)
- Growth Hormone Releasing Peptides (GHRH)
- Vasopressin Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP)
- Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide (DISP)
- Epithalon
Peptides are messengers that direct the cell back into balance to perform the important functions of cellular metabolism and hormone production. These peptides work in a multitude of ways to improve the quality of your sleep leading to improved daily functions whilst helping decrease obesity, diabetes, cardiac disease, strokes, and dementia. The use of peptides should be individualized to each patient and directly under the care of a qualified physician.
Nutraceutical support for sleep :
There are many well known nutraceuticals that may help with sleep. These are a few of my personal favorites.
- Magnesium – This helps our minds “settle down” and works directly on the neurons in the brain related to sleep and happiness. Foods rich in Magnesium include green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, pumpkin seeds, and almonds.
- L-Theanine – This is an amino from green tea and also works in the neurons promoting relaxation. This often works as an antidepressant, stress reducer, sleep aid, and cognition enhancer.
- GHHB – This is an extract from the Magnolia tree. It also acts directly on neurons promoting decreased stress which helps aid in sleep.
- Ketone Esters – This is a fuel for your brain and does not directly promote sleep. Studies have shown that using a small dose of ketones esters at night may enhance the quality of your sleep leading to better recovery. This can also be used at normal doses in the afternoon instead of caffeine, which in some people, may decrease their ability to sleep at night.
Maybe it’s time to improve your quality of sleep for a better tomorrow and overall improved quality of life. Maybe it’s time to Rethink Aging.
Did you know that research has found that after 17 hours without sleep, our alertness is similar to the effects of alcohol consumption and you may be considered “legally drunk”.
References
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Amin, D. et al. 2018. The Effects of Melatonin Supplementation on Glycemic Control: A Systemic Review and Met-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Horm Metab Res. 50: 783-790.
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