Post by westgold on Apr 2, 2014 22:13:30 GMT 9
You won't be able to lose dangerous fat if your sleep patterns
are off. Here's how to get the best sleep of your life.
Sleep plays an important role in regulating all of these hormones.
It's time for a sleep overhaul if you find yourself regularly
Googling: "How can I get better sleep."
The following list highlights sleep-disrupting habits that can
sabotage your slumber. Take a look at these offenders--and
avoid them--to optimize your sleep!
Sleep Mistake #1: Eating too close to bedtime.
Late-night meals and snacks prevent your body from cooling
down during sleep and raise your insulin level. As a result, less
cell-boosting melatonin and growth hormone are released while
you snooze.
Fix It: Stop eating 3 hours before bed.
Sleep Mistake #2: Sleeping with light exposure or too close to
your digital alarm clock.
Even a small amount of light interferes with the release of
melatonin and, subsequently, the release of growth hormone.
Cortisol also remains abnormally high when you are exposed
to light.
You should also be away of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that
are emitted from electrical devices and digital alarm clocks in your
bedroom. These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production
of melatonin and serotonin. Research has also linked EMFs to
increased risk of cancer.
Fix It: Sleep in pitch dark and keep electrical equipment at
least 3 feet away, if you must use these items. Turn the light
display away from your line of sight.
Sleep Mistake #3: Drinking too much liquid before bed.
Drinking before bedtime can definitely increase your need for
late-night trips to the toilet. Waking to go to the bathroom
interrupts your natural sleep patterns. If you turn the light
on when you go, you also run the risk of suppressing
melatonin production.
Fix It: Stop drinking two hours before bedtime and use a red
night light in the bathroom, if a night light is needed.
Sleep Mistake #4: Exercising late at night.
Regular exercise can certainly help you sleep better, as long
as you do it early enough in the day. A late-night workout,
especially a cardio session, raises body temperature significantly,
preventing the release of melatonin. It can also interfere with
your ability to fall asleep, since it usually increases noradrenaline,
dopamine, and cortisol, which stimulate brain activity.
Fix It: Avoid cardiovascular exercise in the 3-hour period before
bed.
Sleep Mistake #5: Too much TV or computer use before bed.
Many of us enjoy watching favorite TV shows, catching up on
emails, or surfing the Net in the evenings, but too much time
in front of either screen close to bedtime can interfere with a
good night's rest. Both these activities increase the stimulating
hormones noradrenaline and dopamine, which can hamper
your ability to fall asleep.
Fix It: Take time to "power down" and focus on mind-calming
activities like meditation, reading, or journaling. These habits
make your serotonin dominant and improve your sleep.
Sleep Mistake #6: Keeping your bedroom too warm.
Plenty of people like to feel cozy at bedtime, but a sleep
environment that's too warm can prevent the natural cooling
that should take place in your body while you sleep.
Without this cool-down process, melatonin and growth-hormone
release is disrupted, which means you won't burn fat while you
sleep or benefit from nighttime repair of your bones, skin, and
muscles.
Fix It: Sleep in a cool environment, below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sleep Mistake #7: Sleeping in tight-fitting clothes.
Besides feeling comfy, your favorite PJs can actually help you
sleep better, but not if they're too tight. Wearing tight-fitting
clothing at bedtime--even a bra or underwear--appears to raise
your body temperature and has been proven to reduce secretion
of melatonin and growth hormone.
Fix It: Sleep in the nude and avoid excessive, heavy blankets.
If you prefer to wear something to bed, make sure it's light
and loose fitting.
Sleep Mistake #8: Failure to open the blinds or go outside in
the morning.
Remember, melatonin is supposed to be lowest first thing in
the morning. If you remain in darkness, your body will not get
the signal that the time has come to get up and go. High
melatonin during the day leaves you feeling fatigued and unable
to wake up properly. It may also lower serotonin, leading to
depression, anxiety, and cravings.
Fix It: Let the light in as soon as you wake.
Sleep Mistake #9: Not getting the right amount of sleep.
The American Cancer Association found higher incidences of
cancer in individuals who consistently slept six hours or less or
more than nine hours nightly. New research recently reported
that people who regularly sleep 7½ hours per night live longer.
Most sleep experts agree that seven to eight hours a night is
optimal. However, some people may require more or less sleep
than others. If you wake without an alarm in the morning and
feel refreshed when you get up, you're likely getting the right
amount of sleep for you.
When your sleep is insufficient, your cortisol and hunger hormones
both surge, causing a corresponding increase in insulin. You also
experience decreases in leptin, melatonin, growth hormone,
testosterone, and serotonin, all of which lead to weight gain.
Fix It: Aim for 7½ to nine hours nightly.
Sleep Mistake #10: Going to bed too late.
More than half the respondents to the 2005 National Sleep
Survey reported they are morning people with higher energy
earlier in the day, while 41 percent considered themselves night
owls. Evening people were more likely than morning people to
experience symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea, enjoy less
sleep than they felt they needed, and take longer to fall asleep.
Staying awake until the wee hours causes hormonal imbalance
because it increases cortisol, decreases leptin, and depletes
growth hormone. It can also cause us to eat more, and it messes
with our metabolism. Cortisol naturally begins to increase during
the second half of your sleep--a small boost at 2 a.m., another
at 4 a.m., and the peak at around 6 a.m. If you're just getting
to bed immediately beforehand, you're missing out on your
most restful period of sleep.
Fix It: Hit the sack between 10 and 11 p.m.
ph.she.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/10-sleep-habits-cause-weight-gain-mess-hormones-164000621.html
are off. Here's how to get the best sleep of your life.
Sleep plays an important role in regulating all of these hormones.
It's time for a sleep overhaul if you find yourself regularly
Googling: "How can I get better sleep."
The following list highlights sleep-disrupting habits that can
sabotage your slumber. Take a look at these offenders--and
avoid them--to optimize your sleep!
Sleep Mistake #1: Eating too close to bedtime.
Late-night meals and snacks prevent your body from cooling
down during sleep and raise your insulin level. As a result, less
cell-boosting melatonin and growth hormone are released while
you snooze.
Fix It: Stop eating 3 hours before bed.
Sleep Mistake #2: Sleeping with light exposure or too close to
your digital alarm clock.
Even a small amount of light interferes with the release of
melatonin and, subsequently, the release of growth hormone.
Cortisol also remains abnormally high when you are exposed
to light.
You should also be away of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) that
are emitted from electrical devices and digital alarm clocks in your
bedroom. These can disrupt the pineal gland and the production
of melatonin and serotonin. Research has also linked EMFs to
increased risk of cancer.
Fix It: Sleep in pitch dark and keep electrical equipment at
least 3 feet away, if you must use these items. Turn the light
display away from your line of sight.
Sleep Mistake #3: Drinking too much liquid before bed.
Drinking before bedtime can definitely increase your need for
late-night trips to the toilet. Waking to go to the bathroom
interrupts your natural sleep patterns. If you turn the light
on when you go, you also run the risk of suppressing
melatonin production.
Fix It: Stop drinking two hours before bedtime and use a red
night light in the bathroom, if a night light is needed.
Sleep Mistake #4: Exercising late at night.
Regular exercise can certainly help you sleep better, as long
as you do it early enough in the day. A late-night workout,
especially a cardio session, raises body temperature significantly,
preventing the release of melatonin. It can also interfere with
your ability to fall asleep, since it usually increases noradrenaline,
dopamine, and cortisol, which stimulate brain activity.
Fix It: Avoid cardiovascular exercise in the 3-hour period before
bed.
Sleep Mistake #5: Too much TV or computer use before bed.
Many of us enjoy watching favorite TV shows, catching up on
emails, or surfing the Net in the evenings, but too much time
in front of either screen close to bedtime can interfere with a
good night's rest. Both these activities increase the stimulating
hormones noradrenaline and dopamine, which can hamper
your ability to fall asleep.
Fix It: Take time to "power down" and focus on mind-calming
activities like meditation, reading, or journaling. These habits
make your serotonin dominant and improve your sleep.
Sleep Mistake #6: Keeping your bedroom too warm.
Plenty of people like to feel cozy at bedtime, but a sleep
environment that's too warm can prevent the natural cooling
that should take place in your body while you sleep.
Without this cool-down process, melatonin and growth-hormone
release is disrupted, which means you won't burn fat while you
sleep or benefit from nighttime repair of your bones, skin, and
muscles.
Fix It: Sleep in a cool environment, below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sleep Mistake #7: Sleeping in tight-fitting clothes.
Besides feeling comfy, your favorite PJs can actually help you
sleep better, but not if they're too tight. Wearing tight-fitting
clothing at bedtime--even a bra or underwear--appears to raise
your body temperature and has been proven to reduce secretion
of melatonin and growth hormone.
Fix It: Sleep in the nude and avoid excessive, heavy blankets.
If you prefer to wear something to bed, make sure it's light
and loose fitting.
Sleep Mistake #8: Failure to open the blinds or go outside in
the morning.
Remember, melatonin is supposed to be lowest first thing in
the morning. If you remain in darkness, your body will not get
the signal that the time has come to get up and go. High
melatonin during the day leaves you feeling fatigued and unable
to wake up properly. It may also lower serotonin, leading to
depression, anxiety, and cravings.
Fix It: Let the light in as soon as you wake.
Sleep Mistake #9: Not getting the right amount of sleep.
The American Cancer Association found higher incidences of
cancer in individuals who consistently slept six hours or less or
more than nine hours nightly. New research recently reported
that people who regularly sleep 7½ hours per night live longer.
Most sleep experts agree that seven to eight hours a night is
optimal. However, some people may require more or less sleep
than others. If you wake without an alarm in the morning and
feel refreshed when you get up, you're likely getting the right
amount of sleep for you.
When your sleep is insufficient, your cortisol and hunger hormones
both surge, causing a corresponding increase in insulin. You also
experience decreases in leptin, melatonin, growth hormone,
testosterone, and serotonin, all of which lead to weight gain.
Fix It: Aim for 7½ to nine hours nightly.
Sleep Mistake #10: Going to bed too late.
More than half the respondents to the 2005 National Sleep
Survey reported they are morning people with higher energy
earlier in the day, while 41 percent considered themselves night
owls. Evening people were more likely than morning people to
experience symptoms of insomnia and sleep apnea, enjoy less
sleep than they felt they needed, and take longer to fall asleep.
Staying awake until the wee hours causes hormonal imbalance
because it increases cortisol, decreases leptin, and depletes
growth hormone. It can also cause us to eat more, and it messes
with our metabolism. Cortisol naturally begins to increase during
the second half of your sleep--a small boost at 2 a.m., another
at 4 a.m., and the peak at around 6 a.m. If you're just getting
to bed immediately beforehand, you're missing out on your
most restful period of sleep.
Fix It: Hit the sack between 10 and 11 p.m.
ph.she.yahoo.com/blogs/healthy-living/10-sleep-habits-cause-weight-gain-mess-hormones-164000621.html