Why Sleep Is The Foundation of Health

Like eating and movement, sleep is a natural physiological behaviour essential to survival. Commonly wellness is seen to be achieved from fulfilling our nutritional needs through a balanced diet and improved physical endurance through exercise. However, research now considers adequate sleep to be the foundation for diet, lifestyle, and mental health. Beyond diet and lifestyle if sleep is not prioritized it can be detrimental to physical and mental health. 

Inadequate sleep has shown a vast range of consequences ranging from impairment in cognitive function to a decline in life span. Research shows the following major negative effects of lack of sleep:

• Lowered Immune function.
• Increased risk of depression, Alzheimer’s & dementia.
• Higher risk of diabetes (long term), obesity & weight gain (short term).
• Increased levels of LDL (Low-density lipoprotein) leading to a higher risk of heart disease.

Vice versa the major benefits of adequate sleep include:

• Strengthens connections between synapses that make up the memory circuit to enhance memory.
• Improved insulin sensitivity.
• Increased resistance to infections and lowering inflammation.
• Promotes reproductive health.

As far as diet is concerned the body struggles to dispose of fat deposits when it is under slept. Interlinked with exercise for example, if an individual wants to lose weight, muscle tissue will be lost in place of fat deposits. As a result of muscle loss, bone strength will decline leading to a higher risk of arthritis, injuries, fractures, and osteoporosis.

Adequate sleep leads to the metabolism and regulation of many hormones that govern digestive health. Eating more when tired is a common result of lack of sleep as ghrelin a hunger hormone increases and leptin, a satiety hormone decreases leading to overeating.

Sufficient sleep has been linked to the improved ability to deal with stress, anxiety, and lowered risk of many psychological disorders.

5 Tips for Healthy Sleep:

• Maintain a consistent sleep pattern at least 5 days a week. Routine of going to bed, going to to sleep at the same time and waking up at the same time.
• Sleep in darkness – remove electronics from the bedroom – turn off the mobile phone.
• 30mins of daily exercise plays an essential role in promoting quality sleep.
• Aim for daily sunlight exposure, at least 30mins spread throughout the day.
• Avoid large meals and avoid beverages such as caffeine, alcohol before sleep.
• Maintain a 2–3-hour gap between sleeping and the last meal of the day.

Sleep Better, Eat Better, Exercise Better to Feel Better.

Published By Ananda Clinic Limited. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Written by: Anirudh Gomber (BNatMed)

Photography credits: Hernan Sanchez