You Snooze, You Win.
The effects of sleep on your health and what you can do about it
The curious case of Michael Corke
In 1991, a music teacher from Illinois named Michael Corke faced a peculiar problem – he was having trouble sleeping. In the following months, his sleeplessness grew worse until he could no longer manage to sleep at all. As his doctors scrambled to figure out the source of this tortuous illness to no avail, he sadly died after six months of total sleep deprivation.
Today, it is generally believed that Michael Corke suffered from Fatal Familial Insomnia. While such cases of the genetic disorder are extremely rare, the story of Michael Corke highlights the catastrophic health consequences of sleeplessness.
Why sleep should be more than just a luxury
Nobody can deny the importance of sleep. Even after one bad night of sleep, we suffer poorer concentration, forgetfulness, and a lower sex drive. Numerous studies have shown that if sleep deprivation continues at five hours or less, the risk of cardiovascular disease doubles and we lose weight at a far slower rate. (1)
Many of us will have also witnessed firsthand the effects of a lack of sleep on mood, stress, and depression. During the 20th century, reports of depression skyrocketed. Today, 300 million people around the world have depression and 15 percent of the adult population are estimated to experience about at some point in their lifetime. The link between depression and sleep is clear, with 90% of patients with depression complaining about sleep quality (2)
The collective worsening of sleep as the years have passed and technology has advanced is worth very serious examination, for not only does it undoubtedly impact our lifespan but also the quality of our lives. As we’ve grown increasingly dependent on the interconnectedness of the internet, smartphones and computer screens, so has society’s quality of sleep dwindled. This has led us to examine further the costs of our technological innovations on our natural hormonal functioning and how they impact our ability to switch off at night.
The role of melatonin
Melatonin – a hormone produced by the pineal gland – is one of the main triggers for inducing sleep at sundown. Because it must be released at the appropriate time, a part of the brain (namely the suprachiasmatic nucleus) tells the pineal gland to decrease the melatonin level when it is light out and to increase it when it is dark. Exposure to artificial light, especially before bedtime, tends to suppress our natural melatonin production, causing insomnia and trouble falling asleep.
This is why many sleep specialists recommend minimizing artificial light exposure for at least an hour before bed. With the high demands of work and life, however, many of us will find this unrealistic. In such cases, damage control may be your best option. Adjusting your displays’ color temperature, using a software such as F.lux, can reduce the negative effects of screen time on sleep by reducing exposure to blue light. (3)
As an adjunct to minimising artificial light, taking a melatonin tablet 30-60 minutes before bed may reduce sleep latency – the time it takes to fall asleep. The benefits of taking a supplement extend beyond sleep. It also acts as an anti-oxidant and a powerful anti-inflammatory.
How sunlight affects sleep
Making our days brighter is equally as important as making our nights darker. Exposure to sunlight has been shown to increase serotonin production, a chemical which positively affects mood and wellbeing. Serotonin also acts as a precursor to melatonin – serotonin is converted into melatonin as the sun goes down.
Modern work life also makes it difficult to get a healthy daily dose of sunlight. However, a mere stroll out in the sunshine during a lunch break is likely to make a substantial difference in your sleep quality. A recent study showed that subjects exposed to just 2 hours of bright light during the day produced more melatonin at night, creating a cascade of health benefits, including better brain health (neuroplasticity) and faster recovery from jet lag. (4)
Given that a whopping $411 billion per year is lost in the U.S. alone due to lack of sleep, we would be wise to give ourselves the fundamental freedoms of good sleep. (5)
Do you want more help from ATP’s coaches? The easiest way to get started is to get in touch with us using the form below. We can discuss what it will take to help you improve your lifestyle starting with simple habit forming changes, an improved diet and a regular exercise plan.
Ukipiga usingizi, utashinda. Ugonjwa wa usingizi na jinsi unavyoweza kuutunza: Mwalimu wa muziki kutoka Illinois, Michael Corke, alikuwa na tatizo la kawaida la usingizi. Katika miezi iliyofuata, kukosa usingizi kwake kulizidi kuwa mbaya hadi hakuweza kulala kabisa. Madaktari walipokuwa wakijitahidi kugundua chanzo cha ugonjwa huo, kwa kusikitisha alikufa baada ya kulala usingizi kwa muda wa miezi sita. Leo, kwa ujumla inaaminika kwamba Michael Corke aliteseka kutokana na Kifo cha Kutokula usingizi cha Familia. Ingawa visa kama hivyo vya ugonjwa huo wa urithi ni nadra sana, hadithi ya Michael Corke inaonyesha matokeo mabaya ya afya ya kukosa usingizi. Kwa nini usingizi unapaswa kuwa kitu zaidi ya anasa? Hata baada ya kulala usingizi mbaya usiku mmoja, tunakuwa na tatizo la kukaza fikira, kusahau mambo, na kupungua kwa hamu ya ngono. Utafiti unaonyesha kwamba ukosefu wa usingizi wa saa tano au chini huongeza hatari ya ugonjwa wa moyo mara mbili na kupunguza uzito kwa kasi ya chini. Wengi wetu tumeshuhudia kwa macho yetu wenyewe athari za ukosefu wa usingizi kwa hisia, mkazo, na kushuka moyo. Katika karne ya 20, ripoti za kushuka moyo ziliongezeka sana. Leo, watu milioni 300 duniani kote wana ugonjwa wa kushuka moyo na inakadiriwa kwamba asilimia 15 ya watu wazima wanaugua ugonjwa huo wakati fulani maishani mwao. "Uhusiano kati ya unyogovu na usingizi ni wazi, na 90% ya wagonjwa wa unyogovu wanalalamika juu ya ubora wa usingizi, ""aliongeza, ""kushuka kwa pamoja kwa usingizi kadiri miaka imepita na teknolojia imeendelea ni thamani ya uchunguzi mkubwa sana, kwa sababu sio tu ina athari bila shaka maisha yetu lakini pia ubora wa maisha yetu." Kama tumekua zaidi na zaidi kutegemea interconnectedness ya mtandao, smartphones na skrini za kompyuta, hivyo ina jamii ya ubora wa usingizi kupungua. Hii imetuongoza kuchunguza zaidi gharama za uvumbuzi wetu wa kiteknolojia kwenye utendaji wetu wa asili wa homoni na jinsi wanavyoathiri uwezo wetu wa kuzima usiku. Jukumu la melatonini Melatonini - homoni inayotengenezwa na tezi - ni mojawapo ya visababishi vikuu vya kuamsha usingizi wakati wa machweo. Kwa sababu inapaswa kutolewa kwa wakati unaofaa, sehemu ya ubongo (yaani kiini cha suprachiasmatic) huambia tezi ya pineal kupunguza kiwango cha melatonin wakati wa mwanga na kuiongeza wakati wa giza. Kuangaliwa na mwanga wa bandia, hasa kabla ya kulala, huathiri uzalishaji wa melatonini, na kusababisha kukosa usingizi na matatizo ya kulala. Kwa hiyo, wataalamu wengi wa usingizi wanapendekeza kwamba mtu asiangalie mwanga wa bandia kwa angalau saa moja kabla ya kulala. Hata hivyo, kwa sababu ya kazi na maisha yenye mkazo, wengi wetu hawatapata jambo hilo kuwa lenye kutarajia. Katika visa kama hivyo, kudhibiti uharibifu huenda kukawa chaguo lako bora. Kurekebisha joto la rangi ya maonyesho yako, kwa kutumia programu kama vile F.lux, inaweza kupunguza athari mbaya za muda wa skrini kwenye usingizi kwa kupunguza mfiduo wa nuru ya bluu. Kuchukua melatonin kama dawa ya kuondoa usingizi dakika 30-60 kabla ya kulala inaweza kupunguza muda wa kulala. Faida za kutumia dawa ya kuongeza uzito ni zaidi ya usingizi. Pia hufanya kazi kama antioxidant na nguvu anti-uchochezi. Jinsi jua linavyoathiri usingizi: Kufanya siku zetu ziwe na mwangaza ni muhimu kama kufanya usiku wetu uwe na giza. Kuangazwa na jua huongeza uzalishaji wa serotonini, kemikali ambayo huathiri vizuri hali ya moyo na hali ya afya. Serotonini pia hutenda kama mtangulizi wa melatonini <unk> serotonini hubadilishwa kuwa melatonini jua linapotua. Maisha ya kisasa ya kazi pia hufanya iwe vigumu kupata mwangaza wa jua wa kila siku wenye afya. Hata hivyo, kutembea tu katika jua wakati wa mapumziko ya chakula cha mchana kunaweza kufanya tofauti kubwa katika ubora wa usingizi wako. Utafiti wa hivi karibuni ulionyesha kuwa watu waliofunikwa na mwanga mkali kwa masaa mawili tu wakati wa mchana walipata melatonin zaidi usiku, na kuunda faida nyingi za afya, pamoja na afya bora ya ubongo (neuroplasticity) na kupona kwa haraka kutoka kwa jet lag. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, dola bilioni 411 za Marekani zinapotea kwa sababu ya kukosa usingizi, na hivyo ni jambo la busara kujipatia uhuru wa kulala vizuri. Je, unataka msaada zaidi kutoka kwa makocha wa ATP? Njia rahisi ya kuanza ni kuwasiliana nasi kwa kutumia fomu hapa chini. Unaweza kujadili jinsi ya kuboresha mtindo wako wa maisha kuanzia na mabadiliko rahisi ya tabia, lishe bora na mpango wa mazoezi ya kawaida.