I love my sleep!

I love my sleep! Don’t you? It is a vital part of your health and beauty journey.  This week I am focusing on the importance of sleep. 😴

 When you don’t sleep, your body tells you and everyone else it didn’t get the rest and rejuvenation that was needed. We have a hard time waking up, getting out of bed, and we may drag the entire day. Visually we look droopy, may have dark circles under our eyes, perhaps even puffy eyes, and move slower. We may even sneak that catnap into our afternoon to make up for our sleep deficit. Waking up tired is not the way to start your day!

 But lack of sleep impacts us in more critical ways. Sleep is when our body replenishes itself. The typical adult falls asleep in seven minutes and needs 7-8 hours of sleep per night. During this time our body works hard, producing the hormones and amino acids it needs to function properly. Your mind is also resetting and releasing emotions. Here are 5 key processes that occur while you sleep.

 😴Restoration and Repair: Sleep is a crucial time for your body to repair and regenerate tissues. Cellular repair processes occur more rapidly during deep sleep, aiding in the recovery of muscles, bones, and other tissues. This restoration helps to maintain overall physical health and supports growth. This is why children need more sleep!

😴Memory Consolidation: This is the process by which your brain strengthens and stores memories. During sleep, your brain processes and organizes information gathered throughout the day, transferring it from short-term to long-term memory storage. This enhances learning and cognitive function.

😴Hormone Regulation: Sleep is closely linked to hormonal balance. While you sleep, your body releases various hormones, such as growth hormone, which supports tissue repair and growth. Additionally, sleep helps regulate the balance of hormones involved in appetite control, metabolism, and stress response, such as cortisol and insulin. If you don’t get adequate sleep each night, over the period of one year you will gain 10 pounds due to a cortisol imbalance.

😴Immune System Support: Adequate sleep is essential for a properly functioning immune system. During sleep, your immune system produces and releases cytokines, which are proteins that help fight infections, inflammation, and stress. Lack of sleep can weaken your immune response and make you more susceptible to illnesses.

😴Brain Detoxification: Recent research suggests that during sleep, the glymphatic system—a waste clearance system in the brain—becomes more active. This system helps remove toxins and waste products that accumulate throughout the day, potentially reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders.

 When we talk about sleep, we are also talking about quality sleep. There are three different stages of sleep that our body cycles through each night, and we do have moments of being awake during the night. A sleep stage is determined by the types of brain waves being produced. The picture inset is a snapshot of my sleep cycle from the previous night.

😴 It is normal for you to wake up on occasion. It’s possible you will fall right back to sleep and not remember ever waking up during the night.

😴REM Sleep is your rapid eye movement sleep. You dream, and your muscles are the most relaxed. This stage may play a role in learning and memory. You will cycle into several REM stages during the night and it should account for up to 40% of your sleep.

😴Core Sleep is your light sleep stage. It is just as important as the other stages and accounts for most of your sleep at night. Brain waves that may be important for cognition occur during this stage.

😴Deep Sleep is also known as slow wave sleep, this is the stage where body tissues are repaired and essential hormones are released. Deep Sleep typically is the first stage of sleep during the night, and occurs in longer periods during the first half of your sleep session. During Deep Sleep the body is so relaxed that it can be more difficult to wake from this stage.

 There are several things you can do to induce a good night’s sleep: 1) Regular exposure to sunlight during the day for at least 30 minutes, 2) Avoid nicotine and alcohol late in the day, both are stimulants, 3) Try to get workouts in at least 2-3 hours before bed, 4) stay away from large meals and a lot of liquids within a few hours of bedtime, 5) Relax before bedtime, 6) Dim lights, use black out curtains, or even a sleep mask in the evening if needed, turn down distracting noise and use white noise instead, 7)  Try and keep electronics and other distractions out of the bedroom, 8) Work to stay on a sleep schedule, and 9) Don’t lie awake in bed more than 20 minutes. Get up and do something relaxing until you feel like you are ready to sleep.

 If you have trouble going to sleep, have Monkey brain, or can’t stay asleep there could be several reasons, here are but a few:

😴Respiratory trouble will interfere with quality sleep.

😴If you are anxious, experiencing stress, and can’t turn off the day it will impact your sleep.

😴Digestive issues

😴Restless leg

 Do know there are natural solutions to your sleep issues. I diffuse an essential oil blend called Breathe almost every night to address breathing issues. When I know I need to get a good night’s sleep, but I am anxious about the next day I will diffuse Serenity (a lavender based blend) with my Breathe or take Serenity capsules before bed. Copaiba is also a great oil for relaxation. There are so many natural alternatives to help you sleep, and we can find the right one or combination of oils and oil supplement for you! They can become a part of your nightly routine or used just when you feel you need some help.

 Reach out to me if you want to learn more about finding the quality sleep you deserve!