How Much Sleep Do I Need? Well that can depend on your age
Recommendations for amount of sleep per night for peak health are as follows:-
Newborns (0-3 months): 14-17 hours
Infants (4-11 months): 12-15 hours
Toddlers (1-2 years)- 11-14 hours
Pre-School/Early School (3-5 years): 10-13 hours
School Age (6-13 years): 9-11 hours
Teenagers (14-17 years) 8-10 hours
Young Adults (18-25 years) 7-9 hours
Adults (26-64 years) 7-9 hours
Older Adults (65+) 7-8 hours
So what has the amount of sleep you get got to do with your nutrition?
There is a strong link between poor sleep & weight gain. The likelihood of obesity in both children & adults also associates with inadequate sleep.
The hunger hormones, GREHLIN & LEPTIN which are responsible for signalling hunger in your brain can have their balance interrupted by inadequate sleep leading to more Grehlin and less Leptin being released. As a result, this leaves you feeling hunger & your appetite is increased.....Not Good!!
Research has also shown that when you are sleep deprived, you are more likely to reach for foods which are high in calories, simple carbohydrates & bad fats due to the fact that the frontal lobe of your brain, which is the part responsible for decision making & self control, becomes weary from poor sleep, making it more difficult for you to make healthy food choices & resist the less nutritionally beneficial foods.
Getting a reduced amount of sleep can also cause insulin resistance to occur. As a result, more sugar remains in the bloodstream and the body produces more insulin to compensate. The excess insulin makes you hungrier and your body is told to store more calories as fat. Subsequently, insulin resistance is a precursor to type 2 diabetes & weight gain.
On the flip side...
Good nutrition & food habits can help you to achieve good sleep
A diet which is low in fibre & high in saturated fats can impact the amount of "deep" sleep you get. Large meals & ones which could cause indigestion should be avoided prior to bedtime (spicy, rich, heavy foods). It is also worth remembering that most chocolate contains naturally occurring caffeine so reaching for that bar of chocolate in the lead up to bedtime might not be the best idea!
Avoid stimulants & excessive alcohol- Alcohol & nicotine can cause you to become very alert which isn't ideal for trying to achieve good sleep. Reducing your caffeine intake in the afternoon & eliminating it entirely within at least 6 hours before sleep is an important recommendation as it can take anywhere between 1.5-9.5 hours for half of the caffeine compound to leave your system (Dependant on various factors)
Getting less than 7 hours of sleep each night increases the risk of physical and mental effects such as:
*Obesity
*Lack of exercise
*Heart attacks
*Strokes
*Depression
*Other chronic issues
Tips To Improve Your Sleep
Switch Off TV's, Tablets, Computers & Mobile Phones at least an hour before bedtime to reduce blue light interaction as this can alter the release of Melatonin (The hormone which regulates your sleep-wake cycles)
Set A Routine- Keeping your sleeping times fairly consistent (even at weekends!) allows your circadian rhythm to prepare your body for sleep at roughly the same time each day. Having a set sleep schedule allows you wind down, reducing the causes of sleep disturbance. Reading or writing in a journal/creating a to-do-list for the following day allows you to empty your mind rather than stimulating it by watching tv shows/movies or playing video games.
Comfortable Sleeping Environment- The recommended temperature for your room to be is 16-19 degrees; this allows your core temperature to drop naturally to optimum temperature for a good night's sleep. Make sure that your bedroom is dark as light inhibits the secretion of Melatonin, so invest in some good curtains or a blind to block out light. Your mattress, bedding & pillows should be comfortable, made from natural materials and keep you warm, but not too hot.
Eat Magnesium Rich Foods- Magnesium can help reduce the levels of the stress hormone Cortisol as well as relaxing smooth muscles. Foods which are rich in this nutrient are spinach, chickpeas, salmon, avocado, figs & kale to name a few so make sure these are included in your diet to aid good quality sleep. It can be difficult to get enough magnesium through the diet though so supplementation is an option (see below)
Eat Melatonin Boosting Foods- To produce the hormone Melatonin, the body needs an amino acid called Tryptophan, which can be found in foods such as chicken, turkey, seeds & nuts like almonds so try to include these foods in your evening meal whenever possible to aid sleep.
Exercise- A positive impact on sleep can be made by undertaking exercise during the day dependant on type of exercise and time between exercise & sleep. If you exercise in the evening though, it may be having the opposite effect on your sleep due to the effect exercise has on the stress hormones in your body.
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