If you like to Eat . Sleep . Rave . Repeat you should be aware that lack of sleep is seen as a stress to the body . Your body is unaware if you are under some sort of environmental or faminerelated stress , or it is just that you have been up all night “ killing it ” at the club . In either case , your body feels something is not right and the hormone cortisol can be released .
Cortisol , along with other stress hormones , can cause a substantialnegative impact on the body over time , along with diseases such as : anxiety irritability ADHD stroke increased heart rate hypertension irritable bowel syndrome digestive disorders weight gain and obesity Depression
This list just scratches the surface . The truth is that stress is a very real thing and lack of sleep can be a big cause of it . In order to make sure we get adequate sleep , and to combat insomnia , here are tips to get you on the right track to restful sleep .
1 . Avoid alcohol and caffeine late at night Alcohol has the potential to
put people to sleep , but a deep sleep might be out of the question . The REM stage of sleep occurs during this deep sleep and alcohol can affect our ability to reach it . Not getting into this restorative section of sleep can happen due to alcohol .
You may fall asleep , but the second half of your sleep cycle – where real rest and recovery happens – will be compromised due to alcohol and caffeine consumed too close to bedtime .
2 . Get into a regular routine Your body likes balance and regularity . This is called homeostasis , or stability , and we respond and function better from it . This pertains to sleep as well as the body needs to recognize a consistent pattern to help itself unwind and , essentially , accept sleep . Going to bed at the same time every day can create that regular habit .
Consistency reinforces your body ’ s sleep-wake cycle and allows for better sleep throughout the night . Creating a wind-down routine will get your body into that consistent mode . It might be a hot bath at the same time each night , reading before bed , or writing a “ to do ” list for the next day to get your thoughts under control . The important part is to create a routine and stick with it . 3 . Don ’ t exercise close to bed time It has always been thought that exercise before bed could lead to disrupted sleep , but newer research into the issue is shedding light that it may not be the issue it was thought to be . It is probably not the best idea to run sprints just before hitting the hay , as it can take the body a while to wind down after high intensity exercise , however lighter exercise can contribute to quality sleep .
If exercise is within 3 hours of when you go to bed , you will be all right . A lower temperature is what helps you sleep and exercise increases body temperature . Well-trained athletes are able to return to a lower resting heart rate and body temperature quicker than the average person . If you are new to exercising , keep some time between exercise and bed by a few hours . The main thing is to listen to your body and see how you feel . This is where keeping a sleep journal is helpful ; you can keep track of things like exercise in relation to when you go to bed to keep an eye on how it might be affecting your sleep .