Rest and Sleep
Rest and sleep may be the most overlooked aspects of health. We are an on-the-go culture that values production. Idleness is considered laziness, yet is a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. The dictionary defines rest as the cessation of work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.
Rest is imperative for relieving stress. When we enter a resting state, we operate out of our parasympathetic nervous system, also called our rest and digest system. This resting state decreases inflammation, increases feelings of peace, improves digestion and the function of our other major organs, and allows repair and regeneration to take place where needed. When in a non-resting state, we operate from the sympathetic nervous system or fight or flight system. This fight or flight mode can be very beneficial in emergency situations because our elimination temporarily ceases, blood is pumped to our extremities, and adrenaline and cortisol levels increase helping us to defend ourselves or flee from danger. The problem arises when our lives become so busy and hectic that we are almost always operating in a state of fight or flight. Continual high levels of adrenaline and cortisol will drain the adrenal system which can eventually lead to problems such as adrenal burnout, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
Sleep is an essential function that recharges our energy system. When our battery is running low, nothing recharges better than sleep, and even a short nap can do wonders. Stimulants like coffee and tea can keep us awake longer, but relying on stimulants day after day will burn out our adrenal system which will lead to more problems down the road.
Short term sleep deprivation decreases alertness, impairs memory and cognitive ability, and causes general fatigue. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to much more serious conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, depression, obesity, growth problems in children, diabetes, diminished sex drive, aged skin, and hormonal imbalances.
Lack of rest is linked to an increase in athletic injuries. The body needs rest and sleep to recover from workouts and sporting events and the more physical energy you spend, the more rest that is needed. Kenyans are known to be the among the best runners in the world. During training they'll sleep 10 hours a night and also take a 1 to 2 hour nap during the day.
You won't function at optimal levels if your battery is always running on empty so it's very important to get to bed early. The earlier you can get to bed the better and depending on your activity levels you may go to bed a little earlier on some days. A general rule is to go to sleep early enough so that you do not need an alarm clock to wake you up in the morning. Your body will thank you and it won't take long before you start feeling more energetic throughout the day. If your schedule allows, try going to bed a few minutes earlier every few nights until you are going to bed no later than 10:00 pm. The earlier you start going to sleep, the earlier you will wake up in the morning and not need stimulants to whip you into starting your day. Instead you will wake up brimming with energy, ready for a productive day. Depending on how chronic your sleep deprivation has become, it might take you a few months of going to bed early to wake up feeling so energetic. If you have spent decades going to bed late and not getting enough sleep, it will take longer for your adrenal system to fully recharge.
It's never to late to correct your sleep schedule and the benefits will outweigh any struggles you have with going to bed earlier. Many people claim to be night people and that's okay. That was me for nearly 20 years. Eventually I realized how little energy I had and I knew that sleep was the key to having more energy. I grudgingly accepted the fact that staying up late every single night had indeed become a problem and was affecting me negatively. It took a long time, over a year to get to the point where I was in bed by 10:00 every night and I no longer have any desire to be a night person. Sure, staying up late on occasion is perfectly fine and enjoyable but every night for years on end will cause problems. Once you feel the perks of getting up early your desire for constant late nights will fade.
Rest is imperative for relieving stress. When we enter a resting state, we operate out of our parasympathetic nervous system, also called our rest and digest system. This resting state decreases inflammation, increases feelings of peace, improves digestion and the function of our other major organs, and allows repair and regeneration to take place where needed. When in a non-resting state, we operate from the sympathetic nervous system or fight or flight system. This fight or flight mode can be very beneficial in emergency situations because our elimination temporarily ceases, blood is pumped to our extremities, and adrenaline and cortisol levels increase helping us to defend ourselves or flee from danger. The problem arises when our lives become so busy and hectic that we are almost always operating in a state of fight or flight. Continual high levels of adrenaline and cortisol will drain the adrenal system which can eventually lead to problems such as adrenal burnout, insomnia, hormonal imbalances, inflammation, and insulin resistance.
Sleep is an essential function that recharges our energy system. When our battery is running low, nothing recharges better than sleep, and even a short nap can do wonders. Stimulants like coffee and tea can keep us awake longer, but relying on stimulants day after day will burn out our adrenal system which will lead to more problems down the road.
Short term sleep deprivation decreases alertness, impairs memory and cognitive ability, and causes general fatigue. Chronic sleep deprivation leads to much more serious conditions such as high blood pressure, heart attacks and stroke, depression, obesity, growth problems in children, diabetes, diminished sex drive, aged skin, and hormonal imbalances.
Lack of rest is linked to an increase in athletic injuries. The body needs rest and sleep to recover from workouts and sporting events and the more physical energy you spend, the more rest that is needed. Kenyans are known to be the among the best runners in the world. During training they'll sleep 10 hours a night and also take a 1 to 2 hour nap during the day.
You won't function at optimal levels if your battery is always running on empty so it's very important to get to bed early. The earlier you can get to bed the better and depending on your activity levels you may go to bed a little earlier on some days. A general rule is to go to sleep early enough so that you do not need an alarm clock to wake you up in the morning. Your body will thank you and it won't take long before you start feeling more energetic throughout the day. If your schedule allows, try going to bed a few minutes earlier every few nights until you are going to bed no later than 10:00 pm. The earlier you start going to sleep, the earlier you will wake up in the morning and not need stimulants to whip you into starting your day. Instead you will wake up brimming with energy, ready for a productive day. Depending on how chronic your sleep deprivation has become, it might take you a few months of going to bed early to wake up feeling so energetic. If you have spent decades going to bed late and not getting enough sleep, it will take longer for your adrenal system to fully recharge.
It's never to late to correct your sleep schedule and the benefits will outweigh any struggles you have with going to bed earlier. Many people claim to be night people and that's okay. That was me for nearly 20 years. Eventually I realized how little energy I had and I knew that sleep was the key to having more energy. I grudgingly accepted the fact that staying up late every single night had indeed become a problem and was affecting me negatively. It took a long time, over a year to get to the point where I was in bed by 10:00 every night and I no longer have any desire to be a night person. Sure, staying up late on occasion is perfectly fine and enjoyable but every night for years on end will cause problems. Once you feel the perks of getting up early your desire for constant late nights will fade.
