Getting 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night helps you to lose weight, look younger, feel better, and do better with memory, focus and willpower says Daniel G. Amen, M.D. in the book Change Your Brain Change Your Body.
This is a great book if you want to improve your life by changing your mind, and we can all do this if we choose to.
Here is a summary from the chapter on sleep:
2009 Sleep in America Poll:
- 20% of people get less than 6 hrs of sleep
- 28% of people get a good 8 hrs of sleep
- Temporary sleep issues affect almost everyone
- Sleep deprived people are twice as likely to eat sugary foods & simple carbs and skip breakfast which affects blood sugar which leads to poor choices all day
Sleep requirements for adults: 7-8 hrs
National Sleep Foundation
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Losing sleep can make people fat:
– University of Chicago study
– People who are sleep deprived eat more simple carbs
– More of hormone ghrelin which stimulates appetite
– Less of hormone leptin which tells the brain you are full
Sleeping more helps with weight loss in a Glamour magazine study:
– 7 women slept 7&1/2 hrs for 10 weeks – lost 6 to 15 pounds
Sleep does more for your skin than cosmetics – younger, smoother, refreshed
Adequate sleep:
- Promotes good brain activity – memory, willpower, and focus
- Boosts athletic performance – better motor function & learning
- Improves mood and energy for socializing
Tips to help you go to sleep & stay asleep:
- maintain a regular sleep schedule
- create a soothing routine that encourages sleep
- read – avoid action packed or horror stories
- avoid naps
- sound therapy – nature sounds, music, fan
- drink warm milk with pure vanilla and stevia
- take electronic equipment out of the bedroom
- avoid eating 2 to 3 hours before bedtime
- exercise but not within 4 hours of going to bed
- avoid caffeine, chocolate, nicotine & alcohol
- avoid checking the clock if you wake in the night
- use the bedroom for sleep & sex – if you wake up go to another room
Change Your Brain Change Your Body is published by Harmony Books New York.
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Sign in nowThank you, Lynn! If you could promote our blog in future entries, that would be fantastic. We’re always looking for new followers! Also, if you could give a quick “shout-out” about our January 12 networking meeting, I think it would be useful for many women. You can find more info here: http://lbbc.org/content/event/harnessing-the-emotional-roller-coaster-of-breast-cancer.asp?c=educational&t=participate&sn=networking
Great Michelle – no problem – I’ll put it out on Twitter as well. Best wishes, Lynn
Lynn Roodbol, MRT(R), CWC Certified Wellness Coach Phone: 519-837-2570 E-mail: coachlynn@sympatico.ca Blog: lynnroodbol.wordpress.com Website: http://www.cancerrecoverycoaching.com Helping to navigate the cancer recovery journey!
You know that was a fantastic post. I think I’ll write a blog post and link to it.
Thanks very much Jerrold – please do put up a link to this article – the more people that know about it the better!
Speaking of Cancer, there is a little known protein with Govt approval for treating and preventing cancer. For a short video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApppYada_wU.
Paul
http://www.Cellimmunity.com
The video is very interesting Paul.
It’s a complex issue for sure and there are many dimensions to a cancer diagnosis, but I’m glad to hear that your wife is well.
I believe in integrated medicine, in the mind body connection, and the power of healing yourself with whatever works for you, which includes the method you mention.
I hope that one day cancer will be like smallpox, a thing of the past.
Take care, Lynn
great share, great article, very usefull for me…thank you
- avid – mesothelioma resource
Hi ASEA plus RSM
Thanks for your comment.
No actually I don’t recommend supplements.
I do believe in healthy eating and good nutrition so people make food choices within these guidelines and eat things they enjoy.
Have a great day!
Lynn
Thanks for your comments Richard; it’s great to connect with you!
I agree about the cars – I was just thinking yesterday about preventive maintenance on a car compared to prevention of health problems.
Could it have to do with the fact that we pay lots of money for cars and we take our more valuable bodies for granted?
Hi Michelle
Thanks for letting me know about your fund raising – what an amazing achievement for everyone!
I’m sure your mother will benefit from all you have done – having someone like you to support her brings so much peace, love and healing.
You’ve done a great job to raise awareness in many people which hopefully they will remember and translate that knowledge into helping prevent breast cancer.
I believe the answer to breast cancer is in prevention so people don’t have to go through the tough times that your mother and many others have gone through.
Keep up the great work Michelle!
Thanks Ashley. Congratulations on your blog – you’re doing a great job of health promotion – keep up the good work!
I don’t seem to write blog entries as often as I used to but my position does not change; I totally agree with your perspective as well that health and wellness are products of the body, mind, and soul.
This often involves people making changes which are simple, but not easy, and why I believe that everyone does better when they work with a coach. Maybe wellness coaching is something you might like to do?
I’m a wellness coach, but I specialize in working with people who want to prevent cancer or the recurrence of cancer. So if you know of anyone who is working on recovering from cancer, I can help them to shorten the learning curve.
Hope to connect with you again soon Ashley!
Best wishes, Lynn