Too Little Sleep May Accelerate Aging

Regularly catching only a few hours of sleep can hinder metabolism and
hormone production in a way that is similar to the effects of aging and the
early stages of diabetes. Chronic sleep loss may speed the onset or increase
the severity of age-related conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood
pressure, obesity, memory loss, etc. The research shows that just one week
of sleep deprivation can alter your hormone levels and your capacity to
metabolize carbohydrates. People who trade sleep for work or play may get
used to it and feel less fatigued, but is that healthy?
During sleep-deprivation, researchers have found that men's blood sugar
levels took 40% longer to drop following a high-carbohydrate meal, compared
with the sleep-recovery period. Their ability to secrete and respond to the
hormone insulin, which helps regulate blood sugar, dropped by 30%. These
changes echo the effects of insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2
diabetes. In addition, the sleep-deprived men had higher nighttime
concentrations of the hormone cortisol, which also helps regulate blood
sugar, and lower levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone. These raised
cortisol levels mimic levels that are often seen in older people, and may be
involved in age-related insulin resistance and memory loss.
Sleep debts are sort of like stress. Most sleep-deprivation research has
focused on what it does to the brain, but it is likely that sleep has many
functions. In the study, subjects' blood sugar and hormone concentrations
were restored after the sleep-recovery period. Earlier research has shown
that in developed countries, the average night's sleep has grown shorter
since the beginning of the century, from 9 hours to 7.5 hours. Many people
give up sleep to make room for work and leisure. An adequate amount of sleep
is as important as an adequate amount of exercise. Sleeping is not a sin,
but a necessity.
This topic is particularly important as we begin adapting to the clock
shift. I believe that 7-8 hours is a minimum requirement for maintaining
health. I also believe that sleeping should not be restless (waking up
often). If you are having trouble sleeping or are not getting an adequate
amount of sleep, keep an eye out for our NEW time/stress management seminar
coming up in January, which will include healthy strategies for better
sleep. In this seminar we will teach easy to implement strategies for
getting your day more organized so cutting sleep time becomes unnecessary.
FYI
Our Wednesday night seminar, "Lifetime Wellness, A Plan For Living A
Maximized Life" was a great success! I believe that every person who
attended got a glimpse of how easy & important it is to PLAN FOR HEALTH. I
also believe those of you who were there will have a better quality of life
for having attended. I hope those of you who could not attend will be able
to next time. Remember getting well and staying well is about Educating
Yourself!
Your Maximized Health Mentor,

Dr. Craig