Why sleeping in might just save your heart

Getting an extra hour of sleep might just extend your life. As we lead busy lifestyles including working late and socialising, we often push sleep down the list of priorities. Getting just one extra hour of sleep lowers the risk of developing calcium deposits in the arteries, a precursor to heart disease later in life a study from University of Chicago Medical Center showed. Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep and you will protect your heart for the future.

See below for some areas of your life that may hinder your ability to have a great night’s sleep.

Problem: Your Diet

What you eat throughout the day can have an affect on your sleep. Having many stimulants during the day can lead to a restless sleep. These stimulants include coffee, tea, chocolate, soft drinks, and energy drinks that contain caffeine. Avoid having any foods or drinks with caffeine in it after 2pm, as it can take hours for caffeine to clear the body.

If you are dieting or limiting your intake of food in any way, you will find that this has a negative affect on your sleep as well. If you experience low blood sugar from lack of eating, you will find it harder to fall asleep as the neurotransmitters in your brain that control hunger have to work harder and this leads to a restless sleep.

It is best to avoid fatty, spicy and high protein meals at night, due to the extra effort it takes to digest these types of meals. As your body works hard on digestion, you are less likely to fall asleep. Also, avoid too many liquids at night, to avoid a midnight bathroom trip.

Eat a light, yet satisfying meal around 6-7pm at the latest, to avoid going to bed full. Eat a dinner of fish or chicken with vegetables or rice. Always have a salad with your dinner that includes cos lettuce. This type of lettuce is a natural opiate that will help relax you and ready you for sleep.
If you feel hungry before bedtime, try a warm glass of milk or even a tub of yoghurt to keep your blood sugar levels even. Both contain an amino acid called trytophan that helps your brain to make a hormone called melatonin that is imperative for sleep.

Problem: Work stresses

You work late into the night or even lie awake in bed brainstorming or thinking about tomorrow’s “to do” list. It is best for your sleep and health to stop working at least two or three hours before bedtime. If you feel you still have many tasks to do, then you may need to look at your time management. When we are stressed, adrenaline is pumping and we are more alert, so sleep will be harder to come by.

Everyone deserves “down-time”. Eliminate TV watching as a form of relaxation as it can be too stimulating. Instead, choose to read a book or spend some time in bed writing in a journal and purging all your thoughts onto paper.

A recent client of HealthMastery was having trouble switching off her thoughts in bed at night. She was advised to carry a notebook with her all day and jot out ideas as they came to her. She found this small tip to be the key to stopping her brain chatter.
Too often, the things we think about in bed when we are trying to fall asleep are the ideas and thoughts we are scared of forgetting! Getting your thoughts all down on paper before bedtime is immensely helpful. Tell yourself you will tackle the list in the morning and focus on relaxing so you are more productive the next day.

Problem: Your environment and habits

Establish a routine for bedtime. When you feel tired, head to bed and relax. Write in your journal, read or meditate and do this routinely.
When you awake in the morning, do not linger in bed. This can actually make you less alert during the day.
Your environment plays a part in your sleep. When you are on holiday or staying away from home, it may be harder to get to sleep due to the unfamiliar environment. If you can, take with you your pillow or regular nightwear.
The temperature of your room is also important. In the summer months when it is muggy, many of us find it hard to fall asleep. Still keep a light sheet over you when you go to sleep, so you do not feel too cold when the temperature drops in the middle of the night. Wear loose fitting nightwear that allows your skin to breathe. Keep the lingerie for special occasions or just sleep naked!
Working out regularly will do wonders for your sleep patterns long term. Exercise during the day to burn off stress hormones and extra energy. Just avoid exercise late at night before bed as it is too stimulating.

Try some of the above tips, get a full night’s sleep and protect your ticker for the long run!

Nalisha Patel. FREE report “49 tips to shape up and slim down." See www.healthmastery.co.nz