Summer is fast approaching and with that comes longer days. We seem to get more accomplished from working in the garden to playing golf. Maybe it’s a trip to a patio to enjoy time with some friends while having a sip of our favorite beverage.
The longer days often mean that we go to bed later. Remember to get that important part of your health in during the summer months as much as the winter.
One element that most people are not aware is that lack of sleep can cause weight gain.
Researchers speculate that people who have chronic sleep deprivation might have weight gain, either by increasing how much they eat or decreasing the energy that they burn.
Lack of sleep can cause the following:
Increase hunger: Sleep deprivation may alter hormones that control hunger especially for food rich in fat and carbohydrates.
Giving people more time to eat: People who sleep less each night may eat more simply because they are awake longer.
Decreasing physical activity: People who do not get enough sleep are more tired during the day, and as a result may curb their physical activity.
Lowering body temperature: In laboratory experiments, people who are sleep deprived tend to see a drop in their body temperatures. This drop may lead to decrease energy expenditure.
The recommended amount of sleep for an adult is seven to eight hours per night. Older adults need the same amount of sleep as younger adults. Older adults tend to sleep lighter and for shorter periods so there may be a need for napping.
In the book called Healthy Home by Dr. Myron Wentz, he discusses the need to get the electronic distractions out of the bedroom. Electromagnetic fields are created by our gadgets and we have to contend with them all the time. Get them out of our bedrooms so we can have a more restful sleep. This includes removing the TV from the bedroom. How about your cell phone? Is it on the night stand? By your pillow? Or how about under your pillow? Get your cell phone out of the bedroom too! What color light emits from your alarm clock? Studies have shown that the color red is best for not interrupting your rem pattern should you wake in the middle of the night. Make your bedroom a EMF free zone!
One more thought…make sure that your bedroom is dark. The better we are able to keep the light out the better we will sleep. Does the streetlight brighten your room? Use dark out curtains to help promote a more restful sleep.
I hope this has been an “enlightening” read!
John-OneHipGuy