As a sleep expert, I’m always asked - why do you help with sleep?
And I always answer: because by helping sleep, you help with everything. Here are 4 key reasons to prioritise your sleep - starting tonight.
It lowers stress
Academic journal Sleep shows cortisol production, the hormone to promote feelings of anxiety and mental rumination, is 37% higher after only one night of inadequate sleep.
Deep sleep enables fat loss
: research shows a 55% increase in fat loss whilst on a calorie controlled diet when sleeping 8.5 hours rather than 5.5. With no differences in individuals (both research conditions were executed with the same individuals over different periods of time), no adjustments to diet and controlled movement patterns, the sole difference was sleep.
It helps curb hunger
Similarly, academic paper Annuls of Internal Medicine demonstrates sleep has a large impact upon appetite, hunger and cravings for sugary carbohydrates - explaining the findings above. With inadequate sleep, we have an 28% increase in ghrelin, the neurotransmitter to make us hungry; a 18% decrease in leptin, the neurotransmitter to make us feel full. Further, we have a 33-45% increase in cravings for sugary carbohydrates, and overall, a 24% increase in hunger.
Deep sleep heightens mental clarity
Clinical research in peer reviewed journal Brain pinpoints the brain detoxifies from neurotoxin beta amyloid with quality sleep, otherwise causing confusion and memory loss. Excessive amounts of this compound is linked to the development of Alzheimers too.
