Summer brings more light and usually increased levels of activity. You can indulge in more work or play. But don’t let that extra daylight rob you of sleep.
Sleep is essential for your well being. One study published in the journal Science found that the quality of our sleep has a greater influence on our ability to enjoy our day than our income or our marital status. Yet, we remain a sleep-deprived culture.
- Sleep 8 hours a night. In the 1920s before electricity was widespread the average American slept 9 hours a night. We have not evolved physically since then, instead we allow artificial light and activities to distract us from sleep.
- Lack of sleep leads to obesity. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I, 9,000 were surveyed on weight and sleep. People who with less than seven hours of sleep nightly were more likely to be obese and to increase weight over the study. Participants who slept five hours per night were 73% more likely to become obese than those getting seven to nine hours. In other studies, adolescents who sleep less have higher body mass indexes. A review of 696 sleep studies worldwide confirms this effect in children and adults.
- This may be because we evolved to store fat in the summer when light is plentiful and to reduce consumption during the dark winters.
- Insulin sensitivity and levels of two appetite-related hormones, leptin and ghrelin, can be affected by sleep deprivation, which can impact weight. Leptin is associated with appetite control and ghrelin has been identified as an appetite stimulant. Without enough sleep, leptin levels fall and ghrelin levels rise.
- Lack of sleep leads to high cortisol and stress, and doubled deaths due to cardiovascular disease.
- Too little sleep is associated with increased cardiovascular deaths, but that includes the bedridden, the depressed and more serious illness.
- Cognitive skills decline with insufficient sleep.
- Sleeping in for 20 more minutes may lower your cortisol levels and reduce anger levels in the evening. Early rising is associated with higher cortisol levels.
- Conversely sleep can be impaired with high cortisol levels.
- Sleeping in a dark room or with a blindfold has been shown to be more beneficial because of melatonin. The level of melatonin in our bodies responds to external light with blue colors: we have low melatonin levels during the day and higher levels at night. The morning sun rays at dawn turn off melatonin production and help us wake up. Artificial light in the evening, even the LED display on your clock reduces melatonin just when we need it the most.
- One study by the Corvallis Psychiatric Clinic in Corvallis, Oregon found that 14 hours of combined sleep and blocking the melatonin-suppressing blue light rays by wearing amber “blue-blocker” glasses in the evening reduced cycling in bipolar disorder.
- The best hours to go to bed are around 10:00 at night to get the most restorative sleep. A person’s major sleep episode is relatively inefficient and inadequate when it occurs at the “wrong” time of day; one should be asleep at least six hours before the lowest body temperature.
- It is best to avoid computer and television just before going to sleep because the images are suggestive.
As you’re drifting towards sleep, you are more open to suggestion which may be why nearly every religious tradition has evening prayers. Hypnosis expert Paul Scheele suggests the following visualizations:
- Refrain from negative thoughts. Replace “I am dreading tomorrow; it’s going to be an awful day” with an intention to support what you want to create: “Tonight I will rest comfortably and feel refreshed upon awakening, ready to do my best at all the tasks I encounter.”
- If you wake in the middle of the night be careful of such thoughts as, “Oh no! It’s 2 a.m. I’m never going to get back to sleep. I’ll be exhausted all day.” Instead try: “Excellent. I’m now able to give my mind additional directives to ensure my success tomorrow morning. In the time I have remaining in the night I will rest deeply and receive the equivalent of an extra eight hours of sleep. When I awaken at 6 a.m., I will be well-rested, refreshed, and ready for a great day.”
- Upon waking in the morning replace “Ugh! I feel miserable and want to stay in bed” with an effective affirmation: “My body is relaxed and at peace. My mind is clear and calm. I can create my day however I choose. I choose to live this day fully, feeling great, at the top of my game. I now awaken feeling refreshed, revitalized and in tune with life!”
Chinese medicine can also be effective in identifying what patterns of insomnia you suffer from and helping resolve them. Imbalances of the Heart, Liver, Spleen, and Kidneys can have different effects on sleep. Most patterns affecting the Heart result in insomnia because the Shen (Spirit) resides in the Heart and it can be agitated by heat, lack of blood or disharmony with other organs. Either excess or deficient heat can disturb the Heart Shen, as well as Heart blood deficiency and disharmony between Heart and Kidneys. According to Chinese medicine, the liver filters all our blood through the night, especially between 1-3 am. A weak or congested liver means that it has to struggle through the night, giving poor quality sleep or even insomnia. Each pattern uses different herbs and requires a different acupuncture strategy.
Similarly, western herbs must be targeted to the type of insomnia and the constitution of the patient. Clients tell me that they heard that “Valerian is good for sleep” so wonder why it agitates them and keeps them awake, yet they lack the asthenic constitution or anxiety it helps. Passionflower helps with mental chatter while lavender helps with stagnant depression. The herbs must match the pattern and are best given in formula. If the simple actions above do not solve your sleep problem, consult an herbalist or acupuncturist.
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