Sleep Smarter: Why Quality Rest is the Ultimate Health Hack

Tired of feeling tired? Maybe a little siesta is just what you need! A little siesta. 40 winks. Kip. Cat nap. Whatever you want to call it, it is SO good for you! SLEEP. More powerful than you might realize. 

Studies show that an afternoon nap is great for adults and kids, too. There's no need to feel lazy for indulging in daytime sleep. A short nap in the mid-afternoon can boost memory, improve job performance, lift your mood, increase alertness, and ease stress. But…what's better than a nap? A GOOD NIGHT'S REST!! It’s time to really start prioritizing your sleep!

The Why:

💤Poor sleep promotes muscle loss. Sleeping 5.5 hours instead of 8.5 a night results in a lower proportion of energy being burned from fat. This predisposes you to fat gain and muscle loss. On top of that, your testosterone and libido decrease in both men and women.

💤 Sleeping about two hours longer per night, from 7 to 9 hours over a week has been shown to improve daytime alertness, vigor, mood, and resistance to fatigue.

💤Sleep deprivation reduces recovery from exercise and it causes increased muscle soreness and pain. After 4 days of bad sleep it raises inflammatory markers and increases cardiovascular risk.

💤In collegiate tennis players, sleeping 1.6 hours longer (at least 9 hours a night) has been seen to increase serving accuracy by 36-41%.

💤Inadequate sleep promotes insulin resistance, which makes it harder to replenish muscle glycogen stores (which decreases your exercise performance).

💤Individuals who sleep less than 8 hours per night are 70% more likely to report an injury compared to those sleeping more than 8 hours.

💤Poor sleep is implicated with developing neurodegeneration and not sleeping well enough promotes the spreading of toxic Alzheimer’s proteins. A reduction in deep sleep could even be a sign of early dementia.

Very few of us understand the importance of sleep. If you are sleep deprived and trying to diet, it is possible to still lose weight. BUT beware! 70% of the weight you lose comes from lean muscle mass instead of fat. Your lack of sleep is unraveling your hard work. You are losing what you want to keep (muscle) and keeping what you are wanting to lose(fat)! 

Sheesh…. Let’s get to bed early tonight! 

Sleep and especially deep sleep provides HEALING of wounds and STRENGTHENING of the immune system! It fortifies your body’s cells and rejuvenates them so they wake up more robust and ready to fight disease. Have you ever been told to ‘sleep on it’ when faced with a problem or conflict? There’s real wisdom in that advice! While you sleep, your brain runs a ‘connection test,’ linking newly acquired information with what’s already stored. This process helps integrate experiences, identify patterns, and expand your ability to think critically. As a result, you wake up with fresh insights and solutions that your waking brain may have struggled to find.

Ready to sleep better?

Let me give you a few suggestions!

✅ Go outside every day – Natural light regulates your sleep cycle. The earlier the better. Stick your face in the sun. This will allow the  release more melatonin for you at night! 

🏋️‍♂️ Exercise regularly – Your body is metabolically heather with more muscle mass, they have messenger cells that communicate with your whole body and your brain. Getting into rhythms and pattern of movement help your rhythms of wake and sleep cycles too.  But avoid intense workouts too close to bedtime. 

📵 Put your phone away – The blue light messes with melatonin, (experts recommend avoiding screens, including phones, for a minimum of 30-90 minutes before bedtime to allow your brain and body to wind down and prepare for sleep).

🍽️ No big meals before bed  – Big meals before bed can cause digestion issues, blood sugar spikes, and increased body temperature. We want to aim for at least 12 hours of fasting every night. 

❄️ Keep your room cool –  Lowers your body temperature, which signals your brain to produce melatonin, promoting deeper, more restful sleep.

🥑 Eat healthy fats – They support hormone balance and sleep quality (need some ideas, check out my blog post).

Do you wake up a lot during the night? Check your food habits…

High sugar and low fiber diets are worse for your sleep and more than likely will wake you up during the night.  The timing is important, stop eating 1-2 hours before you go to bed. If you need a snack, make it low sugar. This supports more restful sleep. Sleep is when we burn the most fat and grow our lean muscle the best so be sure to prioritize your SLEEP. 

Make Sleep Your Priority

Make a point to get your well-deserved sleep, and plenty of it!

Turn off your phones. Hug your loved ones. Say your prayers. Good night. Sleep tight tonight and every night! 😴

Do you struggle with sleep? Or do you have a nighttime routine that works wonders? Let me know in the comments!

I love supporting you on your journey to enjoy a balanced bite of life! I am constantly sharing content to help you fuel your body and live your best life. Be sure to follow me on Instagram— @live.right.nutrition.

Ready to Learn More? 

• During my Brain and Body or Elevated Nutrition Coaching sessions, we’ll explore plans to help you get your health back to tip top shape! Visit this link to learn more and get started today: Brain and Body Nutrition or Elevated Nutrition Group Nutrition Coaching.

• Visual Learners: Did you know I have a YouTube channel!? Check us out at www.youtube.com/@live.right.nutrition 

Resources & Recommendations

• The Surprising Connection Between Sleep and Gut Health by Melissa Zimmerman check it out here

• MasterClass with Matthew Walker: Teaching the Science of Better Sleep here’s the link