Sleep: Why You Need a Lot More of It
Sleep is much more than dreams, tiredness and an aversion to getting up.
Sleep is something that many of us aren’t getting enough of right now. Be it late night calls, schoolwork, or just being unable to sleep, it is something that plagues many of us.
The thing is, sleep is important.
Why the hell does this matter?
Countless studies have proven that hormonal disturbances and an increase in appetite can occur because of a lack of sleep.
In a 2019 study by Wang et al., researchers divided a group of participants into a group that slept 1 hour less on weekdays with a catch up of one hour more on weekends and a control group.
The researchers put both groups on a strict deficit, and the results were shocking to say at the least.
Both groups lost the same amount of weight, but the unbelievable thing was the proportion of muscle mass and fat lost.
While the control group lost 83% of their weight in body fat, the results were shocking for the sleep-deprived group.
They, rather than losing 83% fat, actually lost 85% of their weight in muscle!
Granted, these subjects weren’t resistance trained and resistance training may have mitigated some difference, but this study was nonetheless an eye-opener
This carries over a world of importance to general health because an increase in fat content in the body is directly relevant to a risk of diseases.
Furthermore, a link between sleep and hunger has been noticed across the scientific literature. Multiple studies have found that Sleep deprivation affects the production of the two main hunger hormones.
Ghrelin is the hormone responsible to for stimulating appetite and promoting fat storage.
Leptin is the hormone responsible for controlling the appetite.
So while ghrelin isn’t preferable from a weight-loss perspective, more leptin will be beneficial to your goals.
However, with a lack of sleep, Ghrelin is increased in your body and Leptin is decreased. This results in increasing hunger, which results in overeating. This leads to a host of other problems stemming from over-nutrition.
Additionally, a lack of sleep can be linked to a feeling of tiredness which can reduce your daily activity and can also result in a lower mental awareness.
A reduction in awareness can also occur, which may lead to a lack of focus and an increased risk for accidents.
Furthermore, a lack of sleep can lead to an increased risk of multiple different illnesses.
Is this really worth it for you?
How much of this holy substance should I be getting?
Aim for at least 7–8 hours a night, although if your body demands more, it’s ok to sleep up to 9 hours. Try not to sleep over 10 hours as oversleeping is bad.
How can I do this?
For a start, relieve stress by attempting meditation and simple breathing exercises. I recommend an app called stoic which assists in stress management.
If you have trouble fitting enough sleep into your jam-packed schedule, you can try reducing the time you take to fall asleep through the use of sleep music.
Setting a proper strict bedtime can ensure you don’t work late nights disrupting your circadian rhythm.
Don’t drink caffeine for at least 7 hours before you sleep.
Try minimising the use of devices before bed and ensure you get a sufficient amount of exercise throughout the day.
Implement some of these in your daily life and I guarantee you will feel better and get more sleep.
Wang, Xuewen et al. “Influence of sleep restriction on weight loss outcomes associated with caloric restriction.” Sleep vol. 41,5 (2018): 10.1093/sleep/zsy027. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsy027
Leproult, Rachel. “Effect of 1 Week of Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men.” JAMA, vol. 305, no. 21, 1 June 2011, p. 2173, jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/1029127, 10.1001/jama.2011.710. Accessed 20 May 2020.
Cappuccio, Francesco P., et al. “Sleep Duration Predicts Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.” European Heart Journal, vol. 32, no. 12, 7 Feb. 2011, pp. 1484–1492, academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/32/12/1484/502022, 10.1093/eurheartj/ehr007. Accessed 20 May 2020.
Shan, Zhilei, et al. “Sleep Duration and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies.” Diabetes Care, vol. 38, no. 3, 24 Feb. 2015, pp. 529–537, care.diabetesjournals.org/content/38/3/529, 10.2337/dc14–2073. Accessed 20 May 2020.
“Sleep, Learning, and Memory | Healthy Sleep.” Harvard.Edu, 2020, healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory. Accessed 20 May 2020.
F. Del Gallo, et al. “The Reciprocal Link between Sleep and Immune Responses.” Archives Italiennes de Biologie, vol. 152, no. 2/3, 2017, pp. 93–102, web.archive.org/web/20180401023141/www.architalbiol.org/aib/article/view/15293, 10.4449/aib.v152i2/3.3672. Accessed 20 May 2020.
Wang, Xuewen, et al. “Influence of Sleep Restriction on Weight Loss Outcomes Associated with Caloric Restriction.” Sleep, vol. 41, no. 5, 9 Feb. 2018, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29438540/, 10.1093/sleep/zsy027. Accessed 20 May 2020.
