Sleep…The Missing Link to Improved Health!

With today’s fast paced society, there are fewer people enjoying an incredible night’s sleep or waking up feeling energized and ready to take on the day’s challenges. In fact, the inability to catch up on much needed zzz’s is becoming a public health epidemic. According to the CDC, an estimated 50-70 million US adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder. Characterized by an inadequate amount of sleep over a cumulative period of time, sleep deprivation can pose a serious threat to your overall health.

The best way to ensure physical preparedness is a healthy blend of strength/cardiovascular training, a nutrient dense diet, and around 8 hours of sleep each night. Unfortunately, simply exercising and maintaining a well balanced diet are not enough to achieve fitness success. Lack of sleep can result in serious consequences on the cardiac system. Studies suggest that if you sleep less than 6 hours per night or have inconsistent sleep patterns, you are at 48% greater risk of dying from heart disease and have a 15% greater risk of dying from a stroke. While its not entirely understood how sleep exactly affects the heart, sleep deprivation can result in high blood pressure, lead to coronary artery disease and even result in early onset dementia.

Insufficient sleep and obesity are directly linked in people who habitually sleep less than 6 hours per night. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases powerful hormones that are responsible for regulating your appetite. You’ll actually feel hungrier and your stomach will seem like a bottomless pit. When you couple the feeling of constant hunger with an increase in stress due to the release of cortisol, you have the perfect equation for weight gain.

Poor sleep may also lead to an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes by impairing the body’s ability to effectively process glucose. This intolerance promotes unwanted fat storage in all the wrong areas and makes for a very long Memorial Day Weekend at the beach.

Believe it or not, a lack of sleep can increase your chances of getting sick. A healthy immune system is conditioned to ward off most illnesses, but when you don’t get enough sleep, your immune system becomes extremely vulnerable and compromised. A simple cold can be difficult to fight off if sleep is compromised. Systemically, you actually have a decrease in white blood cells and those cells that remain have a lesser affinity to want to fight off illness.

For the serious fitness goer, sleep becomes an important commodity in achieving your goals. It allows the body a chance to repair, recharge and refuel itself from the day’s activities and potential threats. Why not take advantage of the incredible benefits you stand to gain with just a few more hours of sleep? Make a commitment to a sleep schedule where you find yourself going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday. This consistency will help promote a healthier sleep-wake cycle and yield faster gains in whatever fitness endeavor you choose.

It boils down to this; how important are your fitness goals to you? Is improving your overall health a top priority in your life? If the answer to both of these questions is yes, then work on making subtle changes to your current lifestyle and insert more quality rest time. You deserve it and your body will thank you. The rewards are endless so get some rest and get out and seize the day!