Pillars of a healthy lifestyle: SLEEP



Pillar 2: Sleep and Rest


 "He gives His beloved sleep."
Psalm 127:2

Last time on 'Secrets of a healthy lifestyle', we examined; in my opinion; the most important natural gift; water. We looked at how just a little dehydration could affect the entire body functions.

In the Second Edition of this subject, we will consider yet another important pillar of health; SLEEP.  Not just sleep, but good sleep.

Every night while you sleep, your body goes into a type of repair mode to regenerate and rejuvenate. Your immune system recharges. Your major organs are restored. Old cells are replaced with new ones. Your mind relaxes and orders its thoughts, creating a healthy mental and emotional state.

But just as many Americans live in a state of unrecognized dehydration, many also live on the brink of mental and physical collapse because of lack of sleep. The No. 1 complaint I hear from patients who come into my office is, "I'm tired." They slump forward in their chairs, peering at me from under the weight of fatigue.
This is not the way our bodies or minds were made to operate. God gave us a promise of deep, restorative sleep.

Psalm 127:2 says, "He grants sleep to those he loves" (NIV). To those who are tired, He says, "'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest'" (Matt. 11:28).

Sleep and rest are important because of what they do for your health.

* Sleep regulates the release of important hormones. When you sleep, growth hormone is secreted. This causes children to grow, and it increases muscle mass and helps control fat in adults. When you don't sleep enough, this hormone's function is disrupted.
Leptin, another hormone, is secreted during sleep and directly influences appetite and weight control. It tells the body when it is "full." A person who doesn't have this regulating hormone often has a runaway appetite.

* Sleep slows the aging process. In fact, some say it is one of the most important "secrets" for averting wrinkles. How well a person sleeps is one of the most important predictors of how long he or she will live.

* Sleep boosts the immune system. People who sleep nine hours a night instead of seven hours have greater than normal "natural killer cell" activity. Natural killer cells destroy viruses, bacteria and cancer cells.

* Sleep improves brain function. One study shows that short-term sleep deprivation may decrease brain activity related to mental alertness and cognitive performance.

* Sleep reduces cortisol levels. Excessive stress raises cortisol levels, which disrupt neurotransmitter balance in the brain, causing you to be more irritable and prone to depression and anxiety. Sufficient sleep helps reduce cortisol levels.

Good sleep is one of the best health principles available to you. And yet relatively few people get adequate sleep.
Half of all Americans suffer from insomnia at least a few times a week. One in six claims that insomnia is a major problem for him or her. By not sleeping, such people degrade and even ruin their health.

Sleep experts say most adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night for optimum performance, health and safety. When we don't get adequate sleep, we accumulate a sleep debt that can be difficult to "pay back" if it becomes too big. The resulting sleep deprivation has been linked to health problems such as obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, negative mood and behavior, depression, anxiety, decreased productivity, and safety issues in the home, on the job and on the road.

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