Don’t Sleep on Your Sleep

Photo by Pixabay: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-lying-on-tree-near-awter-267684/

Getting proper sleep is one of the most important things you can do for both your physical and mental health, yet it’s an area where even many people with otherwise healthy lifestyles commonly come up short.

Sleep deprivation (not getting enough sleep in general) is extremely common and is a key reason why Starbucks can get away with charging so much for a cup of coffee – not only are their customers desperate for the caffeine to make themselves functional, their lack of function before getting that caffeine hit makes $4 seem reasonable for a cup of coffee!

While there are certainly many factors that can interfere with getting healthy sleep that you may not have much influence over (such as stress, an uncomfortable sleep environment, etc.), there are several common issues that are very much within our control which still get neglected, either due to lack of awareness, or out of conscious choice.

There has traditionally been a focus on the amount of sleep that is healthy. Although some people do quite well with less and some people really need more, the majority of human beings require 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night on a consistent basis, but research now suggests that the timing of one’s sleep may actually be even more important than the amount of time one spends sleeping.

The body’s organs and systems have what’s known as circadian rhythm, which basically is a system of synchronized “clocks” that determine when things like certain hormones are released.

For the purposes of this discussion, I’m going to focus on the basics of how sleep and wake times (and the exposure to light) interact with the release of melatonin and growth hormone.

Let’s start with melatonin, which many people think of as the main sleep hormone. Melatonin production is tied to both sleep and wake times and the light exposure we get in proximity to those times. You may have seen recommendations to avoid looking at electronic screens such as television, computers, phones, etc. for the hour or so before going to bed. This is because the blue light emitted by such screens interferes with melatonin production and your ability to fall asleep.

In the morning, exposure to bright light, especially sunlight, suppresses melatonin production, and intentionally getting light exposure can help you become more awake and alert as you start your day.

In addition, while melatonin is rightfully known for its role in sleep, it’s also a very powerful anti-oxidant and also appears to have beneficial effects on the immune system, so suppressing it with poorly-timed light exposure can adversely affect more than just your sleep.

If you have any semblance of a regular sleep schedule at all, the body gets used to the rise and fall of melatonin being at certain times. If you get off schedule (even something like “sleeping in” on the weekend), it can disrupt your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep on subsequent bedtimes.

Like melatonin, growth hormone (GH) release is influenced by your sleep schedule. You do get GH release throughout the day, but there’s a large release that natually occurs during the first deep phase of sleep that usually takes place about an hour after your usual sleep time.

The key there is “usual sleep time.”

For example, if you usually go to bed about 11:00, but you stay up a few hours later for whatever reason, that big growth hormone release doesn’t get “rescheduled” – it doesn’t happen that night, nor do you “catch up” the next night.

That’s important because that big GH release stimulates protein synthesis in the brain that helps you build new neurological connections and helps you with things like memory and learning. Missing out on that for one night isn’t the end of the world, but if you go off schedule with your sleep on a frequent basis, the losses add up over time.

It’s believed that the effects on GH release are an important reason why having a consistent bed time is one of the top factors associated with good neurological health and function in older adults.

In addition, while growth hormone is mostly involved in musculoskeletal growth and development in children, in adults it is primarily associated with metabolic effects, directly, and through it’s stimulation of the production of another hormone known as Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). Diminished levevels of GH and IGF-1 are associated with things like increased body fat, heart disease, and weakened muscles and bones.

When it comes to the brain and subsequently the body it controls, following a regular sleep schedule is extremely important. Everyone is different in terms of how much sleep they need and what schedule works best for them. But the current research clearly indicates that for most of us, not only having a sufficent quantity of sleep, but also having a well-kept sleep schedule is vital for proper rest, recovery, and maintaining a healthy brain and body as we age.

Until next time…

George F. Best, D.C.