S4 Ep. 16: The Importance of Sleep for Your Health

Here is why we are doing a Hormone Genius Podcast solely on the benefits of sleep for your health! The reasons are numerous but some of the most important are: -Improved immune system -Improved hormone regulation -Decreased stress -Improved emotional stability -Brain detoxification -Improved daytime energy, mind clarity, and daily performance -Reduced chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease & obesity Sleep at many points in life has been hard for us to attain; think college, having babies, working shift jobs, or just trying to fit too much in during the day. According to the CDC: 70 million Americans have chronic sleep problems (CDC, 2017). 1 in 3 U.S. adults regularly don’t get enough sleep (CDC, 2016). Insufficient sleep is experienced by about 30% of the general population that’s over the age of 18 (CDC, 2018). 48% of Americans report snoring during the night (ASA, 2021). 88% of American adults reportedly lose sleep due to binge-watching (American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 2019). If you are between the ages of 18 to 65 you need on average 7 to 9 hours asleep. Best Tips to get the needed 7 to 9 hours of sleep: -Get up at the same time every day. -Within the first 2 hours expose your skin to 20 minutes of sunlight, and try a second time during the day to get another 20 minutes of sunlight on your skin. -Avoid caffeine after the early morning, or at least 8 to 10 hours before sleep. -Avoid napping during the day, and if you must keep it to 45 minutes or less. -Avoid bright lights after 8 to 10 pm, especially artificial lighting, all digital/screen lights ( get blue blocker glasses if you must use screens). -Keep your room as dim/dark as possible during bedtime hours. -Keep your room 1 to 3 degrees cooler while sleeping -For those who struggle with anxiety, or trouble falling asleep, consider adding 200 to 400 mg of magnesium glycinate, and/or 3 to 5 mg of melatonin, and/or 200 mg L-theanine 20 minutes before sleep. We cannot stress how important sleep is, the closer you get to 9 hours a night, the more you erase years of lack of sleep and its toll on your health. You cannot continue to rationalize that you must get up at 5 AM for working out, for meditation/prayer/quiet time, or any other reason if you do not get a full night’s sleep. In the end, you will suffer the effects of lack of sleep and you will not make the progress you want to make. Here is another couple good resources to read on sleep! https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/files/docs/public/sleep/healthysleepfs.pdf https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/toolkit-for-sleep Thanks to Fiat Institute for sponsoring this episode of the Hormone Genius Podcast! To learn more about becoming a hormone coach, visit www.fiatinstitute.com. If you are looking to work with a hormone coach, please visit www.fiatinstitute.com/directory. Medical disclaimer: The information presented in The Hormone Genius Podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for actual medical or mental health advice from a doctor, psychologist, or any other medical or mental health professional.