Sleep Hygiene

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Sleep and the Clocks Going Forward

Sleep and the Clocks Going Forward

As the end of March approaches, people in the UK prepare for the annual event of the clocks going forward by one hour. While it may seem like a minor adjustment, this can significantly impact our sleep and daily routines. 

How can we make this transition as smooth as possible? 

In this blog, we’ll explore the importance of sleep and offer tips for adjusting to the time change.

Why Is Sleep Important?

Sleep is essential to our daily lives, allowing our bodies and minds to recharge and repair. It plays a vital role in maintaining our physical and mental health, including our immune system, mood, and cognitive function. Getting enough high-quality sleep is also linked to a lower risk of chronic health conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

The Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Sleep

Daylight Saving Time, also known as Summer Time in the UK, was initially introduced to better use daylight hours during the summer months. However, the shift in time can disrupt our natural sleep patterns, leading to difficulties falling asleep, waking up earlier than usual, and feeling tired and groggy during the day.

Research suggests that transitioning to Daylight Saving Time can significantly impact our health and well-being. Studies have linked the time change to increased car accidents, workplace injuries, and heart attacks. It can also exacerbate existing sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnea.

Tips for Adjusting to the Time Change

Here are some tips for minimising the impact of the time change on your sleep and daily routines:

  1. Gradually adjust your sleep schedule: In the days leading up to the time change, shift your bedtime and wake-up time progressively by 15-30 minutes each day. This can help your body adjust to the new schedule more smoothly.
  2. Create a relaxing bedtime routine: Establish a relaxing routine to help your mind and body wind down before sleep. This could include taking a warm bath, reading a book, or practicing relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or meditation.
  3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol: Caffeine and alcohol can interfere with sleep, so it’s best to avoid these substances before bedtime.
  4. Get plenty of sunlight: Exposure to natural light can help regulate your body’s internal clock and promote healthy sleep. Try to spend some time outdoors during the day, especially in the morning.
  5. Practice good sleep hygiene: Make sure your sleeping environment is conducive, with comfortable bedding, a cool temperature, and minimal noise and light.

By following these tips, you can help minimize the impact of the time change on your sleep and daily routines. Remember, getting enough high-quality sleep is essential for your health and well-being, so it’s worth taking the time to prioritise your sleep habits.

Read more about sleep here: Are You a Sleep Hijacker?

Are sleep trackers useful?

Are sleep trackers useful?

What’s the deal with sleep trackers?

Health tech is ever evolving, and trackers such as FitBit and smartwatches are something that has been adopted by anyone serious about looking after their health. These trackers and associated apps can monitor everything from heart rate to dietary intake.

Many people also use these devices to monitor their sleep, even more so as research begins to unveil the true impact of not sleeping well. However, the accuracy of these trackers to monitor sleep accurately has come into question. In some cases, an overreliance and obsession over the data they provide have led to further sleep issues.

How much sleep do you need?

Current advice around sleep is that the average healthy adult needs 6-9 hours a night1. Like everything related to health, there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ for sleep and indeed no magic number. The variability in sleep times between individuals may be down to genetics and numerous other lifestyle factors. In fact, a decade ago, researchers discovered a genetic mutation in some people linked to short sleep, meaning they got the same benefit on six hours of sleep as those without the mutation who got eight2. Since then, several other similar genes have been discovered, contributing to the evidence that functioning well on less sleep is a genetic trait.

Research is ever evolving around sleep. There is plenty to suggest that a lack of it is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression, and anxiety3. However, the definition of ‘lack of sleep’ varies between individuals, so it’s wrong to assume that there will be health consequences if you get less than eight hours a night. It is also not just about total sleep time but sleep quality.


What are the stages of sleep?

Four sleep stages make up a single cycle that lasts around 90 minutes and the number of cycles that occur is dependent on how long you are asleep.

Stage one is short only lasting 5-10 minutes. Sleep is shallow during this stage, and while your brain is dipped into sleep, you may not feel as though you are asleep. This is the stage at which you can be easily woken.

Stage two is often referred to as light sleep. It’s an important stage that takes up much of the night and is characterised by a slowing down of breathing and heart rate. During the first sleep cycle, this stage lasts around 10-25 mins but increases during subsequent cycles to make up half of the time you spend asleep.

Stage three is deep sleep, and it is difficult to wake people up from this stage in the cycle. The body totally relaxes during this stage, and your pulse and breathing rate drops even further. This stage is restorative and essential for recovery and growth and bolstering the immune system. The body is vulnerable during this stage, so after the first couple of sleep cycles, the time spent in this stage reduces as you spend more time in REM sleep.

The final stage of sleep is REM. During this stage, the body is inactive, but your eyes move rapidly hence the name. Heart rate increases and breathing becomes more irregular during this stage. Bodily functions such as protein synthesis peek at this stage, which is also when you are most likely to dream. This stage is also essential for cognition, learning, and creativity.

So, back to sleep trackers.

How do sleep trackers monitor sleep?

Sleep trackers monitor sleep by movement and heart rate, but their accuracy is certainly not 100%. Just because you’re not moving doesn’t necessarily mean you are asleep, which is a flaw in the tech. Wearables that monitor heart rate are likely to be a little more accurate at defining between the sleep stages as it fluctuates between them.

Only a few studies compare the accuracy of sleep monitoring devices set against the recognised lab testing called polysomnography, which looks at brain waves, blood oxygen levels, heart rate, breathing, and eye and leg movements. One such study published in the journal Sleep Medical Reviews found that sleep trackers were only accurate 78% of the time when identifying sleep versus wakefulness. This accuracy dropped to just 38% when estimating how long it took participants to fall asleep4.

What information do sleep trackers provide?

Most sleep trackers will tell you how long you were asleep and awake during the night. The data is also broken down into the different stages of sleep, and how well you slept is given as a percentage score. This data is helpful to help identify your sleep pattern and provides a way of monitoring your sleep over time.

How people interpret, this data is an issue with these trackers. Most people do not understand how sleep cycles work and how the timing of each stage varies during the night. A common misconception is that you should be getting lots of deep sleep when this is the stage you spend the least time in during the night.

Sleep trackers also have no way of assessing exactly how much sleep you need. Most trackers give you a higher score for getting closer to eight hours a night, but this is misleading if you only need six hours to function optimally.

Can sleep trackers do more harm than good?

While the information provided by sleep trackers can be helpful, it can’t be relied upon to give you an accurate analysis. In some instances, people have become too focused on this data in their quest to achieve the perfect sleep score. This obsessive focus can cause anxiety and unhealthy sleep behaviours, ironically disrupting sleep.

Researchers have coined the term ‘orthosomnia’ to describe the potential risks associated with people who develop an unhealthy preoccupation with improving the data from their sleep tracker5. Studies on the topic have shown how people self-diagnose and convince themselves they have a sleep disorder based on their sleep data even though they may not5. The knock-on effect is increased stress and time and money wasted investigating the issue.

Some people may also spend excessive time in bed to improve their sleep scores. The problem with this behaviour is that it reinforces poor sleeping habits and can condition the body for sleeplessness, leading to future issues with insomnia further down the line.

How useful are sleep trackers?

Sleep trackers provide some helpful insight into your sleep patterns, and they offer a way to monitor this over time. They won’t help you get a better night’s sleep, as this is down to good sleep hygiene habits.

The problem with many health techs is that it needs to be programmed around a set of algorithms based on generic data or information imputed by the user. As far as sleep is concerned, wearables do not have the functionality to establish precisely how much sleep you need to function at your best. Research has shown how people become more reliant on their tracker to tell them whether they got a restful sleep. The only way to figure this out is by listening to your own body. Rather than focusing too much on numbers, it is better to assume you are getting enough sleep if you wake up fully rested and perform well during the day.

References

  1. Hirshkowitz, M., Whiton, K., Albert, S. M., Alessi, C., Bruni, O., DonCarlos, L., Hazen, N., Herman, J., Katz, E. S., Kheirandish-Gozal, L., Neubauer, D. N., O’Donnell, A. E., Ohayon, M., Peever, J., Rawding, R., Sachdeva, R. C., Setters, B., Vitiello, M. V., Ware, J. C., & Adams Hillard, P. J. (2015). National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary. Sleep health1(1), 40–43.
  2. Shi, G., Xing, L., Wu, D., Bhattacharyya, B. J., Jones, C. R., McMahon, T., Chong, S., Chen, J. A., Coppola, G., Geschwind, D., Krystal, A., Ptáček, L. J., & Fu, Y. H. (2019). A Rare Mutation of β1-Adrenergic Receptor Affects Sleep/Wake Behaviors. Neuron103(6), 1044–1055.e7.
  3. Nagai, M., Hoshide, S., & Kario, K. (2010). Sleep duration as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease- a review of the recent literature. Current cardiology reviews6(1), 54–61.
  4. Conley, S., Knies, A., Batten, J., Ash, G., Miner, B., Hwang, Y., Jeon, S., & Redeker, N. S. (2019). Agreement between actigraphic and polysomnographic measures of sleep in adults with and without chronic conditions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sleep medicine reviews46, 151–160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2019.05.001
  5. Baron, K. G., Abbott, S., Jao, N., Manalo, N., & Mullen, R. (2017). Orthosomnia: Are Some Patients Taking the Quantified Self Too Far?. Journal of clinical sleep medicine : JCSM : official publication of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine13(2), 351–354.
Can sleep influence your body weight?

Can sleep influence your body weight?

Does a lack of sleep encourage weight gain?

Sleep has become a hot topic in the world of health, and research highlights the broader issues of sleep deprivation extending way beyond simply feeling tired. One particular area of interest is the impact of chronic sleep deprivation on body weight and studies suggest that sleep deprivation is independently associated with a higher risk of obesity.

A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found people who sleep less than 5 hours a night eat more during the day (1).  A further study found people who slept 5 hours or less a night had the highest BMI and greatest weight gain when compared to those who slept for 7 hours (2).

But does this mean that if you don’t sleep well, you will get fat?

What is the role of sleep?

Sleep is defined as “A condition of body and mind which typically recurs for several hours every night, in which the nervous system is inactive, the eyes closed, the postural muscles relaxed, and consciousness practically suspended.”

A lot is going on once you fall asleep. The body needs a surprising amount of energy to fuel these functions, including memory processing, muscle and joint recovery, and growth. Poor sleep impacts mood, concentration, and alertness, and the effects of long-term sleep deprivation have been linked to several severe health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, and stroke (3).

How well are we sleeping?

Optimally, we should all be aiming to get around 8 hours of sleep a night. However, according to research carried out by the Royal Society for Public Health, it appears most of us only manage to get less than seven.

Over a week, this deficit equates to a whole night’s sleep, and research by The Sleep Council has shown that 33 percent of people only manage 5–6 hours, while 7 percent get less than 5 hours.

Researchers at Loughborough University found that those who habitually slept for less than six hours each night tended to have a higher BMI than those who managed to get the recommended eight nightly hours.

Does sleep deprivation affect our appetite hormones?

Research has suggested that a lack of sleep may impact the hormones leptin and ghrelin, which control appetite. Leptin sends signals to the brain to help inhibit hunger, while ghrelin is released by the stomach to stimulate appetite. The research suggests that a lack of sleep may reduce leptin and increases ghrelin which may be a factor for weight gain in non-sleepers.

In one study, men who got four hours or less of sleep had increased ghrelin and decreased leptin compared to those who got 10 hours. This dysregulation of such hormones could lead to increased appetite and a reduced feeling of fullness in sleep-deprived people (4).

This hormonal effect may explain the correlation between obesity and sleep deprivation highlighted by specific studies, but more research is needed.

In addition, several studies have also indicated that sleep deprivation affects food preferences. Sleep-deprived individuals tend to choose foods that are high in calories and carbohydrates (5).

Insulin and sleep

Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, may also be affected by sleep. This hormone also promotes the storage of fat, and as such, it has been suggested that higher levels may impact weight gain. One published study found that sleep deprivation may increase the release of insulin and another hormone called cortisol which has also been associated with fat storage in the body (6).

How does being overweight affect our ability to sleep?

Being overweight can affect our ability to sleep in a couple of ways. Sleep apnoea is a condition that affects breathing during the night which can disrupt sleep. If this is an issue, make sure you sleep on your side to help open up the airways.

Indigestion is another problem that interrupts sleep and is more common in overweight people. Heartburn is a common symptom of indigestion as stomach acid rises into the oesophagus and throat.

Does this all mean that poor sleep makes you overweight?

Definitely not as the research is far from definitive. There may also be a much simpler connection….

Sleep deprivation causes fatigue and tiredness, impacting our motivation to eat well and keep active. Chronic sleep deprivation could also affect mental health contributing to low mood, depression, and anxiety. Such mental health conditions may lead to erratic eating behaviours such as skipping meals, comfort eating, or binging on unhealthy foods, contributing to weight gain.

The possible link between sleep and body weight is just one of many areas of research on this topic. Maintaining a healthy body involves diet and exercise but sleep should be a consideration.

References 

  1. Xiao, Q., Arem, H., Moore, S. C., Hollenbeck, A. R., & Matthews, C. E. (2013). A large prospective investigation of sleep duration, weight change, and obesity in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study cohort. American journal of epidemiology, 178(11), 1600–1610.
  2. Patel, S. R., Malhotra, A., White, D. P., Gottlieb, D. J., & Hu, F. B. (2006). Association between reduced sleep and weight gain in women. American journal of epidemiology, 164(10), 947–954. 
  3. Cappuccio, F. P., Cooper, D., D’Elia, L., Strazzullo, P., & Miller, M. A. (2011). Sleep duration predicts cardiovascular outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. European heart journal, 32(12), 1484–1492.
  4. Motivala, S. J., Tomiyama, A. J., Ziegler, M., Khandrika, S., & Irwin, M. R. (2009). Nocturnal levels of ghrelin and leptin and sleep in chronic insomnia. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 34(4), 540–545. 
  5. Zuraikat, F. M., Makarem, N., Liao, M., St-Onge, M. P., & Aggarwal, B. (2020). Measures of Poor Sleep Quality Are Associated With Higher Energy Intake and Poor Diet Quality in a Diverse Sample of Women From the Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network. Journal of the American Heart Association, 9(4), e014587.
  6. Hackett, R. A., Dal, Z., & Steptoe, A. (2020). The relationship between sleep problems and cortisol in people with type 2 diabetes. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 117, 104688.
Training and competing during Ramadan

Training and competing during Ramadan

Ramadan

I have recently been working with an Para athlete with a spinal cord injury to help with training and competition.

There are lots of consideration to be made in such athletes but one I never fully considered was training and competing during ramadan.

This fact sheet should provide a little insight into how athletes can maintain their training and competition performance while fasting.

 

Orthosomnia: Is your quest for perfect sleep keeping you awake?

Orthosomnia: Is your quest for perfect sleep keeping you awake?

As with any area of health, there is always the risk that some people may take things a little too far.  Balance is the key to maintaining long lasting behaviours that influence our overall wellbeing.

Some people eat better and train harder than others and this may put them in to top 10% but when diet and exercise become a preoccupation it can have a negative impact on their health.

The same appears to have become true of sleep.

How much sleep do we get?

The topic of sleep has become big news in the world of wellness.

It is recommended that the optimum number of hours sleep is around eight per night.  However, research has shown that most of us do not get enough sleep with most getting seven hours a night while some endure less than five (1).

How does sleep deprivation affect your health?

In the short term a lack of sleep can affect concentration, mood and memory but a chronic lack of sleep over time can have more serious consequences on your health.

Research is ever evolving around sleep and it has been suggested that a lack of sleep is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety (2).

A recent study published in the journal Neurology found that amongst the 487K people involved, sleep deprivation increased the risk of heart attack and stroke by almost a fifth (3).

The rise of sleep trackers

Sleep has now become a huge point of interest for many people, especially as it is now widely viewed as one of the key pillars to maintaining optimal health and wellbeing.

The wellness industry has reacted to this interest by offering us a wide range of wearable devices that help us to monitor and personalise our health.  Many of these devices allow wearers to track their sleep by offering biometric data that relates to the key stages in the sleep cycle which includes brands such as Fitbit.

These devices are hugely insightful and a useful way of mapping our sleep landscape.  However, they have also become a source of obsession for some people who go out of their way to try and achieve the perfect night’s sleep as dictated by their wearable device.

Ironically it appears that this obsession with sleep may in fact be a causal factor in someones ability to sleep well.  This new phenomenon has been identified by researchers who have named it as orthosomnia (4).

What is orthosomnia?

Orthosomnia stems from the  Latin terms ‘ortho’ meaning correct and ‘somnia’ meaning sleep.

This term was coined by researchers to describe the potential risks associated with people who develop an unhealthy preoccupation with improving the data from their sleep tracker (4).

How does it develop?

Sleep trackers can offer useful insight into your pattern of sleep, but the data is not always that precise.  For example, many of them are not hugely accurate at distinguishing between the time spent asleep versus the time spent in bed.

Orthosomnia develops when too much focus is put on this sleep data in an attempt to  achieve the perfect sleep score.  Over time this can lead to unhealthy sleep behaviours.

What are the symptoms?

The obsessive focus on improving sleep in this way may actually cause your sleep to suffer.

Orthosomnia may be recognised in someone who has been using a tracker but finds their sleep has worsened as they attempt to make changes to optimize the data (sleep score) to get the ‘perfect’ sleep.

Some of the symptoms associated with orthosomnia include:

  • Difficulty nodding off and staying asleep
  • Early morning awakenings
  • Unrefreshed sleep
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Fatigue
  • Poor concentration  

Why is it a problem?

The more you think about sleeping the less easy it can be to actually fall asleep. In the quest for sleep perfection people can develop increased anxiety and stress.  These emotions activate the sympathetic nervous system and can prolong wakefulness.

Research has shown how people become reliant on their tracker to tell them whether they got a restful sleep rather than judging to on how they actually felt (4).

It has also been shown how people self-diagnose and convince themselves they have a sleep disorder based on their sleep data even though they may not (4).

Research has also shown how people may spend excessive amounts of time in bed in an attempt to improve their sleep score.  This behaviour only reinforces poor sleeping habits and can condition the body for sleeplessness which may lead to future issues with insomnia further down the line (4).

How can you manage it?

You could get rid of your sleep tracker, but you could also try and use the tracker in a more useful way to help you adopt better sleep hygiene habits.

Establishing general sleep hygiene habits is a good way to try and get you sleep back on track such as:

  • Keeping a constant bedtime and wake time that also allows you to try and get the number of hours sleep to meet your needs.
  • Trying relaxation techniques before bedtime to help ease and calm a busy mind.
  • Create a calming sleep environment that is dark, cool and clutter-free.
  • Wake time is especially important and try to expose yourself to as much light in the morning to optimise your circadian rhythm.

When may more action be requried?

In some cases, someone may need to participate in treatment such as cognitive behaviour therapy for insomnia.

References 

  1. https://www.sleepcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Great-British-Bedtime-Report.pdf
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845795/
  3. https://n.neurology.org/content/early/2019/11/06/WNL.0000000000008581
  4. http://jcsm.aasm.org/ViewAbstract.aspx?pid=30955
How can your diet help you to sleep well during the winter months?

How can your diet help you to sleep well during the winter months?

Sleep patterns may easily be thrown off course during the winter as the increased darkness impacts on our circadian rhythms.  The result is that it may make it more difficult to wake up and leave us feeling sluggish or lacking in energy.  These effects may also impact on the food choices we make and vice versa our diet may impact on sleep.

How can the winter months impact on sleep?

Darker evenings and mornings can impact on sleep in several ways.  Some of these may be associated with the fact that our basic diet and lifestyle behaviours could become challenged during the winter.

How can mood impact on sleep?

How we feel can affect our food choices and pattern of eating.  In some cases, skipping meals may affect overall nutrient intake, some of which are linked to poor sleep such as magnesium.  Erratic eating patterns can also encourage snacking on foods high in sugar that may also affect sleep.

Low mood can also lead to overeating and weight gain, which may impact on mental health. Any form of anxiety linked to our lifestyle can play on the mind and affect our ability to sleep well.

How does diet play a role?

Comfort eating and alcohol consumption may increase during the winter as we get cosy indoors.  This is even more so during the festive season which can also play havoc with our sleep patterns.  The tendency to choose richer foods may also trigger indigestion in some people which will negatively impact on sleep quality.

So, what can you do to help achieve a good night’s sleep in the Winter months?

Stick to your regular sleep/wake pattern

Establishing a set routine is bedrock to sleeping well. Going to bed at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning is key to keep your circadian rhythms in sync.

It’s often tempting to hit the hay earlier than normal and stay in bed longer, but this is not going to help with how energised you feel during the day.

Avoid the stodge

It’s tempting to seek out stodgy foods during the winter months but this may impact on your sleep quality.  Overly rich foods can cause indigestion, especially if you’re not used to eating them.

Heartburn is a symptom of indigestion and something many people experience during the festive season, especially when partnered with more alcohol than usual.

If you’re going to eat more stodgy food then try to eat smaller portions and team them with plenty of veggies on the plate to try and balance out your meal.

Invest in a vitamin D3 supplement

We all rely on sunlight to provide us with adequate amounts of vitamin D but during the winter months it has been shown that many of us are lacking in this nutrient (1).  This essential vitamin helps to maintain healthy bones and supports immunity but inadequate levels are associated with fatigue, muscle weakness and low mood.

Research published in the journal Nutrients has suggested that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of sleep disorders (2).

Food sources of vitamin D are limited to fortified foods, oily fish, liver, mushrooms and eggs but will not provide you with everything your body needs.

During the Winter months you should take a supplement containing 10mcg of vitamin D3.

Try and stick to making healthy food choices

The colder months can have an impact on our eating habits and food choices.

The longer evenings can also lead to snacking late at night which will do little for your ability to sleep as eating and digestion can prevent the body from shifting into sleep mode.

Foods rich in carbohydrates are craved more in the winter which may be linked to their connection with serotonin (the feel good hormone) and could be the body’s way of attempting to improve mood.  Always choose wholegrain varieties of carbohydrates as these have less impact on blood sugar levels.

Simple carbohydrates such as sugar are digested much more quickly and may impact on sleep quality (3) as well as doing little for your waistline if eaten in excess.  Obesity has been linked to poor sleep by way of its impact on hormones associated with satiety (4).

Eat a nourishing diet that will provide your body with the essential nutrients required for good health, some of which may be connected to sleep such as magnesium.  It is widely understood that magnesium deficiency can cause insomnia.  Research published in the journal Public Health Nutrition has also shown how adequate levels of magnesium are positively associated with sleep duration (5).

Don’t eat too close to bedtime and keep evening meals light including lean proteins (poultry, fish, tofu) and wholegrain carbohydrates (brown rice, wholemeal pasta, quinoa) as this combination can help with the uptake of tryptophan into the brain which assists with the production of melatonin (the hormone that regulates the sleep cycle).

Try and avoid the classic ‘pick-me-ups’

If you’re feeling sluggish during the day then it can be tempting to reach for a food or drink containing caffeine or sugar to help boost your energy levels. Both caffeine and sugar have been shown to disrupt sleep.  The effect is usually short-lived and often followed by a craving for more of the same creating a vicious cycle of highs and lows.

The first morning coffee is like nectar and a perfect way to get you ready for the day ahead.  After this it may be worth avoiding, especially if you have trouble sleeping. Try alternatives such as herbal teas including ingredients such as ginger and lemon which have an invigorating and refreshing effect without the caffeine hit.

It’s worth remembering that tea, chocolate, energy drinks and even decaf coffee all contain a source of caffeine.

Pay attention to the health of your gut

Early research has suggested that the microbes in our gut (microbiome) may be linked to sleep.  It is thought that while a lack of sleep may negatively impact on our microbiome the diversity of microbes in our gut may also lead to disrupted sleep (6).

The connection is not fully understood but it may be worth taking a probiotic supplement to promote a good diversity of bacteria in your gut.

Try to also include plenty of prebiotic foods in your diet which help gut bacteria to flourish.  Prebiotic foods include onions, garlic, beans, pulses and lentils as well as cooked and cooled potatoes, pasta and rice.

The winter months can pose challenges to many areas of your health.  If you are struggling with your sleep then consider the approaches above while also paying attention to the basic sleep hygiene practices addressed in my new book which focus on behaviour, environment and diet (BED).

References

  1. https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/ndns-results-from-years-7-and-8-combined
  2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213953/
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26156950
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535424/
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5675071/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31589627
Nathan Khider Sleep Podcast 2019

Nathan Khider Sleep Podcast 2019

This is a new podcast hosted by my lovey mate Nathan Khider.

Nathan’s YouTube channel is fantastic and involves him interviewing guests that have many interesting stories to tell to hope to inspire and educate his listeners.

My new book, ‘The Art of Sleeping’ is due out today (14th Nov 2019). I talk with Nathan about the reasons why I chose to write this book which revolve around my own persona interest in sleep and my experiences of sleep deprivation and insomnia.

While some of you may sleep well, the reality is that we are a nation of non-sleepers.  Some people believe they can survive on hardly any sleep, but I disagree.  From personal experience of insomnia, I know first-hand how the effects can negatively impact on every aspect of your life.  I’m also guilty of telling people how tired I am rather than taking the action required to tackle the issue head on.

We all need to take sleep seriously as the long-term consequences of not sleeping well are scarier than you think.  For these reasons I decided to write my new book ‘The Art of Sleeping’.  I share my experiences with Nathan and discuss the positive steps we can all take to improve our sleep which in turn will help us to achieve optimal health and wellbeing.

 

Could sleep deprivation contribute to weight gain??

Could sleep deprivation contribute to weight gain??

Sleep is a key pillar of good health

Sleep is becoming more widely recognised as one of the key pillars of good health alongside diet and exercise.  Diet and exercise are directly linked to our ability to maintain a healthy body weight, but it may be that sleep also has a role to play.

How well are we sleeping?

The optimum number of hours of sleep is thought to be just under eight, but research carried out by the Royal Society for Public Health has shown that most people manage less than seven (1).

Over the course of a week this deficit equates to a whole night’s sleep, and research by The Sleep Council has shown that 33 per cent of people only manage 5–6 hours, while 7 per cent get less than 5 hours (2).

“Sleep derivation causes fatigue and can impact on our ability to perform daily tasks as we struggle with attention, concentration, creativity, insight, memory and decision making” 

How is diet linked to sleep, disease and weight gain?

Research has suggested that poor sleep may increase the risk of diabetes, elevated blood pressure, poor mental health and even our ability to maintain a healthy body weight (3).

“A lack of sleep may increase your energy intake by 300 calories per day”

It has also been shown that if you continually lose sleep at night then this may affect your ability to lose weight. 

Studies carried out by Loughborough University found that those who habitually sleep for less than six hours each night tended to have a higher BMI than those who managed to get the recommended eight nightly hours (4).

Sleep deprivation may affect our hormones that regulate appetite

Research has suggested that a lack of sleep may impact on the hormones leptin and ghrelin which control appetite. 

Leptin sends signals to the brain to help inhibit hunger while ghrelin is released by the stomach to stimulate appetite.  The research, which is not yet definitive, suggests that a lack of sleep reduces leptin and increases ghrelin (5).

This hormonal effect may explain the correlation between obesity and sleep deprivation highlighted by certain studies.

Insulin and sleep

Insulin, the hormone that regulates blood sugar, may also be affected by sleep.  This hormone also promotes the storage of fat and as such it has been suggested that higher levels may impact on weight gain.  Research has suggested that sleep deprivation may increase the release of insulin as well as another hormone called cortisol which has also been associated with fat storage in the body (6).

There may also be a simpler explanation

Sleep deprivation causes fatigue and tiredness which can impact on our motivation to exercise and stick to healthy eating habits.

Sleep deprivation can also lower mood and could contribute to depression and anxiety both of which may lead to comfort eating and weight gain.

Adolescents are at particular risk if depression as a result of sleep deprivation which is compounded by the overuse of electrical equipment at night and the psychological effects of social media (7).

“A prolonged lack of sleep can eventually filter into our emotions and relationships”

Avoid quick energy fixes

Trying to overcome the fatigue associated with sleep deprivation may also affect eating patterns as well as the temptation to rely on ‘pick-me-ups’ during the day such as sugar laden energy drinks or sweet snacks. These may not only promote weight gain but could further inhibit your ability to sleep well at night.

How does being overweight affect our ability to sleep?

Being overweight can affect our ability to sleep in a couple of ways.  Sleep apnoea is a condition that affects breathing during the night which can disrupt sleep. If this is an issue, then make sure you sleep on your side to help open up the airways.

Indigestion is another problem that interrupts sleep and is more common in people who are overweight. Heartburn is a common symptom of indigestion as stomach acid rises into the oesophagus and throat.

Try eating a light low-fat meal a few hours before bed and include a good source of protein as this help the gall bladder to produce more bile acids that aid digestion.

The power of herbs to help with sleep

If you want to help promote sleep, then try herbal drinks. There are many herbs associated with relaxing the body and easing anxiety, which is a leading cause of sleep deprivation. 

Herbs such as chamomile, passionflower and lavender are good but the most potent is valerian root.  Look for herbal teas with a high percentage of valerian root for maximum effect.

References

  1. https://www.rsph.org.uk/uploads/assets/uploaded/a565b58a-67d1-4491-ab9112ca414f7ee4.pdf
  2. https://www.sleepcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/The-Great-British-Bedtime-Report.pdf
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2845795/
  4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29526681
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC535701/
  6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16227462
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26141007

Food For Thought podcast with Rhiannon Lambert

Food For Thought podcast with Rhiannon Lambert

How foods and sleep can change your life

My chat with Nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert on her podcast Food For Thought is now available.

It was great chatting with Rhiannon who I have known for quite a while now.  We talk about the importance of sleep and in particular the role of diet.

Here is just one of the questions I was asked…

With two-thirds of adults in the UK failing to get the recommended quality and quantity of sleep, could our nutrition be more as effective than getting an early night?

Interesting question….  The first point to make here is that there are many factors that impact on our ability to sleep well both in terms of the number of hours we get and equally as important, the quality of sleep.  As we both say when it comes to many areas of health, there is no one size fits all and this mantra can be applied to sleep.

Modern lifestyle

Our modern lifestyle is fast paced, and this is not just work related as everyone is affected by the pressure, we put ourselves under to be and be seen as achieving and this looks different for every individual whether it involves work goals or doing the best for your family.

Anxiety

The reasons for not sleeping are common amongst all groups and include things like anxiety which could be linked to lifestyle or other behavioural habits associated with overuse of modern technology.

Addressing diet

I would say that addressing your diet can help you to sleep but you also need to address behaviours and the environment you sleep in.  In my new book, I use these three pillars (BED) as a way of helping people to really think about how they can tackle their sleep issues and form their own personal sleep ritual.

Foods that harm and foods that heal sleep

When it comes to diet, it’s about looking at the foods and drinks that both help and hinder sleep as well as also looking at your eating behaviour and pattern of eating which also play a role.  This may link to micronutrient deficiencies, food and drinks that stimulate our bodies or the effect of food on digestion which can all keep us awake in some way.

Diet plays a role but is just a contributory factor that should be considered alongside other things as part of addressing and understanding the bigger picture as to why you’re unable to sleep.

There is also another angle here in that sleep deprivation can cause depression, anxiety and fatigue which can lead to erratic eating patterns and impact on the food choices we make which may exacerbate the issue of sleep deprivation.

You can listen to the podcast here.

The Art of Sleeping

The Art of Sleeping

New book!

This month on the 14th (November) sees the release of my new book called The Art of Sleeping.  This little book explains the concept of sleep, why we need sleep, the consequences of sleep deprivation and advice on how we can tackle our lack of sleep.

My expertise is nutrition but this is only a small section of this new book which has been written as a result of personal interest and experience.

Here I explain more…..

Why have I ventured from nutrition into sleep?

When I started out in the world of nutrition, we had only just established the 5-a-day guidance.  I clearly remember my tutor at the time saying that when she trained, vegetables were considered to be a decorative part of the meal as we focused more on protein and starchy carbs for good health.

Fast forward more than 15 years and our understanding of health/nutrition has radically evolved thanks to the advances in research.  As a result of this we are establishing a more comprehensive understanding that in order to maintain good health and a life free of disease many other factors play a role which goes way beyond the basic message of eating well and keeping active.

Mental health 

Mental health is now a major public health issue and sleep is regarded as being a key pillar to achieving optimal health. The greatest revelation that interests me and is likely to influence how we talk about health in the future is how all of these factors are so closely interlinked. This will inevitably make the delivery of messaging to the public a little more complicated.

Optimal wellness

I have never slept well and even though I eat well and lead a very active lifestyle I have become very aware of the impact that sleeping badly could be having on my health.  There is a fine balance to achieving optimal wellness, but the Achilles’ heal for many people, including myself, is sleep.

Burning the candle at both ends

Many of us put a lot of pressure on ourselves to achieve our goals whilst also being viewed as competent and successful in what we do, but the one thing that is often compromised is sleep. 

Burning the candle at both ends as we work hard, train hard and play hard has resulted in an increase in anxiety and behavioural traits (mostly an over-reliance on technology and social media). This all affects our ability to sleep.

Too much time dwelling and not enough action

After looking at the research, speaking to experts and other people that have issues with sleep it became clear that not only do we not get enough sleep, but we spend more time dwelling on the issue rather than taking action.  This is also an area of our health that is difficult to control as we all have the power to dictate whether we get up and go to the gym or choose to eat a quinoa salad over a burger, but sleep is a little trickier to get a grip on.

Why did I write this book?

Given all of this insight and my personal experience, I decided to write a book on sleep.  I’m not a sleep expert in terms of the psychologists and researchers that investigate the science on this topic.  However, I am a trained health professional that understands how to read and interpret the research. 

I hope I can also relate to readers as genuinely being someone that has personal experience of what it feels like to sleep for just 4 hours every night burdened by your thoughts that repeat over and again on a continual loop.

The personal sleep ritual

The crux of this book is about establishing a sleep ritual that is personal to you.  As with everything to do with health, one size does not fit all as we all lead very different lives.  Whilst similarities do exist, we all have our own way of dealing with things.

Change the narrative around sleep

Once I changed my daily narrative around sleep (“I slept so badly last night”, “I’m so tired”) and took action, I started to sleep much better.  It sounds simple, but it’s not in some cases and there are those who suffer greatly with insomnia that may need to seek help professionally.

There is a lot of information about sleep out there! What I hope to achieve with this book is to share useful insight and structure the relevant information in a way that helps you to put the basics into practice so you can create a consistency in the way you tackle sleep rather than freaking out and counting sheep.

The BED method

The acronym is BED, which stands for Behaviour, Environment and Diet.  Much of this is common sense but if it was that easy, we would all be sleeping well, right!  

In simple terms I hope to help readers to understand the basic concepts of sleep and then complete their own sleep diary to offer insight into their own sleep landscape. 

From here it’s about taking what is pertinent to you whether that means decluttering your bedroom, investing in new bedding, taking a bath before bedtime or investing in a dietary supplement to help you to sleep better.

Have I always struggled with sleep?

I consider myself to be very healthy, but sleep has always been my enemy. 

Surviving on very little sleep

The body is an amazing thing that adapts to survive but our strong will and determination to cope can only override the natural balance of things for so long. I have gone for months at a time in the past surviving on as little as 4 hours sleep a night.  Luckily, I work for myself at home which made using coffee and napping an easily accessible way of functioning on little sleep.

Nodding off

Nodding off has always been the issue for me.  Most frustrating are those moments when you finally get to sleep but then wake up feeling ‘refreshed’ only to realise it is just a little past midnight which is never a good feeling.

How did my poor sleep pattern occur?

Not sure where this developed but I spent many years working unsociable nights in bars, restaurants and clubs. I was also getting up early to study or work a day job that inevitably fought against my circadian rhythm.  I’m also not one to complain and would much rather ‘push on’ to achieve my long-term goals.

Anxiety

Like many people that struggle to sleep, anxiety has also contributed at times.  Opting to work freelance comes with a degree of anxiety but the upsides to this way of life have always outweighed any of the negatives for me. 

Like many non-sleepers I also had to battle with the anxiety that occurs at 2am when you’re still awake daunted by the prospect of having to get up at 6am to complete a day jam packed with meetings and deadlines.

Visualisation and meditation

I have learnt useful ways to deal with anxiety when it rears its ugly head such as breathing and visualisation which I touch on in the book. 

Try not to shun these techniques as ‘hocus pocus’ as they really do help if you dedicate a little time to practicing them and include them in your personal sleep ritual if you have to. 

Phone apps can also help with meditation/breathing/visualisation. Aside from this, and I’m a big fan, podcasts and audio books are also useful ways to help you to settle the mind and promote sleep.

Taking control 

I sleep much better now which is only after I took control of my sleep habits and established my own personal sleep ritual.  I still have my moments of poor sleep but understanding what it is that is causing this and knowing what to do to tackle it helps me to get back on track pretty quickly.

What disturbs my sleep the most? 

Again, everyone is different but mostly my issue is nodding off which is usually the result of an overactive mind. If things are totally manic with work and the flat gets untidy and cluttered this also prevents me from sleeping well.

I do wake occasionally through the night which is a real bummer as trying to get back to sleep in the early hours of the morning also creates anxiety about how little sleep you are going to get before you have to get up and perform your daily tasks.

What is the link to food and nutrition? 

The link between diet and sleep does exist but other factors can compound the issue. 

Food and drinks that harm sleep

What you eat and drink can keep you awake, and the culprits are normally stimulants such as caffeine and alcohol, but sugar can also play a role.  Eating too close to bedtime or indulging in very rich foods can also make it difficult for some people to get to sleep as they impact on digestion and may exacerbate heartburn and reflux.

Supplements

Supplements may help some people such as magnesium, but this is often in those that do not get enough from their diet. 

I often take valerian before bed, which is a traditional herbal remedy to help with mild anxiety, and also used to help aid sleep.

What’s my go-to for sleep? 

We’re all different, but this is my personal take on the topic.

Nothing induces a good night sleep more than the state of my bedroom.  I am naturally quite a messy person, but my bedroom has to offer the perfect sleep oasis. 

Fresh bed linen  

I invest in really good quality bedding that is crisp and white and quite anally I wash and make the bed fresh twice a week as nothing feels better than getting into a freshly made bed.  

I would always recommend that you spend as much as you can on good bed linen even if that means just having one set.  I always buy mine in the sales and choose a nice high thread count cotton that is breathable and hypoallergenic.

Lavender

I use lavender bed sprays and burn a candle before going to sleep.  My favourite pillow spray is Deep Sleep by the company This Works. My go to for lavender candles is Diptyque but another fave if I’m not feeling quite so flush is True Grace.  

Bedroom lights

It’s not to everyone’s taste but I have a string of red lights (chilli lights actually!) on the headrest of my bed that provide enough light for me to read but do not upset the production of melatonin (the sleep hormone).

Keep your room free of clutter

I keep my bedroom clutter-free and make sure everything is put away and set my clothes out for the following day as even this in the past has provided a mental distraction preventing me from getting to sleep.

I also keep the window open all year round, as I would rather have a cold room and snuggle into the duvet to get cosy.  This may sound weird, but my partner and I also have separate duvets as the weight of a whole duvet to wrap myself into helps me to sleep.

What’s my one sleep tip you must do no fail? 

Aside from bedroom hygiene I would say that you shouldn’t torture yourself rolling about for hours in bed if you can’t sleep.  I know when it’s game over, so I just get up, make myself a warm drink and sit in the living room with the lights dimmed low.  Often what keeps me awake is thinking about work. 

Jot things down

Positively, some of the best ideas come about at this time so I either jot my thoughts down in a workbook (never the laptop or phone! – blue light does you no good and the temptation to check emails and social media is not great either) or I read until I feel sleepy and ready to get back to bed.

Believe me, this really is the best way to tackle this issue as again it’s about taking action! It can feel weird being up out of bed in the dead of the night but why spend 4 hours rolling around when you could strategically spend 1 hour using the techniques you have established work for you to help you to get back to sleep.

I can’t guarantee sleep as disrupted sleep can come in waves.  What I can assure you of is that by reverting and sticking to your established sleep ritual you will have a much better chance of tackling the issue head on rather than putting up with it and looking for short-term coping mechanisms.

You can listen to me chatting to Rhiannon Lambert about sleep on her Food for Thought Podcast here