Tag: sleep

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Sleep: The Secret to a Less Stressed Life

M2-Jan2017

M2 / M2 Women
January 2017

Sleep: The Secret to a Less Stressed Life

The silly season has passed and a number of us are putting plans in place to work towards our New Year’s resolutions. With this in mind I thought I would bring the column topic back to the basic fundamentals of health and choose a subject that I feel is one of the most vital determinants of optimal health and well being, yet is often overlooked. Sleep.
“Sleep is a naturally recurring state of mind and body characterized by altered consciousness, relatively inhibited sensory activity, inhibition of nearly all voluntary muscles, and reduced interactions with surroundings.” Many people think that sleep is a restful state of body and mind but the truth is that while you are sleeping your body is kept incredibly busy repairing and regulating all of the systems in your body – improving immunity, clearing waste product, consolidating memories, fighting oxidative stress, regulating hormone synthesis and metabolic rate and much much more.

We need approximately 8 hours of high-quality sleep each night to keep our bodies functioning at optimal capacity but with modern societal habits and developments many of us are not achieving this.

Without doubt the largest contributor to sleeping issues is stress. We live in an incredibly fast-paced, convenience driven, work hard/play hard age where we are constantly pushing ourselves to the limit and many of us are burning out. When our bodies are under prolonged stress our Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis (A complex set of direct influence and feedback mechanisms between three vital organs) no longer responds how it should to the release of our main stress hormone cortisol. This can lead to continuous cortisol synthesis resulting in chronically elevated cortisol levels which have been linked not only to insomnia but also to a raft of other health disorders.

So it’s firmly apparent that to stay well we need to be focusing on managing our stress and reducing its impact on our sleep habits. There are many ways we can do this including the following:

  • Before bedtime take a relaxing bath and listen to some soothing music
  • Meditate or practice yoga with some deep breathing exercises. This can be done both during the day and at night for immediate relaxation
  • Avoid interaction with screens in the 1.5 hours before bedtime
  • Make sure you are neither too full or hungry when you go to bed as this may cause you to wake in the night
  • Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption to help keep your cortisol levels in check
  • Supplement at night with a high-quality mineral formula designed to support deep, restorative sleep
  • Lastly, don’t take life too seriously! Many of us get over-stressed and worked up over matters of little significance. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed during the day take a step back and reassess the matter at hand – often it’s not as urgent as we think it is. Be kind to yourself and practice gratitude whenever possible.

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8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

M2 June 2016

M2 July 2016
8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

8 Top Tips To Keep Well This Winter

As the cooler months approach, the days start getting short and the nights start getting chillier. At this time of year with more germs floating around and a greater chance of coming into contact with infectious bacteria or viruses it is important to keep yourself fit and healthy. There are a number of precautions you can take to boost your immune system and help keep the lurgies at bay.

  1. STAY WARM AND HYDRATED WITH PLENTY OF GOOD QUALITY WATER AND HOT DRINKS WHERE POSSIBLE

Herbal teas, hot water with lemon and ginger and healthy broths and soups are a great way to keep fluids up whilst offering warmth and nutrition.

  1. REDUCE YOUR DAIRY INTAKE

Dairy stimulates the production of mucous and histamine in the body causing sinus pressure and contributing to allergies, inflammation and decreased immune response.

  1. SUPPLEMENT WITH PROBIOTICS

Probiotics help boost good bacteria in the gut to help optimize digestion (and nutrient absorption) as well as providing an extra barrier of defensefor any nasties that make it down to the digestive system.

  1. BOOST VITAMIN D INTAKE

In winter it can be hard to get sun exposure for natural vitamin D production so supplementation can be helpful to keep your levels topped up. You can also get vitamin D from eggs, oily fish, fortified grocery items and cod liver oil.

  1. LIMIT ALCOHOL AND SUGAR CONSUMPTION

These can inhibit the immune system from functioning at full capacity.

  1. UP YOUR VITAMIN C INTAKE.

Good dietary sources of vitamin C include capsicums, dark green leafy veggies, kiwifruit, broccoli, berries, citrus fruit and tomatoes.

Studies have shown vitamin C supplementation of a minimum of 3,000mg per day to help improve immune function and lessen the severity and duration of cold symptoms. Try and find a buffered vitamin C formula so it’s easier on the digestive system.

  1. DON’T STOP EXERCISING.

Exercise helps keep your body healthy and improves immune function. Try and get outside in the sunshine when possible.

  1. LAST BUT NOT LEAST, SLEEP!

Make sure you are prioritising your sleep and getting at least 8 hours of deep, restorative sleep each night. During sleep your immune system ramps up and the body undergoes reparative and detoxification processes to keep you healthy.

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5 Easy Ways To Make Sleep A Priority In College

5 Easy Ways To Make Sleep A Priority In College

This article is from Huffington post.
5 Easy Ways To Make Sleep A Priority In College

SleepingStudent

“That’s IMPOSSIBLE. You’ve got to be kidding.”

That’s the typical reaction I get anytime I tell someone that I regularly get eight hours of sleep every night. As a full-time college student who juggles a student government position, sorority membership and a part-time job, it can be hard to obtain the necessary amount of sleep. But since I’ve made sleep a priority, I manage to get those crucial eight hours every night. Here are five steps I swear by that will help any college student get a good night’s rest.

1. Do not sign up for early morning classes.
Having the power to choose when you go to class is huge – use it. I am in the second semester of my freshman year and I have yet to take a class that begins before 11 a.m. Waking up with the sun shining makes me feel so much more motivated to start the day, rather than rolling out of bed when it’s still dark out. Scheduling your classes later in the day offers a larger window of time to get your full eight hours of sleep. If you struggle to catch up on sleep, don’t sign up for 8 a.m. classes. Keep on snoozing until late morning.

2. When the clock strikes twelve, it’s time to stop the homework.
Turns out Cinderella was definitely onto something! If your homework starts to run past midnight, call it quits and shut it down for the evening. If you prioritize homework that is due the next day, you’ll always have assignments with immediate deadlines completed at a reasonable hour. If you have time leftover, then you can work ahead. Enforcing a cutoff time for homework ensures that you don’t get carried away working into the wee hours of the morning.

3. Don’t go out EVERY night.
College is the time and place to go out and party with your friends–in moderation! If you’re staying out every night and getting up early for classes, there is just no way to get the sleep you need. What’s the point in going out if you’re just going to be exhausted all night and wiped out the next day? Stick to partying on the weekends when you know you can catch up on sleep the next morning.

4. Don’t binge on Netflix until 2 a.m.
Actually, don’t do anything on an electronic device that late. According to the National Sleep Foundation, light emitted from your laptop, tablet or cellphone stimulates your brain, making it harder for your mind to calm down and get ready for sleep. I get it, I love ending my day by laying in bed and watching an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix! But force yourself to ignore the “one more episode!” urge and give your brain a chance to relax and wind down.

I still have trouble with this one. Coming from someone who loves to stay busy and be involved on campus, I recognize how exciting it can be to fit in as many activities as possible. But don’t be afraid to cut yourself a break. You can’t be all things to all people. It’s completely acceptable to reschedule a lunch date or miss a club meeting from time to time if it means giving yourself an opportunity for some much-needed rest. Take a nap! You deserve it.

The fact of the matter is: it’s difficult to get a full night’s rest in college, but not impossible. Even just trying one or two of these tricks can make a positive impact on your sleep habits. By making sleep a priority you’ll feel happier, healthier, and enjoy college life that much more.