A good night's sleep is crucial for your health, especially as you age. It impacts your energy levels, mood, hormones, and overall well-being. However, did you know poor sleep can also affect your weight, immune system, and concentration? This blog will explore why sleep is so important and provide five simple tips to improve your sleep quality.
Why Sleep is Important
During sleep, your body undergoes recovery. Your brain processes information, muscles relax, and hormones achieve balance. Poor sleep can disrupt hormones such as cortisol (a stress hormone) and melatonin (the hormone that regulates sleep), which can, in turn, affect metabolism, immunity, and even weight¹. Additionally, sleep deprivation can worsen concentration and memory².
Sleep and Hormones: An Interconnection
As you age, your hormone balance changes. For example, melatonin production decreases in men and women over 40, which can negatively affect sleep quality³. Poor sleep can further unbalance your hormonal balance, making you more tired and irritable and causing changes in your appetite.
Five Tips for a Better Night's Sleep
1. Maintain a Regular Sleep Schedule
Try to go to bed and get up around the same time every day, including weekends. This helps your body develop a stable sleep rhythm⁴.
2. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol Before Bedtime
Caffeine can keep you alert for hours, and alcohol seems relaxing but disrupts your sleep quality. Instead, drink herbal tea or warm milk before sleeping⁵.
3. Create a Comfortable Sleeping Environment
A dark, quiet, and cool room will help you sleep better. Invest in a good mattress and comfortable pillows⁶.
4. Limit Screen Time in the Evening
Blue light from phones, tablets, and TVs inhibits melatonin production. Put your screen away at least an hour before bedtime and opt for a book or relaxation exercises⁷.
5. Stay Active, But Not Too Close to Bedtime
Regular exercise can enhance your sleep quality, but intense exercise right before bed may keep you awake. Try to schedule your workouts earlier in the day⁸.
By applying these tips, you can give your body and mind the rest they need. A good night's sleep helps you stay energised, focused, and balanced.
At IKARIA Clinics, we believe in the power of preventive care.
Do you want to sleep better and optimise your health? At IKARIA Clinics, we offer personalised counselling, nutritional advice, and lifestyle coaching. Invest in yourself and start today! Make an appointment and discover how you can enhance your energy and vitality.
Sources
Van Someren, E. J. (2021). Mechanisms and functions of coupling between sleep and temperature rhythms. Progress in Brain Research, 253, 79-99.
Van Der Helm, E., & Walker, M. P. (2009). Overnight therapy? The role of sleep in emotional brain processing. Psychological Bulletin, 135(5), 731-748.
Chung, S., Son, G. H., & Kim, K. (2018). Circadian rhythm of adrenal glucocorticoid: Its regulation and clinical implications. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, 469, 234-244.
Czeisler, C. A., Richardson, G. S., Coleman, R. M., Zimmerman, J. C., Moore-Ede, M. C., Dement, W. C., & Weitzman, E. D. (1999). Chronotherapy: Resetting the circadian clocks of patients with delayed sleep phase insomnia. Sleep, 22(1), 1-16.
Landolt, H. P. (2008). Sleep homeostasis: A role for adenosine in humans? Biochemical Pharmacology, 75(11), 2070-2079.
Reyner, L. A., & Horne, J. A. (2013). Evaluation of 'the nap' and 'the recovery night' as countermeasures to fatigue after sleep restriction. Sleep, 36(5), 665-672.
Chang, A. M., Aeschbach, D., Duffy, J. F., & Czeisler, C. A. (2015). Evening use of light-emitting eReaders negatively affects sleep, circadian timing, and next-morning alertness. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(4), 1232-1237.
Kredlow, M. A., Capozzoli, M. C., Hearon, B. A., Calkins, A. W., & Otto, M. W. (2015). The effects of physical activity on sleep: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 38(3), 427-449.