Prioritize Your Health. Prioritize Sleep.
Sophia Crisomia, July 15th 2020
Let’s talk about sleep. The one thing everyone loves, but cannot seem to get enough of. I think F. Scott Fitzgerald words it quite accurately actually.
“The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to.”
F. Scott Fitzgerald
The quantity of sleep has an immense influence on learning and memory. When sleep deprived, a person cannot adequately focus their attention; this in turn, hinders their learning abilities. Additionally, sleep is a pivotal component to memory consolidation, a task necessary for learning new information.
Learning information and memory creation may be compartmentalized into 3 components: acquisition, consolidation, and recall. Acquisition occurs when a person is introduced to new information. Consolidation is the process by which memory stabilization occurs. Finally, recall refers to the capability of consciously or unconsciously accessing information once stored. Studies have shown that sleep improves procedural memory and declarative memory. Both REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and slow wave sleep (non REM) are associated with memory consolidation.
Evidently, sleep improves memory, but getting in those 7-9 hours doesn’t always come easy. Sleep deficiency is linked to health problems like heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. So, sleep plays a pivotal role in well-being and good health. To maximize the benefits of sleep, getting 7-9 hours each night isn’t enough. The quality of that sleep is also important. REM sleep is a part of your sleep cycle when your eyes dart quickly beneath your eyelids. One sleep cycle is about 90 minutes. In the first sleep cycle, REM sleep may occupy about 10 minutes of that cycle and get a little longer in each successive cycle. REM sleep is important because it stimulates the areas of the brain responsible for learning and memory processing and retention. A study by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke found that depriving rats of REM sleep significantly shortened their lifespan from 2-3 years to only five weeks! During REM sleep, the brain makes important neural connections that allow for optimal functioning during waking hours.
Ways to improve REM sleep include:
- Establishing a bedtime routine (same routine 7 days a week)
- Avoiding alcohol before bedtime
- Avoid strenuous exercise and artificial light ~1 hour before bed
- Avoid large meals 3-4 hours before bed
- Spend time outside
- Commit to some physical activity during the day
- Ensure your bedroom is quiet, cool, and dimly lit/dark.
- Also, meditation and yoga are helpful winding down activities to promote a restful sleep
“There is a time for many words, and there is also a time for sleep.”
Homer
See two really neat articles below. The first is from Gale Health and Wellness which does a good job on breaking down the components of sleep. The second is a study published by Elsevier on the relationship between sleep deficiency and telomere length. Telomeres are structures at the ends of chromosomes, which carry our genetic information. When cells copy themselves, telomeres continuously get shorter. As telomeres age, the cells can no longer function properly. Therefore, telomere’s are like clocks for each cell. So, sleeping more can improve longevity. Research shows that people who contain diets high in vitamin C, E, and selenium tend to have longer telomeres. One way to increase intake of these antioxidants is by consuming a plant based diet.
Your friends,
The Transform Lifestyle Medicine Alliance Team Transformer – Sophia Crisomia
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