With more demands on our time, sleep is becoming a poor relation. Jane Dawson investigates the associations between health, feeling good, and that all-important eight hours sleep a night.
At some point in most people’s lives, sleep becomes a luxury. Whether this is due to family demands, shift patterns at work, stress, or just simply burning the candle at both ends, many of us complain about being tired. And while it is tempting to ignore the detrimental effects, recent research suggests that a lack of Zzzs is something to be taken seriously.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, we should devote one-third of our time to sleeping.1 However, with at least 30 per cent of the population suffering from sleep disturbance, a significant number of people clearly aren’t getting their quota.2 The effects of insufficient sleep are well documented. For adults, sleeping for less than seven hours a day has been associated with an increased risk of developing chronic conditions such as obesity,4 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and mental distress.5
Dave Gibson, co-author of The Art of Falling Asleep, is a naturopath, osteopath and a hypnotherapist who specialises in sleep and weight-loss. He describes a range of effects associated with reduced sleep. “The main short-term issue with lack of sleep that I come across is its mental impact. This includes tiredness at work, reduced work output, memory and concentration decreases.
“Another short-term problem with decreased sleep is reduced immune function. This leads to susceptibility to illness, especially in the winter.”
According to Gibson it is hard to ascertain when sleeplessness becomes a long-term concern, but a sudden change of diet is a key indicator — such as consistently sleeping for under six hours and then getting cravings for fatty and carbohydrate-rich foods. Other signs to watch out for, he says, are frequent problems with short-term memory recall or drifting off to sleep during the day, whether it’s at the desk or struggling to stay awake while travelling.
この記事は Optimum Nutrition の Spring 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Optimum Nutrition の Spring 2017 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Summer Of
Summer is when we want to be out and about, as the warm embrace of the sofa on a cold winter’s night becomes a distant memory. So where do you go when the brain is willing but the body just can’t cut it at the same level of performance that it managed decades ago? Graeme Wilcockson reviews a few ways to satisfy those competitive weekend instincts that will tax both mind and body — yet leave you able to move on Monday morning
Common Kitchen Practices Making Us Sick
Every year, thousands of us fall sick from food poisoning because of how we have handled food. Louise Scodie and Louise Wates look at common ways in which we are going wrong
Could Antioxidants Save Our Bacan?
Nitrates and nitrites have long been linked to cancer. We look at how they are part of a chain reaction that may not always be harmful to human health... So what’s the case with bacon?
Eat For A Glow That Is More Than Skin Deep
Now that summer is here, it’s time to peel off the layers and make some vitamin D. But if your skin isn’t as peachy as you would like, or if you are worried about staying safe in the sun, find out how good nutrition may support your skin’s health. Maggie Charlesworth writes
Natural Beauty
If headlines about microbeads from cosmetics polluting our seas have got you wondering how you can do your bit for the environment, try using nature’s harvest to feed your skin. Hannah Maryse Robinson writes
A Summer Selection Of Goods And Goodies
Lazy Vegan frozen Chunky Pulled Peaz is a gluten-free, plant-based protein source suitable for vegans and — with a substantial texture — flexitarians.
Do Something Different
As many of us are concerned about keeping our brains active, Ellie Smith investigates whether trying something completely new could boost both our brain health and mental wellbeing
Lifting Weights, Lifting Confidence
When Bianca Mills was bullied at school she could not have dreamt that she would be able to speak in front of a group of women, let alone coach them in lifting free weights. She told Louise Wates why she believes buddying-up is just as important as physical strength for fostering confidence
Teaching Children How To Forage
Catherine Morgan finds out how foraging can teach children (and adults) about more than nature’s store cupboard, and can foster an understanding of and respect for the environment.
Keep Calm And Curry On
In August, India celebrates the anniversary of Indian Independence, yet the Anglo-Indian community, a legacy of the British Raj with its roots in European and Indian ancestry, still treads the cultural line between both communities. Jenny Mallin, author of A Grandmother’s Legacy, tells us about the fusion food in her family and recipes passed down through the generations
