Friday, January 26, 2018

Sleep Is Paramount For Metabolic Health

Sleep Is Paramount For Metabolic Health

Studies have shown

that when you sleep 5.5 hours per night

instead of 8.5 hours per night,

a lower proportion

of the energy you burn

comes from fat,

while more comes from carbohydrate

and protein.

This can predispose you

to fat gain

and muscle loss.

Additionally, insufficient sleep

or abnormal sleep cycles

can lead to insulin insensitivity

and metabolic syndrome,

increasing your risk of diabetes

and heart disease.

source:jamesclear.com

Thursday, January 25, 2018

The Purpose of Sleep - Memory Consolidation

Sleep is crucial

for memory consolidation,

which is the process that maintains

and strengthens

your long-term memories.

Insufficient or fragmented sleep

can hamper your ability

to form both concrete memories (facts and figures)

and emotional memories.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

Your Brain is Restored During Sleep, and You Wake Up Refreshed and with A Clear Mind

Your brain
is restored during sleep,
and you wake up refreshed
and with a clear mind.
The first purpose of sleep
is restoration.
Every day,
your brain
accumulates the metabolic waste
as it goes about its normal neural activities.
While this is completely normal,
too much has been linked
to neurological disorders
such as Alzheimer's disease.

Alright, how do we get rid of metabolic waste?
Recent research has suggested
that sleep plays a crucial role
in cleaning out the brain each night.
While these toxins can be flushed out
during waking hours,
the researchers have found
that clearance during sleep
is as much as 2 hours faster.

The way this process happens is remarkable:

During sleep,
brain cells actually
shrink by 60 percent,
allowing the brain's waste-removal system
called the glymphatic system
to essentially "take out the trash"
more easily.
The result?
Your brain is restored during sleep,
and you wake up refreshed
and with a clear mind.