Catch some Z's - Sleep for Restoration

Most people need about 8 hours of sleep to properly rejuvenate. Sleep helps balance hormones, especially hunger hormones which can help with weight management. 

Sleeping is not over-rated! Waking up from a good nights sleep can set your mood for the day. 

During sleep, blood pressure is decreased and your heart gets a chance to rest so to speak. Transitioning through circadian sleep cycles allows your body and brain to communicate conscious and unconscious thoughts. This processing allows your stress to be released the natural way. You heard it here, sleep your stresses away!

As we catch some Z's, we unconsciously consolidate and revisit our daily thoughts and experiences from our 'awake' periods which in doing so helps solidify our memory.  This consolidation process during sleep acts to improve memory, brain processing, and learning. A tired and sluggish mind is not as alert and attentive as a well rested mind. Sleep is our outlet for restoration, recovery, and healing.

A 2010 study found that C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart attack risk, was higher in people who got 6  hours or less of sleep per night. Sleep lowers the body's inflammatory response and in doing so lowers your risk of getting a stroke, heart disease, inflammatory diseases, and diabetes. 

The next time you are low on energy, try sneaking in a short nap. Efficient or 'power naps', I like to call them can quickly help re-charge your battery. Sometimes our bodies just need a little time to decompress and relax. A short nap can help take your mind off of the daily grind and re-focus your thoughts and attention. With this said, a power nap is not a 2+ hour daily nap; be effective with your time and sometimes the best time management involves a little snooze.


By: Albert Huang, DC

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