Sleep To Keep Yourself Slim and Healthy

Scientists contemplate a 24-hour workday

According to a recent article scientists have been debating the theories as to why we humans need to sleep.

Ever since Randy Gardner managed to stay awake for 264 hours it is believed that we sleep for the following reasons:

• To help the immune system regenerate
• To help the brain file away the events of the day
• Sleep evolved to help cope with the lack of available food
• To help the brain recover from the stresses of the day

Still, none of the scientists know for sure.

In a society that already admires those who are constantly on the go and can survive on just a few hours sleep every night, the very idea that there might be a pill that allows us to avoid any sleep at all is, in my opinion, a very dangerous one.

And here are my reasons:

Going to bed regularly later than 10:30pm will disrupt your hormonal system. Not only that your body won’t replenish itself mentally and physically which can lead to the following:

• Excess weight 
• Neck and back pain
• Headaches
• Lack of focus
• Forgetfulness

When we’re tired we usually drink stimulants in the form of coffee and sodas which, after that initial energy buzz, will send your blood-sugar levels crashing.

Naturally, at that point you feel hungry and because you’re busy you’ll grab the nearest most convenient food. I used to go for my favourite chocolate bar.

And soon I found myself in a tired/buzzed/tired/buzzed cycle which led me to putting on lots of weight fast.

Here’s what I did to break the cycle, lose weight and keep it off.

• Get to sleep by 10:30pm every night. A routine is important
• Avoid sugar and caffeine after lunch. Caffeine has a half life of six hours
• Turn down the bright lights in your house in the evening
• Eat according to your metabolic type
• Get plenty of exercise. Morning exercise is usually better
• Make sure your bedroom is completely dark 

A great book to read for some more information on how sleep affects your weight and health is Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival by T.S Wiley and Bent Formby