Everyone seems to have suffered from periods of poor sleep at some time in their lives and there are so many causes! Sleep problems often start when off with being kept awake by babies and young children and we know that sleep can deteriorate as we get older. We also know how hard it is to sleep when we are stressed, anxious or even excited!
But it is important to take steps to catch up on and improve your sleep – if you can, as serious health issues, including obesity, heart disease and diabetes have been linked to sleep deprivation.
Research by Dr Colin Smith, Ph.D., a professor at the University of Surrey, showed that after only getting fewer than six hours of sleep a night showed changes to more than 700 genes – and that was after only one week. Another at the University of Cambridge shows that changes to genes could be passed down from parents to children.
Sleep is critical to maintaining and repairing our bodies, and if that isn’t happening, there could be an increase in degenerative diseases.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/26/sleep-deprivation-genes_n_2766341.html
We can all identify with some things on this list that happen when we are tired or exhausted – and often after only one or two poor night’s sleep.
- Craving sugary foods, eating more and buying unhealthy foods
- Becoming clumsier and more likely to be involved in accidents.
- Looking rough, bags under our eyes, looking older become less patient and more likely to get upset and emotional.
- Getting more colds
- Memory suffers, we loose things and it is harder to remember new information
- I know so many people who get ill as soon as they relax – often on the first day of their holidays.
After prolonged periods of poor sleep, there are serious health risks as our bodies become stressed and less able to ward off illnesses. Research suggests that this includes
- decrease in sperm count
- diabetes
- some cancers
- obesity
- strokes
- heart disease.
- death
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/08/sleep-deprivation_n_4557142.html
There are easy, simple and natural ways to improve your sleep, reduce the effects of sleep disorders and deal with whatever is stopping you getting a good night’s sleep. If you would like to find out how I can help you improve your sleep, do get in touch,
