s e m o n i a n

A recent study showed a link between sleep and how the body processes sugar.

According to the National Sleep Foundation 65% of Americans experience sleep problems at leat a few times each week. Lack of enough sleep can have obvious negative health consequences, decreases attentiveness and information retention. A new study showed that participants that slept only 5.5 hours per night (as opposed to 8) experienced changes in response to sugar tests. These changes were similar to those seen in people at risk for developing diabetes. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism stated, “Our findings raise the possibility that when the unhealthy aspecs of the Westernized lifestyle our combined with reduced sleep duration, this might contribute to the increased risk of many overweight and sedentary individuals developing diabetes.”

Especially here in NYC, many people have difficulty finding time to get enough sleep, owing to busy schedules and external stressors and demands on our time and mental powers. Here are some helpful tips to a better night’s rest…

-Avoid consuming caffeinated beverages after 9am

-Remove the television from the bedroom. Your bedroom should be for sleep and rejuvenation only

-Get into and out of bed at the same time at least 6 days/week.

-Keep a journal by the bed to write down last-minute thoughts that come up before sleep. a “do not forget” list will help you let go of tasks that need to be completed the following day.

Replenishing, recovering, and rejuvenating are an important part to your fitness goals. Not only does a good night’s rest make you a happier person to be around, keeping the crankies at bay, but taking stock of our sleeping patterns will help you both mentally and physically.

Enjoy Your Exercise. Enjoy Your Day.