Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Last year, doctors Michael Breus, Ph.D., and Steven Lamm, M.D., challenged Glamour magazine by saying they could take some of their readers and help them lose weight without making significant changes to their normal diets and exercise routines. The doctors believed that by simply making sure that each of the women slept at least seven and a half hours a night and by altering a few of their sleeping routines, the woman would lose weight. Always up for the challenge, the folks at Glamour took the doctors up on their idea and asked six of their female readers, all of different shapes and sizes, to go on what the doctors call The Sleep Diet.
Before we tell you what happened to the women who went on the controversial diet, here’s the scientific rationale for why the doctors believed it would work:
The Science:
First of all, when your body reaches the deeper levels of sleep, it releases a growth hormone which tells your body how to break down fat for fuel. When you deprive your body of deep sleep, extra calories get stored as fat because there isn’t enough growth hormone to break it down. So, when you deprive your body of sleep it takes a shortcut and packs the fat away in your butt, thighs, belly, wherever you tend to put on weight. If you are only sleeping six hours a night, you are missing a few very important REM sleep cycles in which these hormones are released. REM cycles occur more often during the final hours of your sleep so by not getting a full seven and a half hours, you are missing out on the best part of the night! Also, when you deprive your body of sleep, your body releases more ghrelin, the hormone that tells you you’re hungry and less leptin, the hormone that tells you you’re full. This can lead to craving more fatty and sugary snacks throughout the next day.
The Sleep Diet:
Here’s the ten-week Sleep Diet that Michael Breus, Ph.D., and Steven Lamm, M.D., prescribed for the six brave Glamour readers:
- Get Plenty of Sleep
Sounds easy, right? The doctors only mandated that the women in the challenge get seven and a half hours of sleep every night. But, this number isn’t the ideal amount of sleep for every person. You should get at least seven and half to lose weight and, for optimal results, some people should get up to nine. Start off at seven and a half and work your way up ‘til you feel the most rested.
- Go to Sleep at the Same Time Each Night
Are you used to going to bed when you’re done watching David Letterman? Or, do you go to bed at a different time every night and always wake up at 7:30 am? Consistency is the key here. It may be difficult for people who work different shifts at work, but once you get into a consistent sleep/wake schedule your body will get into the routine as well.
- Watch What You Drink
No coffee after 2:30 pm, period. Caffeine can stay in your system for a long time and, at night, make it more difficult for you to achieve the deep, restful sleep that will help you lose weight. The same goes for sodas and tea. Also, no alcohol for up to three hours before bedtime. Alcohol may make it easier for you to get to sleep, but it can prevent you from reaching the deeper, restorative sleep cycles.
The Results:
In the Glamour Sleep Diet challenge, six women ranging in age from 25 to 35 all went on the diet for ten weeks and their results were just as the doctors predicted. Between the six women, all lost weight and the average weight loss was over nine pounds, with one woman losing 15! Ready to lose weight? Try The Sleep Diet and if you’re like these six women, you’ll lose a few pounds and you’ll enjoy your waking hours much more!
Source: Glamour Magazine
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Ever wake up after having a bizarre and vivid dream that felt oh-so real you had to convince yourself that it didn’t actually happen? Dreams can unfold just like they’re happening in real life. They can conjure up intense emotions like fear, joy, love and ecstasy. But why do we dream? A common view amongst psychologists is that dreams are our mind’s way of sorting all of the information that accumulates in our head on a daily basis. Your dreams are the expression of your mind sorting, filing and wondering what to do with all of the various thoughts and feelings it accumulated during the day.
Your emotions work as the Steven Spielberg, or the director, of your dreams. Psychologists believe that the emotional tone of your dream is dictated by the emotion that your mind is processing or working through. If your mind is dealing with a happy emotion, then your dream will mirror the blissful state of the feeling. Many times your mind will be processing multiple emotions while you sleep. When this happens, your dreams tend to be more bizarre and less clear or focused. You may at one minute be rolling in a blissful patch of grass with the person you love and the next minute in a dark alleyway hiding from a mysterious stranger.
Many a psychic, quack psychologist or person with a book to sell has tried to interpret people’s dreams to reveal their true inner meanings. They believe that our dreams are a puzzle that, once put together, will reveal secrets or hidden motivations. This may sound fun, but for the most part the scientific community believes your dreams to be a pretty lousy predictor of your internal psychology. The best that dreams can do is to create an inner window into the emotional state of the dreamer. If you constantly have dreams that are rife with anxiety or if you have reoccurring nightmares, this could be the result of some anxiety problems that are being experienced during your waking hours.
The reason people dream during their sleep is not to reveal things during the middle of the night or express deeper thoughts and feelings that would be untoward during the daylight. We dream for a very simple reason, to get our minds ready for another day and to resolve the multitude of things we’ve seen, felt, heard, touched and tasted during the day. It’s hard enough to sort out what’s happening in our daily lives, so it’s wonderful we have such magnificent minds that can sort it all out during the easiest part of the day, when we sleep.
The well-rested folks over here at SleepBook wish you a happy and healthy new year! To ensure that your 2010 will be even better than last year, we’ve put together a list of ten easy things you can do to help you get a good night’s rest throughout the year. As we’re sure you know the quality and quantity of sleep you get each night can have a huge effect on your overall wellbeing. Your health, energy levels, brain function, creativity and even your weight are all affected by the quality of sleep you get each night.
So, here are ten ways in which you can improve your sleep in 2010!
- Turn off the TV – The sound of a TV can affect your quality of sleep by keeping you from reaching the deeper levels of your sleep cycle. Try and keep the TV off for at least 30 minutes before you go to bed because the anxiety that comes with watching something suspenseful or “can’t miss” will make it more difficult for you to fall asleep when your head hits the pillow.
- You snooze, you lose – The deepest and most restorative levels of sleep tend to happen more often in the morning hours. By only snoozing for 15-30 minutes each morning, instead of an hour and a half, you’ll enjoy a deeper, restorative sleep because you won’t constantly be woken up while enjoying the most beneficial part of your sleep cycle.
- Drink less caffeine – If you’re used to drinking soda or any other caffeinated beverages at dinner, this is definitely affecting your ability to fall asleep. The best thing to do is to refrain from caffeine after 3:00 pm.
- Take your shower earlier – Contrary to popular belief, a relaxing bath or shower do not help you fall asleep. Taking a hot shower or bath raises your body temperature while your body is actually trying to cool down to fall asleep.
- Buy a new mattress – If your mattress is eight years old or older, chances are it has lost its shape and is no longer giving you the proper support that your body craves. If you’re looking for the latest advancements in sleep systems, try the Stearns and Foster Garden Grove Plush. It is a natural latex mattress that gives you the same quality support that a traditional mattress delivers plus there is less motion transfer between sleep partners and it’s great for people with allergies.
- Quit smoking – Nicotine, the active ingredient in tobacco, acts as a central nervous system stimulant which can impede your ability to fall asleep. Also, when nicotine withdrawal occurs during sleep, the body begins to go into an alert and aroused stage, which can cause major sleep disturbance.
- Get on a schedule – Your body loves to have consistent sleep and wake patterns. By going to bed and waking at roughly the same time every day, your body will release sleep hormones at the right time and wind down a lot easier.
- Keep your room dark – Sounds simple, right? Your body uses light and dark as a sensor to manage your sleep/wake cycles. When it is completely dark, your body will shut down for a great night’s sleep much easier.
- Grab a pad and a pen – Ever have a night where you just can’t stop the thoughts from racing through your head? Counting money in your sleep instead of sheep? By writing down your thoughts on a piece of paper and promising yourself that you’ll address them the next day, you can help put an end to restless nights.
- Try to avoid drinking alcohol – Many people enjoy having a “night cap” before hitting the pillow, but it can have serious affects on your ability to achieve a restful sleep. The pleasant, drowsy sensation that you get after drinking alcohol is conducive to falling asleep. However, what most people do not know is that it will later affect your ability to achieve the quality sleep that occurs during your deepest sleep cycles.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Anything that helps your friends, family members or coworkers get a great night’s sleep is a great gift to give during the holidays! Because everyone on your gift list has one thing in common - they sleep! The team at SleepBook has put together a list that will help you find great gifts for the person who has everything.
Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy Sweet Slumber Sleep - Lavender Vanilla
Gift baskets are great, but one that helps you sleep is even better, especially during this hectic time of year. Vanilla essence helps calm feelings of stress, while lavender essential oils soothes and calms. Also included is a luxuriously soft Lambie Sleep Mask that your loved one can plop on to shut out the day and get a good night’s rest.
Where can I get it? At your local Bath & Body Works or at Bathandbodyworks.com
Cost: $30
n•a•p Luxe Blanket
Nothing beats a luxuriously comfortable blanket, especially in the chilly winter months. This blanket is an instant escape that your friend, family member or coworker can enjoy at any moment. It’s made from n•a•p’s ultra-rich, double-thick NapSoft Luxe material, surrounding your favorite sleeper in irresistibly plush comfort. The Luxe Blanket is machine-washable and measures a generous 40” x 60”.
Where can I get it? At your local Bookstone location or at Brookstone.com
Cost: $49.95
Latex Bliss Pillow
This low-profile design provides your loved one with ample neck and head support. Its unique Talalay latex comfort core creates a plush feel and it’s silky smooth sateen-striped cotton cover boasts a 260 thread count. Ideal for stomach and back sleepers, as well as pillow “scrunchers.” Your loved one will toss and turn less and wake up refreshed and energized going into the new year.
Where can I get it? At your local Sit ‘n Sleep superstore or at Sitnsleep.com
Cost: $89.99
The holidays are right around the corner and many of you have already booked your tickets to fly to distant lands to visit relatives or friends this holiday season. These days, airlines have really cut back on the services they offer and lots of their in-flight comforts have gone the way of Pan Am. Remember the complimentary blanket and pillow? You’re lucky if they‘re not charging you for it along with your luggage and the fiesta mix (we miss the honey roasted peanuts). But through all of the stress and lack of leg room, there is one thing you can do on a plane to get through it – SLEEP!
Here are some tips to getting a great night’s (or day’s) sleep on a plane!
Get the Best Seat in the House
If you plan on getting some sleep, snag a window seat. You’ll be able to lean comfortably on one side without worrying about waking up embarrassed, head on your neighbor’s shoulder, a pool of drool slowly gathering. If avoiding shame and embarrassment aren’t incentive enough, you’ll also avoid seat mates scrambling over you on their way to the restroom for the third time. Of course, the best way to avoid all these scenarios would be to make it a practice to scan the plane for no-shows and try to score a row all to yourself.
To Drink or Not to Drink?
That is the question. There is a long-standing tradition for many of having a couple pops before getting on the plane or enjoying a Bloody Mary at 35,000 feet to take the edge off. Although this will help many of you fall asleep, your actual sleep will be less restful. Alcohol inhibits the body from reaching the deeper and more restorative levels of sleep your body craves. Alcohol-induced sleep is like a candy bar - it seems filling, but it’s all empty calories. Now when it comes to caffeine, avoid it at all costs. During the holidays, your busy schedule may mean having to catch a an early morning flight, so you grab a cup of Joe (or two) during you’re a.m.-airport rush. But, the best thing to do is to try and make it to the plane caffeine free; this’ll make it a lot easier for you to sleep on the plane.
Publicly Announce Your Intent to Sleep
No large proclamation need be made, just a casual “Boy, am I tired – sure can’t wait to get some sleep on this flight” will do (a long, drawn out yawn can’t hurt either).
A word to your flight attendant will also keep you from being disturbed – just remember to keep your fastened seatbelt visible during your slumber. Safety first!
Sleep Medications
Be careful about sleep medications. Many times you’ll only want to doze off for an hour or two on a plane, but an over-the-counter sleep aid may be locked and loaded to put you in dreamland for up to eight hours. Plus, it’s always best to avoid sleep aids unless they’re prescribed by a doctor.
Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to reach your destination bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Happy travels!
