Sleep ~ Restore Your Body Every Night

Dr. Kasia Kines, Nutritionist, CEO and founder of EBV Educational Institute
Virtual clinic serving the US and globally
[email protected]

Without a good night’s sleep, you cannot restore your hormones. This is absolutely crucial. If you claim to be a night person, let me put it in perspective: you either trained your body to be so, or your adrenals are already dysfunctional due to prolonged stress, in which case, it is very hard for you to get up in the morning (cortisol is too low) and you are wide awake late in the evening, when you catch the so-called second wind (cortisol spikes). You can be tucked in bed but cannot fall asleep because you are wired-tired…  based on my clinical work I came to believe that there are no night owls as much as people that have been conditioned by electric light and multitasking to stay up late. For many moms, late evening is the only quiet time they can claim their own. It is asking a lot to request going to sleep around 10pm in our over-committed lives.

Did you know that sleep deprivation is a form of torture and that it affects your immune system, HGH (human growth hormone), and your body’s ability to function?

What can you do to get a better night’s sleep?

• Remove all sources of light from your bedroom, such as glowing electronic alarm clocks
• Get thick drapes that allow NO light in
• Or get an eye mask
• Sun Exercise: Sit down in the sun midday with your eyes closed for 5-10 minutes – the sun will hit your closed eyes and the pineal gland will adjust to stimulate your cortisol, which in turn inhibits melatonin. Cortisol wakes you up (the sun is up- wake up!) while melatonin tells you to go to sleep (the sun is gone- go to sleep!). This simple exercise may help you reset cortisol and melatonin. You do not want extra melatonin during the day and drag your feet but then be wired tired at night.
• Remember that pineal gland will pick up light signal, so soft candle light in the evening is much better and less stimulating.
• If you have to work on your electronic device after sunset, buy inexpensive glasses that protect from blue light emitted by TVs, computers, phones etc. They typically look yellow. The blue light is very stimulating unfortunately. I actually have prescription glasses with that added!

Sleep in addition to diet and exercise is one of the most important factors in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Sleep not only rejuvenates the body and mind, it is important for cognitive function, consolidating memories and overall mental health. According to the National Sleep Foundation it is estimated that over 63 percent of Americans are sleep deprived. Many diseases and symptoms including weight gain, increased caffeine consumption, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression are associated with lack of sleep.

Dr. Kasia Kines, Nutritionist, CEO and founder of EBV Educational Institute
Virtual clinic serving the US and globally
[email protected]