I'm going to let you into my personal world a little bit and discuss my wonderful husband, James. I love him with all of my being. He has been there for me for 20 years. We built a house together at 10 years into our relationship and then got married 5 years later. I would do anything for him but he snores. Not so loud that it is cause for a visit to the sleep clinic but enough that if I get awakened at night, I can't get back to sleep and have to retreat to the spare room next door. It's a combination of the dryness of the air, the season, how he sleeps (on his back) and that honestly he just loves sleep.
Our bed is super comfortable, he loves pillows - he uses 3 of varying "softness" - and so when he sleeps, he sleeps deep. It's honestly a combination of a snore and a deep humming. I repeat, I love him I swear but when I get interupted sleep it effects my morning and ultimately my afternoon and evening workouts. We have a fan going for circulation, the door open and a diffuser/humidifier to help with the environment but he still "hums" ... like a vehicle ... I mentioned that I love this man, right?
The fact of the matter is this is not a new thing in the majority of households. Short sleep duration and poor sleep quality are prevalent among Canadian adults. About one-third sleep fewer hours per night than recommended for optimal physical and mental health. This group also experiences poor sleep quality more frequently than do those who sleep the recommended number of hours.
Why is sleep important?
To understand why sleep is important, think of your body like a factory that performs a number of vital functions. As you drift off to sleep, your body begins its night-shift work:
· Healing damaged cells
· Boosting your immune system
· Recovering from the day’s activities
· Recharging your heart and cardiovascular system for the next day
We all know the value of sleeping well, and we’ve all experienced the feeling of being refreshed after a good night’s sleep – and the feeling of fatigue after a poor night’s sleep. But even though we know this, in our busy society, many of us are not getting the quality sleep needed to truly receive the health benefits of sleep.
Understanding the sleep cycle
Understanding what happens during sleep also means understanding the sleep cycle, which consists of two recurring phases: REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-REM or non-rapid eye movement). Both phases are important for different functions in our bodies.
NREM sleep typically occupies 75–80% of total sleep each night. Many of the health benefits of sleep take place during NREM sleep – tissue growth and repair occurs, energy is restored and hormones that are essential for growth and development are released.
REM sleep typically occupies 20–25% of total sleep each night. REM sleep, when dreaming occurs, is essential to our minds for processing and consolidating emotions, memories and stress. It is also thought to be vital for learning, stimulating the brain regions used in learning and developing new skills.
If the REM and NREM cycles are interrupted multiple times throughout the night — either due to snoring, difficulties breathing or waking up frequently throughout the night — then we miss out on vital body processes, which can affect our health and well-being the next day and long term.
What happens if you don’t get enough sleep?
If your body doesn’t get a chance to properly recharge – by cycling through REM and NREM – you’re already starting the next day at a disadvantage. You might find yourself:
· Feeling drowsy, irritable or sometimes depressed
· Struggling to take in new information at work, remembering things or making decisions
· Craving more unhealthy foods, which could cause weight gain
If this happens night after night, it places a tremendous strain on your nervous system, body and overall health. So if you’re not sleeping well or aren’t feeling rested when you wake up in the morning, it’s important to talk to your doctor and ask if a sleep study is right for you.
Want to be connected with resources specific to you? Feel free to contact me and I can research community programs and organizations that can help you:).
Interested in a fitness/wellness consultation or have some questions about nutrition and your current fitness program? Join any of my groups online (Facebook) and/or pick up my book, How to be Fit for Life - Eight Proven Steps to Reaching Your Fitness Goals, Getting Results, and Living the Fitness Life for more help with your fitness journey. And please feel free to contact me and I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have:).
References
01 Morselli L et al. Role of sleep duration in the regulation of glucose metabolism and appetite. Best Pract Res Clin Endocrinol Metab 2010;24(5):687–702.
02 Chaput J et al. Duration and quality of sleep among Canadians aged 18 to 79. Release date: September 20, 2017.
03 Canadian Sleep Society. Healthy sleep for healthy Canadians - Annual Report 2017.
