Published On:Tuesday, July 06, 2010

By Kenya Mortimer-McKenzie

ARE you getting sufficient sleep? Most of us are suffering from sleep deprivation; in many instances we don't make it a priority in our lives. The world we live in is designed to keep us up at all times, absorbing all of our valuable time by the countless distractions it offers and the numerous demands it puts upon us. With all of the excitement, places to go, things to do and people to see, when do we find time to sleep?

Sleep is generally placed on the back burner, with us not realising the harmful effects the lack of plentiful sleep can have, not just on our general health, but also our skin. Many individuals feel that they will get all the sleep they need when they are dead. However, studies have proven that those same people who never welcome sleep as a priority will age a lot faster than someone who does.

How can a lack of sleep affect your overall health?

A study done at the Harvard University over a ten year period on 70,000 women concluded that sleeping six hours a night was associated with a 18 per cent greater risk of heart attack, and sleeping five hours a night was associated with a risk of almost 40 per cent. Women who slept eight hours per night had the lowest risk of heart attack. Individuals at Stanford University noted that sleep is the most important predictor of how long you will live, perhaps even more important than whether you smoke, exercise or have high blood pressure.

What facts have scientists proven on sleep deprivation?

Studies have proven how sleep disorders can lead to serious health problems, and that difficulty sleeping may be a red flag for a serious illness. Notice some of the dangers that have been concluded from sleep studies:

* Increased Risk of Death

Healthy people who do not get enough sleep or who shift their sleep schedules because of work, family or lifestyle may be endangering their health and people who slept the least appeared to be significantly more likely to die. Sanjay R Patel of Harvard Medical School, who led one of the studies, involving more than 82,000 nurses, found an increased risk of death among those who slept less than six hours a night.

* Heart Attack and Stroke

Sleep is important for helping our body to function properly. Some researchers believe our body uses sleep for self-repair. Certain physiologic changes take place during sleep that determines how well we fight disease or recover from illness. Insufficient sleep may increase the production of stress hormones and drive up high blood pressure and increase the risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. Other studies have found that sleep influences the functioning of the lining inside blood vessels, which could explain why people are most prone to heart attacks and strokes during early morning hours.

* Increased Cancer Risk

Bright light at night is linked to increased cancer risk. Research has proven that exposure to light at night reduces levels of the hormone melatonin. Therefore, people who work at night, along with people with disrupted sleep, or who get up frequently in the night appear to be more prone to breast and colon cancer.

The nighttime hormone melatonin is believed to protect against cancer by putting breast cancer cells to sleep and affecting levels of other hormones such as estrogen. "Melatonin can prevent tumor cells from growing ... it's cancer-protective," said Eva S Schernhammer of Harvard Medical School, who has conducted a series of studies on volunteers in sleep laboratories. "The theory is, if you are exposed to light at night, on average you will produce less melatonin, increasing your cancer risk." This research has lead to exploring the possible link to other forms of cancer, such as prostate cancer.

* Obesity

A study conducted by Columbus University found that adults who sleep the least are more prone to weight gain and obesity. A mild sleep deprivation can also affect hormones such as ghrelin and leptin, responsible for regulating appetite.

* Diabetes

In addition, studies show sleep-deprived people tend to develop problems regulating their blood sugar, which may put them at increased risk for diabetes.

What Are the Affects of Sleep Deficit on the Skin?

Sleep gives the body an opportunity to rest, rejuvenate, replenish, and regenerate itself. Any damage that is done that could possibly contribute to premature aging is repaired during sleep. During sleep free radicals are dissolved, which are known for causing premature aging.

On the other hand, a lack of sleep would age the skin more rapidly. A chronic or prolonged lack of sleep, results in our developing higher stress hormone levels like cortisol that causes premature aging and make us more susceptible to diseases like hypertension. Experts suggest eight hours of restorative sleep a night, with young children needing more sleep. As we age it becomes increasingly difficult to get a good night sleep, but all adults still need the recommended eight hours of sleep each night. But just how is it possible, well continue reading on.

Ways to get a Good Night's Sleep!

- Avoid napping throughout the day, if you have problems sleeping at night, this can interfere with sleeping at night. If you feel extremely tired, try taking less than a thirty minute nap early in the day.

- Regular exercise at day, no physical exertion three hours before going to bed.

- Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime.

- Avoid smoking. Nicotine is a stimulant and can disrupt sleep.

- Avoid eating a large heavy meal before going to bed.

- Take a warm bath.

- Drink warm milk or herbal tea.

- Bedtime snacks can help. Tryptophan, an amino acid found in milk, turkey, and peanuts, helps the brain produce a chemical call serotonin, which helps you relax. Along with warm milk, try eating a slice of toast with peanut butter or a bowl of cereal before bedtime.

- Listen to relaxing music.

- Before going to bed create a to-do list for the next day, this will allow you to relax, knowing you have a plan for the next day

- Ensure your room is dark and cool enough to help you relax, but soon after awakening expose yourself to sunlight/bright light to regulate your body's natural biological clock.

- Set a routine time to go to bed and to rise, even on weekends. Changing your routine to make up for lost sleep, for several days, can alter your body clock.

- Avoid setting an alarm to wake- up, or hide your alarm, this interrupts with your body's natural cycle of sleep. Instead, it is suggesting that if you go to bed early enough you will automatically wake-up at your desired time.

- Check your iron level, most women who are deficient in iron tend to have more problems sleeping and may need to take a supplement.

- Go to sleep when you're sleepy.

- Avoid "over-the-counter" sleep aids and ensure that any prescribed medication you're taking doesn't promote insomnia.

- To help your brain to shut down, try thinking about something repetitive like steering at your toes or visualise walking down an endless stairwell.

- Avoid doing anything stimulating if can't sleep, such as work related information or a stimulating TV program. Exposing yourself to light can give your brain a signal to wake up.

I hope this article encouraged you to be more attentive to your sleeping habits, because sleeping can mean your life!

* Kenya Mortimer-McKenzie is an Esthetician/Anti-Aging Skin Care Specialist. Baha-Retreat Anti-Aging Spa East Bay Street www.baharetreat.com Contact: 323-6711or email at info@baharetreat.com