We write about a lot of different topics on this blog. Topics that you might not expect from a physical therapy practice. Thats because having a healthy body is more than just exercise. Having a healthy body is a lifestyle choice. The intention of this blog isn’t to start a lifestyle revolution (although I could definitely get into that), it’s to give you every advantage to living your best life.
Which brings us to the topic of sleep.
Sleep is important in regulating almost every system in the body.
From the cardiovascular system, to the endocrine system, the nervous system, and of course the musculoskeletal system, sleep could be considered the great regulator.
Getting good sleep does more than just make you feel awake and refreshed. Trust us, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.
In a previous blog post we talked briefly about the benefits of a good night’s rest. In this blog post we are going to dive a little deeper.
Why You Should Take Sleep Seriously
Chronic sleep deprivation is listed by the World Health Organization as a carcinogen. Re-read that last sentence and think about that for a second, chronic sleep deprivation is in the same category as smoking. Smoking! And I’ll be willing to bet that sleep is the first thing to get sacrificed when your schedule gets busy.
I know what your thinking: ‘Oh chronic sleep deprivation must mean only getting a couple hours a night.’ Not true, chronic sleep deprivation is defined as getting less sleep than the recommended 7 to 9 hours a night. Constantly cutting your night short by a half hour could have profound effects on your health over your lifetime.
We are not just talking about insomnia here. People with insomnia have trouble sleeping and thus don’t get a lot of sleep. We are talking about people who have no problem sleeping but because of behaviors, lifestyle, or obligations are choosing to get less sleep.
I know what else your thinking: ‘Oh I’m one of those people who only needs 6 hours of sleep.’ Sure, those people do exist but it’s really rare, like winning the lottery rare or getting struck by lightening rare. Odds are you’re not one of those people and your morning coffee shouldn’t convince you otherwise.
What Are The Consequences Of Bad Sleep
Aside from the obvious symptoms like poor energy, inability to concentrate, slowed thinking, poor memory, stress, anxiety, and irritability, there are other less obvious consequences to chronic sleep deprivation.
Chronic sleep deprivation makes it difficulty to regulate the cardiovascular and endocrine system resulting in an increased risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes.
People who get less sleep have greater difficulty maintaining a healthy weight and maintaining normal hormonal levels.
People who get less sleep have weakened immune systems and are much more likely to experience mental health conditions like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
People who sleep less are at much higher risk of developing pain and having their pain worsen.
How Can Sleep Affect Pain?
There are really two parts to this answer. First, as we discussed in another blog post, pain is triggered by your brain’s perception of threat to the body. From what you read above, it should be pretty clear now that lack of sleep is a threat to your body. It threatens your mind and your body. If you are putting your body under constant threat from lack of sleep you will be more likely to experience pain. In an under slept state your body’s alarm is primed to go off.
Sleep is the time when our muscles, ligaments, bones, and articular cartilage recover and repair from the day. This brings us to the second part of the answer. If you are not allowing your body the time it needs to recover from the day’s activity then you will begin operating at a deficit, where you’re breaking down at a faster rate than you are repairing. Operating at a deficit like this could put you at higher risk for injury.
We are not saying that sleep is the cure to all pain and maladies. There are people who get great sleep and will still experience problems at times. But you really want to give yourself the best opportunity to live the healthiest life possible to perform, and recover at your greatest ability. With all other factors being equal you are not only going to recover better and faster from an injury or illness, you will be better at preventing injury or illness just by giving yourself the gift of better and longer sleep.
Tips For Getting Better Sleep
Routine: Establish a consistent bed time and try as hard as possible not to stray from it. Your body thrives on routine and if you can build a routine that matches your circadian rhythms you will see your sleep quality skyrocket.
Sleep hygiene: Turn off your TV, your devices, and anything that emits blue light at least an hour before bed. Put the house lights down low and start to unwind.
Stretch before bed: Gentle stretching before bed can be a great way to start to peel the tension off your body from that busy day and get into a relaxed mood.
Meditate: Practice 10 minutes of mindfulness meditation by just focusing on the slow flow of your breath. If you’re strapped for time, try to combine your stretching and mindfulness practice by focusing on your breath as you relax into different stretches.
Morning sunshine: Get direct sun exposure when you first wake up. Getting 10-20 minutes of direct sun exposure in the morning is a great reset to your circadian rhythms.
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