Summary: <p>Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery: Sleep Effects</p> <p>Host, Counselor Toolbox and Happiness Isn't Brain Surgery with Doc Snipes<br> President, Recovery and Resilience International</p> <p>Counseling CEUs can be earned for this podcast at: <a href="https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/616/c/">https://www.allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/616/c/</a></p> <p>Objectives<br> ~ Learn about sleep<br> ~ The function of sleep<br> ~ Sleep cycles<br> ~ How much is enough<br> ~ How lack of sleep contributes to feelings of depression, anxiety and irritability<br> ~ Learn techniques for sleep hygiene</p> <p>What is the Function of Sleep<br> ~ Sleep is time to rest and restore<br> ~ Adequate sleep improves memory and learning, increases attention and creativity, and aids in concentration and decision making.<br> ~ Toxins that accumulate in the brain are thought to be cleared out during sleep<br> ~ Healing and repair of cells takes place during sleep<br> ~ Sleep helps to maintain the balance of hormones in the body:<br> ~ Ghrelin and leptin, which regulate feelings of hunger and fullness<br> ~ Insulin, which is responsible for the regulation of glucose in the blood</p> <p>Functions cont…<br> ~ Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher risk of<br> ~ Cardiovascular disease<br> ~ Stroke<br> ~ Diabetes<br> ~ Kidney disease<br> ~ Sleep deprivation is correlated to<br> ~ Difficulty concentrating<br> ~ Irritability<br> ~ Fatigue/Loss of energy</p> <p>Understanding Sleep Cycles<br> ~ Stage 1 NREM sleep is when you drift in and out of light sleep and can easily be awakened.<br> ~ Stage 2 NREM brainwaves slow with intermittent bursts of rapid brain waves, the eyes stop moving, the body temperature drops and the heart rate begins to slow down.<br> ~ This stage usually lasts for approximately 20 minutes<br> ~ Stage 3 NREM sleep, also known as deep sleep or delta sleep, is marked by very slow delta brainwaves. There is no voluntary movement. You are very difficult to wake.<br> ~ This stage usually lasts for approximately 30 minutes<br> ~ The largest percentage of Deep Sleep comes in the early part of the total night's sleep pattern<br> Understanding Sleep Cycles<br> ~ REM Sleep (Rapid Eye Movement) is characterized by temporary paralysis of the voluntary muscles and fast, irregular breathing, inability to regulate body temperature, faster brain waves resembling the activity of a person that is awake.<br> ~ Most dreams occur during REM sleep</p> <p>How Much is Enough?<br> Sleep and Hormones<br> ~ Estrogen usually improves the quality of sleep, reduces time to fall asleep, and increases the amount of REM sleep<br> ~ Too little or too much testosterone may affect overall sleep quality<br> ~ Cortisol is your stress hormone and prevents restful sleep<br> ~ Thyroid hormones which are too high can cause insomnia and too low can cause fatigue and lethargy</p> <p>Nutrition and Sleep<br> ~ Tryptophan is used to make serotonin<br> ~ Serotonin is used to make melatonin<br> ~ Melatonin functions to help you feel sleepy<br> ~ Caffeine is a stimulant with a 6-hour half life<br> ~ Nicotine is a stimulant with a 2-hour half life<br> ~ Decongestants are stimulants with a 2 hour half life<br> ~ Antihistamines make you drowsy but contribute to poor quality sleep<br> ~ Alcohol blocks REM sleep and can cause sleep apnea<br> Nutrition cont…<br> ~ Eat a high protein dinner to ensure you have enough tryptophan in the body<br> ~ Make sure you are getting enough<br> ~ Selenium<br> ~ Vitamin D<br> ~ Calcium<br> ~ Vitamin A<br> ~ Magnesium<br> ~ Zinc</p> <p>Sleep Hygiene<br> ~ Create a wind-down ritual<br> ~ Reduce or eliminate exposure to blue-light 1 hour before bed (TV, Computer, Phone, some</p>
