Today we’re going to go over some simple and unconventional ways to improve your sleep.

The average person in the US gets approximately 6.9 hours of sleep each night. This is important because sleeping at least seven hours per night may decrease the risk of developing insulin resistance, diabetes, obesity, and even certain types of cancers. 

In many instances, people may not even realize that inadequate sleep might be their primary obstacle with weight loss.

Optimal Sleep is Critical for Fat Loss. If You Aren’t Sleeping More Than Seven Hours Each Night, Good Luck.

 Today you’re going to learn:

• The Importance of Sleep and Weight Gain
• Interesting Sleep Stats
• 5 “Unconventional” Tips to Improve Your Sleep

The Importance of Sleep and Weight Gain

Sleep is arguably the most underrated component of fat loss.

One study found that people who slept less than 5 hours a night weighed 5.4 more pounds than those who slept 7 or more hours per night. At the end of the 10 year study, the people who slept less than 5 hours weighed 7 more pounds than those who slept 7 or more hours.

Another study found that people who gained weight over a 6-year period slept for an average of 17 minutes less per night than people who maintained their weight.

Let’s look at how poor sleep/not enough sleep (PS/NES) can impact our hormones:

• Cortisol: PS/NES can lead to elevated cortisol levels (stress hormone) throughout the day. This is because the body releases cortisol in response to stress, and PS/NES is a form of stress. Chronically elevated levels of cortisol are linked to fat accumulation.
• Insulin: PS/NES can also lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with fat accumulation.
• Testosterone: PS/NES can lead to decreased testosterone levels. This is because testosterone production is partially regulated by the circadian rhythm, which is disrupted by PS/NES. Low testosterone is a contributor to fat accumulation
• Thyroid: There is a connection between PS/NES (less than 7 hours) and subclinical hypothyroidism. This can slow your metabolic rate.
• Progesterone: PS/NES can increase cortisol (above). Increased cortisol production can inhibit progesterone production. Progesterone can also act as an estrogen antagonist (inhibitor). Interesting.
• Leptin/Ghrelin: PS/NES can lead to elevated ghrelin levels and decreased leptin levels. Ghrelin is a hunger hormone that stimulates appetite. Leptin is a satiety hormone that suppresses appetite. These hormonal changes can lead to increased hunger and appetite, which can contribute to weight gain.

Interesting Sleep Facts (Just for Fun)

Some of these are just kind of fun, but also not fun in a way, so I thought I'd share:

• There’s a disease called fatal familial insomnia. It's a progressive, inherited condition, characterized by eventual total insomnia which leads to death within about nine months. Most people reach adulthood before symptoms emerge.
• Prior to the industrial revolution, many people slept biphasically - they would sleep for a few hours after sunset, wake up for a few hours in the middle of the night, and then sleep again for a few more hours before sunrise. It's estimated that during this time, people slept about 9-12 hours each night.
• Dreaming is a recent phenomenon. Before color television was invented in the 1960s, only 15% of people reported dreaming in color. Today, that number is 75%. As a side note - this makes me wonder if dreaming is unhealthy.
• For the animal lovers - Dolphins and whales literally fall half asleep. Each side of their brain takes turns sleeping so they can come up for air.

5 “Unconventional” Tips to Improve Your Sleep

Use Blue Blocking Technology

Blue light disrupts circadian rhythm by impairing the production of melatonin and while increasing cortisol. Both hormones are critical in the sleep/wake cycle. Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in the brain, and its levels rise in the evening and fall in the morning. Cortisol does the opposite - it rises in the morning and is lowered in the evening.

Blue blocking tech (glasses, software for computers, phones and TV’s) can help combat this.

• I personally use these glasses every day - https://amzn.to/3Ssadam (Affiliate link)
• And I turn on “night shift” on my computer from noon until 6am
• I also turn on the eye comfort shield on my smart TV and on my dumb TV, I customize the setting to make it very warm and dim.

Use a Grounding Mat to Sleep

Grounding appears to improve sleep, normalize the day/night cortisol rhythm, reduce pain, and reduce stress - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4378297/

I’ve been using grounding mats since 2014. They work on bare skin, while wearing cotton socks, and if you place them under cotton or linen sheets (I haven’t personally tested anything else)

Here's a grounding mat that works (I've used a continuity tester on this) - https://amzn.to/3SmlfOo (Affiliate link)

Try Baking Soda Before Bed

Lactic acid is often associated with poor sleep and baking soda is known to reduce lactic acid levels. 1/8 to 1/2 a teaspoon of baking soda with no more than a couple ounces of water before bed may help.

It can also help with reducing cortisol levels, which can be elevated at night in people who frequently wake up and can’t fall back to sleep.

Increase Consumption of the Amino Acid Glycine

Glycine can do a number of things to promote better sleep. It can:

• Promote the production of melatonin
• Having a calming effect on the brain
• Help lower cortisol and inflammation

Increasing glycine containing foods (bone broth and beef gelatin) throughout the day can be helpful. Using a glycine powder at night is worth a try too - https://amzn.to/46Y1GQW (Affiliate link)

Increase GABA with Chamomile Tea and Honey

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Increasing GABA can promote a more relaxed state and help with falling asleep. Chamomile tea with raw organic honey are great promoters of GABA.

This is something that I regularly drink after dinner.

Actionable Tip for the Week:

⭐️ Try to get as much sleep as you can - Seven hours of sleep at a minimum, but eight to nine hours is preferred⭐️

 ⭐️ Use the above tips if you have been struggling to sleep ⭐️

Cheers,

Tim

PS: I take requests and suggestions. Let me know if there's anything you want me to write about or make a video about. Would love to hear from you!