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Do you get enough sleep every night? Some surveys are showing that people are sleeping less than ever, with some only getting five to six hours of sleep per night. "Powering through" on too little sleep is not a good idea for the long-term health of your body.  There are two major hormone "pathways" that take a big hit when you don't get enough sleep -- including hormones that handle things like your sex drive, stress, hunger, and blood sugar ... and (ironically enough) your ability to fall asleep. And...it only takes a night or two for them to get out of balance. One pathway is governed by your pituitary gland and the other is your autonomic nervous system. But they are intertwined, and they have a hand in virtually every function of your body. Keeping your hormones in balance is a huge part of feeling strong, focused, and vital. Three Ways Sleep Affects Your Hormones1. HungerWhen you don't get enough sleep, your body releases two important hormones that affect your appetite. Ghrelin is your hunger hormone, which tells you to eat. Leptin is your "I'm full" hormone, which signals you to stop eating. Having disrupted sleep can throw these out of whack, leading you to feel hungry -- and to stay hungry, even when you've eaten!  On top of that, when you eat, your blood sugar levels can spike, causing your body to release insulin (another hormone) to help offset it, followed by a rapid decrease in blood sugar that can make you feel hungry again. As you can imagine, this can cause round-robin effect, leading to weight gain and a long list of related health problems (i.e., leptin resistance, insulin resistance, metabolic disorders, etc.). 2. Stress Lack of sleep can cause stress -- and stress can cause lack of sleep! The two go hand-in-hand. When you're stressed, your "fight of flight" hormones like adrenaline and cortisol can rise and lower (also affecting your blood sugar, see above!), making it hard to sleep or wind down. Over time, your cortisol levels -- which normally rise in the morning to help you get going, and lower at night to help you sleep -- can get turned around, throwing your sleep cycle off. 3. Libido Being sleep deprived for one week can cut your testosterone levels by as much as 15% (even in women!). This can have a pretty big impact on your sex drive, making you feel less "in the mood," more often. All of that adds up to have a pretty big impact on your quality of life! It can be tempting to think of sleeping as wasted time, but it's actually the opposite. It's when your body recovers, restores, and recharges for the coming day, helping you to live your best life. Reference: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/502825 Do you notice any of these three when you don't get enough sleep? |
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AuthorHi, I’m Crystal! If you'd like to access my Farmer's Market Friday posts from 2018, click here!
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