Catch Your Zzz's, Manage Your Weight

Wouldn't it be fabulous to wake up on your own, feeling refreshed every morning? I wish. Unfortunately the demands of work, children, or daily stress prevent many people from getting the required 7-8 hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleep disrupts your mood, lowers your immunity and is closely linked to obesity and other health problems.

Consistently sleeping less than 7 hours per night increases sympathetic activity and evening cortisol production. Individuals with higher levels of cortisol, otherwise known as the "stress" hormone, intake more food and accumulate more abdominal fat than individuals with healthy cortisol levels. In addition, sleep deprivation decreases leptin levels. Leptin is released from fat cells and sends messages to our brain that our energy levels are in balance. Therefore, decreases in leptin trigger us to eat more to replenish energy stores. Finally, sleep restriction increases ghrelin levels, the "hunger" hormone.

The rise in sympathetic activity and hormone imbalances that result from sleep deprivation ultimately interfere with glucose utilization. By lowering levels of insulin secretion and promoting the hunger response in the brain, weight gain is inevitable. In turn, increased waking time has been linked to damaging behaviors such as a sedentary lifestyle and constant snacking.

It is easy to see why chronic sleep restriction can lead to obesity but what can we do to ensure we get 7-8 hours of sleep every night? Here are recommendations from the experts:

- Go to sleep and wake up at the same time every day. Our bodies easily fall into a routine and by maintaining a consistent bed time, we will be more likely to fall asleep quickly.

- Avoid alcoholic drinks that interfere with REM sleep and cut back on caffeine, nicotine and chocolate after noon.

- Be sure your medications are not keeping you awake. Especially prescription asthma or blood pressure medications or herbal cold medicines.

- Get enough sunlight. Daylight plays a huge part in regulating our sleep cycle. Be sure you are getting at least 30 minutes/day.

- Establish a relaxing nighttime routine. Whether it be taking a hot bath before bed or reading yourself to sleep, a relaxing routine cues your body to sleep.

- If you can't sleep, tossing and turning won't help. If you lay awake for longer than 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing (not work) rather than lay awake, focusing on your insomnia.

We all know the demands of life can sometimes sap our needed sleep. A night or two of sleep restriction is nothing to worry about. However, if you have been consistently suffering from insomnia and nothing seems to help, it is time to see your doctor. Sleep tight!

This article was adapted from Chronic Sleep Restriction, IDEA Health and Fitness Journal; September 2010 and MedicineNet.com, Sleep.

Lifestyle Lessons We Can Learn From a Toddler

My triplet toddlers constantly remind me about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. One of them, Mia, happens to be a skinny little pipsqueak who can probably teach us a lot about weight-management. Here are a few lessons from my 2-year-old:

- There is no point in leisurely walking. Mia's motto is full-speed ahead. She often covers twice the distance of her brother and sister because of her constant back tracking as we all attempt to catch-up.

Take home message: Running burns approximately twice as many calories as walking. Not a runner, no problem. Alternating between 1-2 minute bursts of jogging and walking is a great way to challenge our cardiovascular systems and torch through calories.

- Variety is the spice of life. Mia eats a ton of different foods but always in moderation. Rather than demanding more and more mac and cheese, Mia is perfectly content eating her veggies or apples when her favorite food is gone.

Take home message: Rather than over-indulging in your main entree, be sure to eat your fruits and veggies first. Chances are, your overall caloric consumption will be lower if you have a soup/salad prior to dinner to help tame your hunger in a sensible way.

- There is no fun in sitting. Mia is constantly fidgeting. She rarely sits still, even while watching her favorite TV show.

Take home message: We already know that fidgeters burn more calories than non-fidgeters so why not make-up for eating that desert by "fidgeting" through prime-time tv. Pull out a jump rope, knock out some crunches and work on your flexibility (you know you need to).

- Sleep is crucial. Not enough sleep = intensified anger, inability to concentrate, low energy levels and a bad day for everyone in Mia's vicinity.

Take home message: Most "grown-ups" need 7-8 hours of sleep/day. We often suffer the same consequences from lack of sleep as our toddlers. Just think what a happier, calmer, and more productive place our world would be if we all prioritized sleep.

- Exercise is always better with friends! Mia turns every social interaction into an active game. Whether it be "ring around the rosy" or "hide-and-seek", spending time with her brother and sister is always more fun when an active game is involved.

Take home message: Exercise is more fun with friends! Making exercise a social experience can include playing a sport in a recreational league, battling through bootcamp relays, or chatting about the latest reality-tv show while struggling through resistance sets. Either way, having peers around often takes your mind off the fact your exercising.

- Breakfast is the best meal of the day. Mia is a terror until her belly is full. Eating breakfast first thing is a necessity in our house.

Take home message: NEVER SKIP BREAKFAST. By delaying or skipping breakfast, you are compromising your metabolism and increasing the likelihood of overeating. Think about the consequences of a toddler missing breakfast (bad temper tantrums, spacey and ravishingly hungry). We would never make our two-year-olds suffer these consequences so why would we?

There is a reason toddlers have so much energy. It has a lot to do with their eating patterns, activity levels and sleep. It is time we all take a good look at our lifestyles and maybe mimic some of our toddlers behaviors. Well, maybe minus the public temper tantrums.