Which Is More Important: Sleep or Exercise?

It's the ultimate chicken-and-egg conundrum: Sleep can give you energy, repair your muscles, balance your hormones, fuel your workout, and get you through the day while working out can help improve your sleep, boost your energy, enhance your mood, and bolster your metabolism. So if you only have 30 extra minutes to dedicate to sleep or exercise, which should you choose?

First, it's important to point out that this "only choose one" scenario is probably not a real issue, at least for most people on most days. The reality is, most people do, in fact, have time for the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep every night plus enough time for a 30 to a 60-minute workout on most days. If you don't, it might be time to brush up on your health-related goal-setting skills. But for argument's sake, I posed the question to Dr. Robert S. Rosenberg, Board Certified Sleep Medicine Specialist and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantastic Every Day.

Can you guess his response?

While it might come as a surprise, the sleep doctor recommends prioritizing... sleep. And his assessment is a sound one. "Lack of exercise can certainly result in obesity and cardiovascular disease; however, chronic sleep deprivation can lead to problems such as heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, obesity and diabetes," Rosenberg says. "When we get insufficient sleep, our body releases inflammatory mediators such as c-reactive protein, as well as excessive cortisol and adrenaline. We need sleep to clean out the toxins that build up in our brains during the day, such as beta-amyloid and TAU protein, the building blocks of Alzheimer's disease."

Of course, it's important to exercise regularly to live a long and healthy life, but on those days you can barely hold your eyes open, you shouldn't feel guilty about skipping the gym and hitting the hay. Sleep can, in fact, be one of the best workouts you give your body, enabling it to rest and recover enough to hit the gym with more vigor the next day.

If you want to make your sleep routine even stronger, follow these suggestions from Dr. Rosenberg.

1. Avoid Electronics Before Bed

"Computers, cell phones, iPads, and televisions are major problems," Rosenberg says. "People don't realize that the blue light emitted from these devices shuts down the production of the hormone melatonin." Melatonin is a hormone naturally produced by the body that typically begins to rise in mid-to late-afternoon to help encourage sleep. Blue light-emitting electronics that shut down the production of melatonin basically shut down this natural sleep aid. Try putting away the gadgets and picking up a book a couple of hours before bed to naturally increase your body's ability to sleep soundly.

2. Eat Healthfully, Especially Before Bed

Eating a package of cookies before bed isn't just bad for your waistline, it can wreak havoc on your sleep. Every time you eat, your body responds by producing hormones that initiate the chemical reactions necessary to break down, digest, and assimilate those foods into products your body uses. "People need to realize that eating foods with a high glycemic index sets off a roller coaster reaction of excessive insulin production followed by cortisol and adrenaline to counteract the high, then low blood sugar. When your stress system is activated at night, it makes it almost impossible to fall or stay asleep," Rosenberg says.

In other words, avoid caffeine, alcohol, and high-sugar, high-carbohydrate foods in the hours before bed. While alcohol and comfort foods may help induce sleep, metabolizing these nutrients initiates your stress response which could make you wake up—and remain awake—during the wee hours of the night.

3. Consider a High-Quality Mattress

Good beds are often expensive, but when talking about your health, particularly about how you feel every single day—your energy level and your ability to take on the tasks you want to accomplish—a high-quality mattress is worth the investment. "Several good studies have shown that Sleep Number beds and memory foam mattresses improve sleep quality versus the old box spring," Rosenberg says.

This is particularly true if you're an active individual. Sleep is when your body rests, recovers, and recuperates. It's when your muscles rebuild and repair. It's when your brain and body assimilate the information you've accumulated throughout the day, creating new neural pathways and connections.

In fact, in a study conducted by the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory, the Stanford basketball team's skills were put to the test based on extended sleep patterns. After a period of normal sleep, the players went through a multi-week sleep extension period. At the end of the sleep extension period, shooting accuracy and sprint times improved significantly, as did overall feelings of mental and physical well-being.

Given the research in this area, it comes as no surprise that some mattress companies are targeting the fitness and sports markets to enhance sleep quality for the specific purpose of improving athletic performance. Essentia, for example, created a custom ProCor bed using a proprietary process called Essentia ID to develop mattresses specifically for the individual purchasing the bed. They frequently work with athletes and teams to offer custom recuperation for athletes during sleep.

Granted, not everyone can afford a custom mattress (ProCor beds range in price from $5,000 to almost $10,000, depending on size), but even a high-quality pillow can help. Consider the Essentia Wholebody Pillow with natural memory foam if you need a nightly whole-body hug or a Performance Pillow from Bedgear. Bedgear's pillows are specifically designed for body types and sleeping styles, and feature high-tech components to increase airflow in and around the pillow to help regulate body temperature and wick away moisture to improve nightly sleep.

4. Apply Lavender Essential Oil

You may have heard that lavender promotes feelings of calm that support sleep, and Dr. Rosenberg confirms this finding, "Lavender oils have actually been studied in an ICU setting and in nursing homes and have proven to be effective in increasing sleep." All it takes is a few drops of essential oil to make a difference. You can apply it to your wrists or temples, or use a diffuser to make your entire bedroom smell like the flower.

5. Consider Supplements With Caution

There are, of course, lots of supplements on the market that claim to support sleep, but Rosenberg warms to use them with caution. "Be cautious with supplements, as few good studies have been done. However, a recent study in the UK did demonstrate increased sleep in children who were given omega-3 fish oil. Also, melatonin has been found to help induce sleep in older patients and patients on beta-blocker drugs, which tend to inhibit the natural production of the hormone," he says.

If you decide to turn to supplements to enhance your sleep, research them thoroughly and make sure there have been third-party studies done to support the supplement's claims.
Thanks for Reading..........

Things That Happen to Your Body After Losing 10 Pounds

To some people, losing 10 pounds is everything. Congrats on climbing that hill and give yourself a big, warm, fuzzy bear hug. You’ve reached your peak physique. But for those who need to lumber up a daunting mountain to reach a healthy weight, 10 pounds can seem like barely a molehill. Take heart, though. Shedding 10 pounds is a fantastic feat—especially for those who are significantly overweight or obese. Imagine dropping a 10-pound dumbbell that you’ve been carrying with you for eternity. The ascent is nicer, right?
“There’s something magical about that first 10-pound weight loss that I don’t see at other markers,” says Lisa Ellis, RD, founder of Integrating Nutrition in White Plains, New York. “It tends to foster motivation. And people start to build upon their successes.”
The health benefits of losing 10 pounds can vary depending on your starting weight, the kind of diet changes you make, and how fast you lose the weight. By some markers, “overweight” means being 10 percent over your body’s ideal weight range, and “obese” is 20 percent and higher. So for a 150-pound person, losing 15 pounds can place them in a whole new medical bracket. Let's go over a nice list and learn about the benefits of losing 10 pounds.

1

Improve Your Sex Life

Better sex? Yes, please. A trimmer man means the penis is better able to stand at attention when it really matters. Carrying 10 extra pounds increases the risk of softness where you don’t want it, according to a 2016 report by the journal Translational Andrology and Urology. A high body mass index (BMI) can cause chronic inflammatory stress, which can lead to erectile dysfunction. Carrying weight can narrow the blood vessels, making it harder for blood to flow…to the right places.
Moreover, eating too much sugar, refined carbs, and alcohol can spike estrogen levels and cause weight gain, says Dr. Mark Hyman in his book, The Blood Sugar Solution. Although you can feel confident and desirable at any size, losing a bit of weight can help you feel sexier, too.

2

Sleep Better

When you lose 10 pounds, you’re sleeping better at night, which means your cortisol levels are lower. Lower cortisol levels equate to less stress and cravings for sugary and fatty foods. “People get better sleep, and sleep apnea can ease,” says Fiorella DiCarlo, R.D.N. and C.D.N. Carrying excess weight can put you at risk for sleep apnea, a sleep disorder in which the airway becomes blocked while snoozing, according to Harvard Women’s Health Watch.   People who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. The American College of Physicians emphasizes lifestyle modifications—especially weight loss—for treating obstructive sleep apnea. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of body weight can have a big effect on sleep apnea symptoms.

3

Make Your Heart Happy

Weight loss reduces the strain on your heart. “Losing as few as 10 pounds…can help manage or prevent high blood pressure in many overweight people (those with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or greater),” according to the American Heart Association. Heart health is also especially critical as women age. “After menopause, preventing heart disease is one of the most important things you want to do. Beforehand, it’s breast cancer,” says integrative medicine physician Dr. Susan Blum, M.D., M.P.H., founder and director of Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York.

4

Lower Blood Sugar

Type 2 diabetes is no laughing matter. People with diabetes have an increased risk of strokes, heart attacks, high blood pressure, kidney disease, and blindness. And, type 2 can be prevented or reversed with weight loss. If you can lose five to 10 percent of your body weight, you’ll lower your risk of developing diabetes by 58 percent, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine’s Digestive Weight Loss Center. Ellis says she sees a good reduction in blood sugar levels in her clients after a 10-pound weight loss.
It’s good news for curbing belly fat, too, because high blood sugar and diabetes tend to manifest as abdominal fat. “If you have a lot of stress and high blood sugar, it will push your body to keep fat in your belly,” Blum says. The belly is used as the dumping ground for excess, or “brown” fat, which serves no purpose, and its driven by high levels of insulin and cortisol.

5

Stairs Are Easier to Climb

Taking the stairs won’t feel as high of a mountain as it used to be after you lose 10 pounds. People notice they can walk upstairs more easily—unless it’s someone who started at 300 pounds, says Ellis. “My patients are amazed at the difference,” she says. Ellis has patients carry a 10-pound weight up and down a flight of stairs to help them realize how much they’re carrying. That practice really brings home their achievement.

6

Healthier Cholesterol Levels

Cholesterol is one of those areas where how you achieve your weight loss influences your benefits. If you followed the ketogenic, Atkins, or other high-fat, low-carb diets, you might not have lowered your cholesterol levels when you lose weight. For many people—without a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol and those who focus on increasing their healthy, non-animal fats, like avocado, olive oil, and nuts—they can still maintain a healthy cholesterol on these high-fat diets.
The ideal cholesterol level is below 150 mg/dl, according to Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, but nearly 107 million Americans have levels dangerously close to 225 mg/dl, which is the average for coronary artery disease. The good news? Losing five to 10 percent of your body weight is associated with significant improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors, according to a 2011 study by the journal Diabetes Care. The study looked at 5,145 women and men, measuring HbA1c, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. Keeping total fat intake low, especially fat from meat and dairy, is a good way to keep your cholesterol in check.

7

Banish Bathroom Issues

If you weren’t pooping on the regular, you could be now. All that fiber you’re getting from whole, fresh produce means there’ll be less constipation and other digestion issues, especially for people who are not regular vegetable and fruit eaters, Ellis says. It’s the other GI bill, and it’s a gift that keeps on giving.

8

Boost Your Energy

Increased energy, motivation, confidence, improved sleep—many of these benefits are woven together. We know that one symptom or benefit isn’t mutually exclusive because your body is a whole system of interlocking systems. But some foods are better for energy than others, and you’re likely eating them if you lost 10 pounds.

“Some of the energy boost is because of the food you’ve removed from your diet to lose weight: less sugar, less alcohol, and maybe less heavy, fatty food,” Blum says. “If you’re not eating as much sugar, you have more energy and are sleeping better. People tend to feel really good, happier. There’s a general sense of wellbeing and empowerment.”

9

Ease Arthritis

There’s a good reason doctors advise patients with knee and hip issues to lose some weight. Fat itself is an active tissue that creates and releases pro-inflammatory chemicals. And arthritis is inflammation of your joints, which causes pain and stiffness. Eating different foods and dropping weight can reduce that inflammation, says Blum, author of Healing Inflammation.
“We know inflammation is underlying all chronic illness. Reducing inflammation in the body helps you think better. It helps your joints and mobility, too,” she says. According to the Arthritis Foundation, losing a modest five to 10 pounds can have a world of benefits on your bones. The foundation cited a 2005 study in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism that overweight and obese adults with knee osteoarthritis who lost one pound of weight felt four fewer pounds of pressure off their knees. In other words, losing just 10 pounds would relieve 40 pounds of pressure from your knees.

10

Lengthen Your Life

Well, if this isn’t a good reason to lose 10 pounds, we don’t know what is. Oxford University research found that moderate obesity reduces life expectancy by about three years. “Excess weight shortens lifespan,” Dr. Gary Whitlock, M.D., says in his analysis of 900,000 women and men in 57 studies.
Mortality was lowest in people who had a body mass index of 23 to 24. This means that if a person is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, for example, his or her optimum weight would be about 154 pounds. Of course, everybody is different. Some people have more muscle, or more bone density, both of which weigh more and are healthy.

Many More!!!!

From improved fertility to high self esteem, the improvements are off the chart.  The bottom line is that your life will improve from just 10 pounds so lets get moving.  Forget the crash diets and just focus on 1 pound a week and you will cherish the results.  I apologize for the long time between newsletters, but I am on summer break....Thanks for Reading......