Although simple carbohydrates may be sedating and even decrease sleep latency {1}, consuming a high glycemic load does not equate to better sleep. It is important to remember that with surges in blood sugar that accompany a high glycemic load, there is a subsequent drop in blood sugar four to five hours later. The body’s homeostasis responds with increase in appetite as well as well as surges of norepinephrine, a stimulating neurotransmitter associated with alertness. {2} This is the same phenomena that leads to overeating and obesity when a person has a high glycemic breakfast, for example someone has a sugary cereal or a donut for breakfast may feel hungry a few hours later. This suggest that milk and cookies before bed, though may induce sleepiness, is less than ideal for sleep quality. Indeed when evaluation of high and low glycemic index drinks on children’s sleep pattern are conducted, there is sleep disturbance noted in the high glycemic compared to low glycemic including polysomnography data showing more Non-REM over REM sleep and increased and higher total arousal indexes. {3} This is a parallel finding as seen in the use of alcohol, where the sedating properties may shorten sleep onset, alcohol consumed within an hour of bedtime disrupts the second half of the sleep period {4}. Essentially sugar for sleep is like alcohol without the buzz.

In the Women’s Health Initiative study carbohydrate consumption was associated with less difficulty maintaining sleep, however it is important to note that this benefit is more with complex carbohydrates, as there were deleterious effects of sugar and benefits of fiber noted. Sugar intake was associated with adverse effects of more excessive daytime sleepiness. Increased fiber resulted in less difficulty maintaining sleep, less difficulty non-restorative sleep, and less daytime sleepiness. {5} Another study found sugar and high glycemic load to be associated with fatigue as well. A high-glycemic load diet is associated with higher depression symptoms, total mood disturbance, and fatigue compared to a low-glycemic load diet especially in overweight/obese, but otherwise healthy, adults. {6} It is important to note that mood disturbances are associated with poor sleep as well.

So what should you eat before sleep? This will be reviewed in future posts, stay tuned…

1. Afaghi A, O’Connor H, Chow CM. High-glycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Feb;85(2):426-30
2. Ludwig DS, Majzoub JA, Al-Zahrani A, Dallal GE, Blanco I, Roberts SB. High glycemic index foods, overeating, and obesity. Pediatrics 1999, 103:e261-6
3. Jalilolghadr S, Afaghi A, O’Connor H, Chow CM. Effect of low and high glycaemic index drink on sleep pattern in children. J Pak Med Assoc. 2011 Jun;61(6):533-6.
4. Landolt, H.-P., et al. Late-afternoon ethanol intake affects nocturnal sleep and the sleep EEG in middle-aged men. J Clin Psychopharmacol 16(6):428-436, 1996.
5. Grandner MA, Jackson N, Gerstner JR, Knutson KL. Sleep symptoms associated with intake of specific dietary nutrients. J Sleep Res. 2014 Feb;23(1):22-34
6. Breymeyer KL, Lampe JW, McGregor BA, Neuhouser ML. Subjective mood and energy levels of healthy weight and overweight/obese healthy adults on high-and low-glycemic load experimental diets. Appetite. 2016 Dec 1;107:253-259.

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The older we get, the more difficult it seems to bounce back after a stressful situation. Dealing with stress can be complex, and ignoring the issue isn’t going to do you any favors when it comes to health and wellness. One of the easiest ways that the senior population can combat day-to-day stress is to ensure that they get a long and refreshing night’s sleep.

The Effects of Stress on Aging Body

We all lose some of our resilience as we age, amplifying the effects of excessive stress. Isolation, loss of loved ones, and financial problems are all common stressors among the senior population. Chronic illnesses and physical conditions can also turn even simple, everyday tasks into a stressful event. The biggest signs of stress to look out for in older adults include:

● Changes in eating habits, including both overeating and loss of appetite

● Mood swings

● Memory problems, forgetfulness, and difficulty concentrating

● Aches, pains, and illness

Over time, stress, or even the anticipation of stress- can take its toll on your body. It can accelerate cellular aging, contribute to the development of cognitive disorders like dementia, and even lead to vision and hearing problems.

Regulating Stress with Sleep

There are many ways that older adults can lower their stress levels. Exercises such as yoga, tai chi, walking and other physical activities can help to ease stress, as can following a well-balanced diet. Joining senior groups and social clubs can also lead to a more relaxed, carefree lifestyle. Perhaps the most important factor in decreasing stress levels, however, is sleep. Our sleep patterns change as we age, with our bodies producing lower levels of growth hormone and melatonin. This decreases the amount of deep sleep that you get each night and makes you easier to rouse.

Older adults who don’t sleep well not only experience greater levels of stress, but are also more likely to suffer from depression, attention and memory problems, and experience more night-time falls. Insufficient sleep can also lead to serious health concerns, including an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, weight problems, and breast cancer in women. By ensuring that you get between 7.5 and 9 hours of sleep each night, you can combat stress and improve your overall health.

Getting a Better Night’s Rest

There are several ways in which seniors can overcome sleep problems and insomnia as they grow older. If you’re having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep at night, there are a few tricks that you can try to help yourself rest more easily:

● Boost your melatonin levels by avoiding exposure to bright, artificial lights in the evening.

● Don’t read from backlit devices or watch anything on screen before bed.

● Keep your bedroom quiet, dark, cool, and comfortable.

● Reserve your bedroom exclusively for sleep and intimate activities.

● Keep a consistent bedtime ritual.

Sally Phillips is a professional freelance writer with many years experience across many different areas. She made the move to freelancing from a stressful corporate job and loves the work-life balance it offers her. When not at work, Sally enjoys reading, hiking, spending time with her family and travelling as much as possible.

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Sleep medicine and sleep products—whether it’s mattresses or sleep tech or wearables—are growing business these days. Medicine is catching up with how really sleep deprived many of us are, and diagnoses follow. According to recent estimates, 50 to 70 million Americans chronically suffer from a disorder of sleep and wakefulness that inhibits their daily functioning and negatively affects their health and longevity.

Even though we’re all getting more informed about the need for sleep, some stubborn myths persist. Here are five bits of commonly dispensed advice that you should not fall for.

1. A nightcap is a great sleeping pill. Sure, alcohol has been shown to help people fall asleep faster. Drink a little too much, and you’ll be out hard. But, ultimately, alcohol does the opposite of promoting healthy rest. If you are reaching for more two or more drinks immediately before sleep, especially if you do it regularly, it can lead to wake-ups in the middle of the night, fitful dreams, and low quality, restless sleep. In a recent book, The Mystery of Sleep: Why a Good Night’s Rest is Vital to a Better, Healthier Life, Yale University professor and sleep medicine expert Meir Kryger, M.D., explains how alcohol ultimately undermines sleep: “[W]hen the blood alcohol level drops, it activates the sympathetic nervous system, which wakes the person up, speeds up the heart, and might cause sweating and headaches.” Kryger recommends not going to sleep until the alcohol has disappeared from our system. It takes the body an hour to metabolized an ounce of alcohol, which is the equivalent of two 12-ounce servings of beer, two 5-ounce glasses of wine, or two 1.5-ounce servings of distilled spirits.

2. The older you get, the less sleep you need. Even though older adults get less sleep, it is not because they do not need it—it’s because they have a hard time getting it. There’s a difference between the two. Older adults “do not have a reduced sleep need, but rather, an impaired ability to register and/or generate that unmet sleep need,” according to the researcher who studies the sleep of older adults, Matthew P. Walker, the senior author of a recent article on older adults and sleep, “Sleep and Human Aging,” and a UC Berkeley professor of psychology and neuroscience. Sleep medicine experts recommend that older adults need 7 to 9 hours of restful sleep. While aging-related conditions may make sleep less easy, older adults should not resign themselves to getting it. Their ability to delay the onset of various diseases depends on it.

3. Exercise wears you out and promotes sleep. This can be true, but not of all workouts at all times. A physically active life in general does lead to getting better rest. Both healthy sleep and exercise are fountains of youth. But aerobic exercise close to the desired bedtime is only bound to wake you up. If you have to exercise in the evening, keep the heart rate lower and stick to the more sleep-inducing strength training or yoga workouts.

4. Falling asleep in a total silence is ideal. This really depends on the person. Since total silence is a scarce commodity, for many there’s nothing like the soothing blanket of consistent white noise to mask unpredictable ambient noises such as people talking outside your apartment or a partner’s occasional snoring.

5. We cannot control our dreams. Thanks to the fascinating research done by Harvard University psychologist and sleep researcher Deirdre Barrett, we may have more control over our dreams (including nightmares!) thank we think. Learn about her idea of dream incubation ad invite calm and happy dreams into your bed.

Well…. So much for the myths. The bits of common wisdom—that your mattress should be comfortable and properly sized, that your bedroom should be slightly cool and dark, that your bedtime should be free from exposure to electronic screens, and other aspects of healthy sleep hygiene—remain true, ready to lull you to sleep.

Agnes Green is a researcher for the sleep science hub Tuck (www.Tuck.com). She holds two master’s degrees in the social sciences from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. She sleeps best after a kettlebell workout, with a window slightly cracked in a dark room, and on a medium-firm mattress in Portland, Oregon.

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Diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and mental health problems are commonly attributed as part of normal aging. But they are not! They are preventable. Disturbingly, all of these disorders are being noted at earlier ages in children.

In the video “The Fundamental Nature of Rest, Movement and Nutrition” you will learn about how Lifestyle Causes Chronic Disease, and how Lifestyle Reverses Chronic Disease.

Food Is Medicine! Lifestyle Is Medicine!

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Stressing leads to sleeplessness!

How to Get a Good Night’s Sleep when You’re Stressed

If you’re feeling stressed, your work schedule is too hectic, or you’re worrying about money or family problems it can make it challenging to get a decent night’s sleep. Lying awake most of the night and then getting up, unrefreshed and exhausted the next morning only contributes to more stress.

To break the vicious cycle you don’t need sleeping pills. There are things you can do to restore a healthy sleep routine.

Address any Problems

If specific problems are keeping you awake, speak to someone who may be able to help. For instance, if you are having difficulties at work, speak to your boss, or if possible, see if you can take some annual leave in order to wind down. Facing the problem head on can bring solutions and relief for stress.

Review Your Medication

If you are taking any medication, check the patient information leaflet and check with your doctor whether it interferes with sleep. Some medications, such as beta blockers, can cause insomnia. If your medication has this side-effect, speak to your doctor about the possibility of adjusting the dose or changing the prescription. Never do this without supervision as this may be dangerous.

Be Strict with Your Routine

Bedtimes aren’t just for babies. Setting a time for going to sleep and sticking to it will help regulate your body clock and help you sleep when you are supposed to. Healthy adults need between seven and nine hours of sleep per night.

Find a Relaxing Activity Before Bed

Try to relax before you go to bed. You can do this by avoiding the television and the internet at least an hour before you intend to go to sleep. You could still listen to calming music or relaxation CD’s to help you drift off. Reading a book in bed can also help you switch off from the stresses of real life as you escape into the plot of your novel. A relaxing bubble bath or warm shower can ease aches and pains and prepare your body for sleep. This is why so many people swear by a pre-bed bath.

Avoid Heavy Eating

You should avoid eating a heavy meal later in the evening, which may interrupt your sleep and could also make you gain weight.

Specific foods you should avoid include:

Chocolate – This popular treat contains caffeine. The FDA estimate that in a 100g portion of dark chocolate, there is 43mgs of caffeine, while milk chocolate contains 20mgs.

Tea and Coffee – You should not drink tea and coffee in the evening. Even uncaffeinated teas contain trace amounts of caffeine. Try the good old fashioned grandmother’s remedy – a glass of warm milk, instead. If you don’t drink milk you could try almond milk which will boost your brain’s ability to produce melatonin, a sleep-inducing, anti-inflammatory hormone.

Alcohol – Alcohol is another no-no. While it might initially help you feel relaxed, you will probably wake right up once the effects have worn off. Alcohol is a nervous system depressant so once the ‘merry’ feeling has dissipated, you may feel more stressed than before.

Have a Magnesium Rich Diet

Magnesium plays a role in sleep cycles so make sure you eat magnesium rich foods, such as nuts, seeds and leafy green vegetables. You could also take a multi-vitamin supplement that contains magnesium.

Get Black Out Blinds for More Melatonin

Get black out blinds or an eye mask so you can sleep in total darkness. The reason people feel drowsy at night is because as it gets dark, melatonin levels climb and this increase in hormones triggers the desire to sleep, so making sure you sleep in total darkness will ensure you have higher levels of melatonin and you will have a more restful night.

It is also a repair hormone and will be busy fixing injuries, calming inflammation and boosting your immune system while you sleep. As inflammation affects behavior and can make you feel anxious, its soothing effects can stop anxiety better than any pill.

Try Memory Foam

Many people are kept awake by a chronic health condition. If you have painful joints, cervical migraines or other discomfort that prevents you from having a good night’s sleep, don’t put up with it. You can try a memory foam mattress and pillow. These mould to your body shape. Overly hard mattresses can do more harm than good and may damage your spine. Full body pillows are another good idea.

Put Lavender on Your Pillow

Another remedy from yesteryear is lavender essential oil. Just put a couple of drops on your pillow when you go to bed. Inhaling the fragrance can help you drift off into a peaceful slumber.

Post written by Journalist Anne Ball

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