Are You Too Stressed to Sleep?

Too Stressed to Sleep?

Continued from Yesterday

People who are experiencing chronic stress have elevated levels of adrenaline and cortisol, explained David Winston, RH (AHG), founder and president, Herbalist & Alchemist. “High levels of cortisol increase stress-induced eating, stress-induced palpitations and stress-induced hypertension, and contribute to the process of what is known as metabolic syndrome or insulin resistance," he said. “Chronic stress affects literally every aspect of our bodies and our health. While small amounts of stress are necessary and actually beneficial, chronic high levels of stress are not. We also know people who have poor-quality sleep are at greater risk of heart attack, cancer, depression, anxiety and hypertension, as well as diabetes."

And then there’s the weight issue. A 2010 study from France found men consumed 22-percent more calories after a short night of sleep with an average increase of about 560 calories per day.1 The researchers suggested people may eat more after a short night of sleep because mammals have evolved to store up calories in the summer, when nights are short and food is plentiful. Conversely, weight loss reduced obstructive sleep apnea in obese men, with the greatest effect seen in patients with severe disease, in another 2010 study that involved 63 obese men aged 30 to 65 years.2

Maybe the reason stress and lack of sleep influences so many areas of health is because it both are perceived differently by each individual. This adds another layer of complexity to addressing this issue. “People may not sleep due to a number of factors, and their individual stressors makes it more difficult to figure out which products may help them to normalize their sleep and minimize their stress," Levin said. “Matching the person to the solution is always the biggest challenge, and some trial and error may need to be factored in before a solution is found."

Mary C. Borneman, media relations manager for Hyland's Inc., added, “There is an incredible multitude of products on shelf because there’s no great solution that fits all."

Everyone gets stressed for different reasons, and the effects are displayed in myriad ways; however, one thing we all experience during chronic stress is increased adrenal function. The adrenals are small, triangular glands located on top of each kidney that secrete hormones. Cortisol, one of these hormones, controls the body’s use of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, and also helps the body to cope with stress by secreting adrenaline, which increases heart rate and facilitates blood flow to the muscles and brain. Overworked and tired adrenal glands may not be able to produce necessary hormones, and then fatigue, anxiety and reduced immunity set in.

Continued Tomorrow

http://www.naturalproductsmarketplace.com/articles/2011/03/too-stressed-to-sleep.aspx

http://www.depsyl.com/

http://back2basicnutrition.com/

http://bionutritionalresearch.olhblogspace.com/