Tank
04-06-2008, 06:43 AM
If your concerned about your aging process, skin condition and general health you need to consider the following:
Inflammation’s protective instincts are roused by a variety of attacks, including:
*Oxidation
*Glycation
*Sleep deprivation
*Trans fats (a big problem, given that Americans consume a shocking 80lbs of processed vegetable oil each year)
*Elevated blood sugar and/or insulin levels
*Nutrient (such as Vitamin D) deficiency
*Cigarette smoking
*Muscle damage through exercise
*Stress: physical, mental and emotional
*Even something as simple as a sunburn
So much to discuss on the above topics but to get things rolling lets look at the issue of sleep
Consider the following study findings:
Just a week of sleep deprivation alters hormone levels and the ability to metabolize carbs
Sleep-deprived means higher concentrations of cortisol at night which, as typically found in older people, may be involved in age-related insulin resistance and memory loss
The blood sugar levels of these subjects took 40% longer to drop following a high-carb meal, compared to well-rested periods. And their secretion of and response to insulin plummeted 30%
So how much sleep is needed? Researchers agree that most of us would thrive on 9 hours of sleep. And for those of us who have amassed a sleep debt thanks to the rigors of shifts, long working hours, and stressful city life, researchers believe spending longer than 8 hours in bed can repay the debt, restoring the body’s chemical balances.
Inflammation’s protective instincts are roused by a variety of attacks, including:
*Oxidation
*Glycation
*Sleep deprivation
*Trans fats (a big problem, given that Americans consume a shocking 80lbs of processed vegetable oil each year)
*Elevated blood sugar and/or insulin levels
*Nutrient (such as Vitamin D) deficiency
*Cigarette smoking
*Muscle damage through exercise
*Stress: physical, mental and emotional
*Even something as simple as a sunburn
So much to discuss on the above topics but to get things rolling lets look at the issue of sleep
Consider the following study findings:
Just a week of sleep deprivation alters hormone levels and the ability to metabolize carbs
Sleep-deprived means higher concentrations of cortisol at night which, as typically found in older people, may be involved in age-related insulin resistance and memory loss
The blood sugar levels of these subjects took 40% longer to drop following a high-carb meal, compared to well-rested periods. And their secretion of and response to insulin plummeted 30%
So how much sleep is needed? Researchers agree that most of us would thrive on 9 hours of sleep. And for those of us who have amassed a sleep debt thanks to the rigors of shifts, long working hours, and stressful city life, researchers believe spending longer than 8 hours in bed can repay the debt, restoring the body’s chemical balances.