Sleep. It’s one of the things that we as humans share amongst ourselves no matter who we are, where we’re from or what we do. We all sleep, and it’s hugely beneficial, but not all of us take advantage of its advantageous qualities. Many of us are all too familiar with how insufficient sleep weakens our immune system, but did you know that inadequate sleep also causes brain inflammation?
This is called neuroinflammation. It leads to a host of unwanted conditions, including anxiety, depression, cognitive decline and dementia, which is the last thing you want when aiming for a long and healthy life. During sleep, our body and brain go into repair mode. At night, the brain’s glymphatic system cleans up metabolic waste and prepares us for the day ahead. Without this critical process, toxins like Amyloid-β can accumulate. Amyloid plaques build up in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease.
HOW ELSE DOES INADEQUATE SLEEP LEAD TO A SHORTENED LIFESPAN?
Too little sleep increases systemic inflammation, which wreaks havoc on the body. Several studies have shown that insufficient sleep leads to an increased risk of insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes. Studies have also found that inadequate sleep increases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. A meta-analysis of 17 studies published by Cappuccio and colleagues showed that sleeping less than seven hours per night increases the risk of all-cause mortality.
According to the American College of Cardiology, quality sleep can lengthen your life. Men with quality sleep tend to live an average of 4.7 years longer than men with poor quality sleep. This benefit also holds for women, increasing their lifespan by 2.4 years. Women tend to live longer than men at baseline, which may explain this slight difference.
SO, HOW MUCH SLEEP DO YOU NEED?
Strive for seven to eight hours of sleep. Some studies suggest that women may need more sleep than men to maintain adequate hormone health. It’s important to note that the goal is quality sleep. For example, if you have undiagnosed sleep apnea, you may oscillate in and out of the various stages of non-REM sleep and never reach restorative rest.
Undiagnosed sleep apnea further threatens longevity by increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, dementia and death.
WHAT ABOUT ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE AND SLEEP?
Unsurprisingly, inadequate sleep impacts athletic performance by increasing the risk of injury and impairing recovery. Our bodies mitigate inflammation while we sleep. If left unchecked, metabolic waste damages tissues and joints, increasing the risk of injury and possibly leading to arthritis.
WHAT IS THE BIGGEST SABOTEUR OF SLEEP?
These days, it’s the blue light emitted from our screens. Blue light emulates mid-day sunlight, blocking melatonin production and tricking our brains into thinking it’s high noon.
So, if you have trouble sleeping and doom- scrolling right before bed, work on cutting evening screen time. Without blue light exposure, the body takes two to three hours to produce enough melatonin to feel tired.
Those who struggle with insomnia can also try resetting their circadian rhythm by getting outside at sunrise for thirty minutes each morning. This simple activity profoundly affects your circadian rhythm and helps regulate your sleep-wake cycle for the next few days.
The takeaway is to strive for seven to eight hours of quality sleep, enjoy morning sunlight, and reduce screen time in the evening.
Building these habits will support quality sleep and longevity.