Think too little sleep is no big deal? Here’s how sleep deprivation could be wreaking havoc on everything from your weight to your sex life.  

We overachieving, Type-A New Yorkers think nothing of getting an average of five hours of sleep or less per night. In fact, it’s almost like a badge of honor to say we can exist on so few zzz’s. And because attitude affects such a large part of our experience in life, those friends and clients of mine who believe they’re “impervious to fatigue” (a saying of an ex boyfriend of mine), they can in fact get away with a lot less sleep for longer than a person that believes otherwise. But while the short term effects can be manageable for some, in time, sleep deprivation has serious, long term side effects and can ultimately kill you.  And sleep deprivation is not just a New York City epidemic, 40% of  Americans don't get the recommended minimum amount of sleep, according to a new Gallup report. A stark contrast to 1942, when 84 percent of Americans said they got seven or more hours of sleep a night. One of the main reasons-the Internet, Google and Facebook. Or in my case, Netflix-catching up on on entire season of Orange is the New Black:)

What constitutes sleep deprivation?
The average adult needs about seven to nine hours of sleep each night, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Even one bad night’s sleep can have consequences, but string together one week and the risks go up exponentially.

Side Effects of Sleep Deprivation:

The immediate side effects of missing sleep are obvious, you feel groggy, mentally foggy and cranky.  But there are more insidious side effects of getting too little sleep -- generally understood to mean six hours or less a night:

• Long term memory loss and cognitive damage. The less we sleep, the less we benefit from the memory-storing properties of sleep. In addition a lack of sleep can cause"brain deterioration," according to a 2013 study. This may at least in part explain memory loss in seniors. 

• Reaction Time Slows. When you’re sleep-deprived, you’re not going to react as quickly as you normally would, making driving or other potentially dangerous activities, like using power tools, risky. One study even found that sleepiness behind the wheel was nearly as dangerous as drinking and driving. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities. Reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.  

• Heightens Emotions. As your reaction time and cognition slows, your emotions will be kicked into high gear. This means that arguments with co-workers or your spouse are likely and you’re probably going to be at fault for blowing things out of proportion.  

• Impairs your immune system. Sleep deprivation has the same effect on your immune system as physical stress or illness, which may help explain why lack of sleep is tied to an increased risk of numerous chronic diseases such as:
  

• Obesity
  

• Stroke
  
• Diabetes
  
• Cancer
  
• Heart disease   

• Increases food consumption, appetite and cravings. Too-little sleep may throw off hormones that regulate appetite, increasing a taste for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods and causing you to want more calories than your body needs. After going without enough sleep for a mere two nights, people in one study had more of the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin and less of the appetite-suppressing hormone leptin.

• Kills Sex Drive.  As reported by WebMD-sleep specialists say that sleep-deprived men and women report lower libidos and less interest in sex. Depleted energy, sleepiness, and increased tension may be largely to blame. For men with sleep apnea, a respiratory problem that interrupts sleep, there may be another factor in the sexual slump. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism in 2002 suggests that many men with sleep apnea also have low testosterone levels. In the study, nearly half of the men who suffered from severe sleep apnea also secreted abnormally low levels of testosterone during the night.  

MY FAVE RECOS TO HELP YOU GET MORE ZZZ’s:

Ah, if only falling asleep was as simple as when we were five years old. My mother used to come into my room and rub my back while humming or singing Brahams Lullaby. There are several things you can do, including listening to Braham’s Lullaby (see my Spotify playlist).

1. Stick to a sleep schedule: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends, holidays and days off. Being consistent reinforces your body's sleep-wake cycle and helps promote better sleep at night. Set a time you’re going to be lights out and stick to it!  

If you have trouble falling or staying asleep:

Take melotonin 2.5-5 mgs one hour before desired sleep time. This will help you get to sleep. Source Naturals Spray. Not all melatonin works the same. This one tends not to have any hangover effect and you can regulate the dose

If you are feeling anxious at bedtime try:

• Bach’s Rescue Remedy for Sleep (Dr. Oz even gives the kid’s version to his kids!) 
  

• Listen to Two Bells and practice deep breathing. This is my favorite meditation and works well also if you wake up in middle of night-avoid turning lights or TV on.   

2. Have a routine 1/2 hour before desired sleep time: Do the same things each night to let your body and mind know it's time to wind down. For me this includes using the Infrared Sauna or taking a warm bath with magnesium salts  and essential oils and listening to my fave PM Zen music (see Spotify) or book on tape. Or sipping my fave bedtime tea and reading my latest fave book.  Calming activities let your mind and body more easily transition from your busy day to sleep.

3. Avoid eating and drinking within three hours of bedtime. You don’t want to go to bed hungry but you don’t want to be stuffed either. Be aware that nicotine and alcohol can affect your sleep. They’re stimulants and while drinking does make you drowsy, it ultimately affects your sleep as it wears off.

Other healthy living tips that affect sleep:

• Avoid drinking caffeine after noon.
  
• Eating well-an anti-inflammatory, nutrient dense diet.
  
• Practice Intermittent Fasting
  
• Rigorous exercise go a long way towards helping the body and mind rest
  
• Managing stress
  

4. Limit or avoid using electronics within 30 minutes of sleep.

Avoid the TV, Ipad and phone as part of your bedtime ritual. Some research suggests that screen time or other media use before bedtime interferes with your brain’s ability to create melatonin.

5.  Create a sleep sanctuary.  

Basic Feng Shui and common sense will tell you the following is best for :

• Clear out the clutter, piles of old newspapers, bills, etc.
  
• Buy a few sweet cleansing plants  
  
• Get a little fountain  if you enjoy the sound of water.
  
• Get TV out of bedroom or cover your TB
  
• Get rid of all the lights in room from windows (blackout shades) to the alarm clock. If can’t do that = Sleep mask
  
• Use a white noise machine or fan to block out street or other sounds
  
• Create a calming sleepytime spray by mixing a few drops of:  lavender, sweet orange, peppermint and sweet basil essential oils in a small, brown glass bottle with water or alcohol and and spritz on pillows, sheets and the outside of your eye mask. I use this spray in my Yin Yoga classes as well on clients’ mats and towels. It’s yummy. Don’t want to get a bunch of oils-lavender and water works just fine!
  
  
• Keep your room cool. The ideal room temp for sleeping is cool = 57 degrees
  

6. Limit daytime naps

7. If none of these things works, try the Cranial Stimulator. This device is far and away the most powerful tool I know of to remedy long term insomnia and I highly recommend it. I first used it for a client who suffered from major anxiety and could not sleep past 4AM a single night. After the recommended above protocols and using the CS for 40 days his insomnia was cured.

Like all new, healthy habits, it takes time to establish a good sleep routine. Set your mind on stringing together five, good nights and go from there. LMK how these reco’s work for you! And sweet dreams. xoMB

• Joint Aches/Muscular stiffness: Many times I’ve had a client complain of sudden, inexplicable*back ache. Once I out rule a possible strain or injury I ask, “Are you hydrated?” Nine out of ten times the response has been, “No, in fact I haven’t had anything to drink all day.”  After a couple glasses of water and some electrolytes the ache almost always disappears.  All joints have cartilage padding, which is composed mainly of water. When the body is dehydrated, cartilage is weakened and joint repair is slow resulting in pain and discomfort.

          * Meaning they’d not injured themselves or had a history of back pain.

• Weight gain a result of insatiable cravings for sugar and other processed/unhealthy food-especially ice cream  and/or sugary drinks.  

• Constipation - Click HERE for details on this and the below MNN’s fabulous “what dehydration can do to your body” Infographic

• Fatigue

• Asthma and Allergies

• Digestive disorders

• Bladder or kidney problems

• High Blood Pressure

• Skin Disorders

• Premature Aging

BENEFITS OF HYDRATION:

• Feel better: have more energy
• Skin looks better

• Make better food choices
• Weight loss as a result of improved digestion, reduced cravings, increased energy/higher likelihood of working out.

FAQ’s RECOMMENDATIONS & TIPS:

Q:  How much water/liquids do YOU need?

A:   Approximately ½ your body’s weight in ounces.  Green veggie juices and herbal teas count.  The average adult loses about 10 cups of water every day simply by breathing, sweating, urinating and eliminating waste.   However the total amount one needs can vary a great deal from person to person depending upon how many veggies you eat, how much you exercise, medications you’re taking and your environment.

Q:   What do I think of seltzer water, soda water and mineral waters?

A:   I think they can cause bloating in some people and I avoid them for the most part except when out socializing (see below Q about what bevvy I reco).

  Add another cup to your total if:

1. You’re in extreme temps-hot or cold
2. For every caffeinated or alcoholic bevie
3. Exercising or sweating a lot

• Purchase a 16 oz, BPA-Free container
• Upon rising have one glass tea temp water with juice of ½ lemon  
• Try to get ⅔ in by noon &  complete by 5PM
• Avoid guzzling water during exercise. Click HERE to read reasons.
• Download and app such as the cute and clever Water Your Body to track your intake and send you helpful reminders.

Q: I'm drinking my recommended daily amount of water but still suffering from the symptoms of dehydration. What are possible causes?


A: Dehydration is often a combination of liquid and essential mineral depletion such as calcium and magnesium. I reco. you have 2TB of the magnesium supplement with calcium, CALM a day and one Nuun Electrolyte for every hour of exercise or the morning after you've had more than 2 drinks. See below for related advice on the latter.


Q:  What to drink if you want to have a cocktail when out socializing? (Most commonly asked Q.)

A: My pick to avoid hangovers and to keep you hydrated:

1. Order Patron/Don Julio or other "top shelf" tequila in tall glass on rocks filled with FRESH lime juice and seltzer  
2. At the same time 1 large glass seltzer/soda water, no ice
3. As soon as you drink a couple sips of drink fill to top with soda water. Repeat every time you take a sip.
4. Do not order another drink until you've gone through 3 tall glasses of seltzer. You will have to get a side of ice before you get through three glasses water.
5. Limit your total drinks to two per evening. Easier said than done when having a good time, I understand. See related blog for other ways to avoid hangovers.

Happy hydrating ya’ll! xoMB