Sleep more, eat less

Here are the facts:

When you don’t get the seven or eight hours of sleep needed to rejuvenate your body, your neurons don’t secrete the normal amounts of serotonin or dopamine. Serotonin is a “feel good” hormone, and dopamine is the brain’s fun house – a pleasure-and-reward system that’s sensitive to addictions and helps keep you from feeling pain.

When you’re short on sleep, your body looks for ways to compensate for those missing hormones. It typically does this by craving sugary foods that give you a “rush.” In other words, lack of sleep throws off your entire system by decreasing your metabolism and increasing your appetite.

Can’t make up for lost sleep

Over a two-week period, missing out on the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep adds up to two full nights' sleep debt, one study found. If you're averaging only four hours of sleep a night, your brain reacts as though you haven’t slept at all for three consecutive nights. And the amount of sleep you need increases if you’ve been deprived of sleep. People don’t seem to adapt to getting less sleep than they need.

“There’s recent evidence showing – in men and women in several countries – that chronic sleep deprivation increases risk of early death,” said Dr. Carl Hunt. “Studies are showing that people who get less sleep are at greater risk for heart disease and heart attacks. And perhaps the hottest area of research has shown a link between chronic sleep deprivation and risk of overweight and obesity. These studies articulate the price society pays in not getting a good night’s sleep.”

To make matters worse, lack of sleep can become a larger factor as you age. When you’re older, your brain produces less of a necessary sleep hormone, resulting in a craving for carbohydrates.

Experts say the most worrisome part is that many people are too tired to realize how sleep-deprived they are. Sleep deprived people have slower reaction time, weaker memory, and other thinking impairments. So the issue is much bigger than obesity alone. We aren’t losing enough sleep about losing sleep.

The good news is … this is good news!

Don’t get me wrong. You can’t “sleep” yourself thin. But you can help prevent obesity by getting the refreshing, rejuvenating shut-eye you need.

So the key message here is, “Get enough sleep!” Now, how often does a doctor encourage you to indulge in something you love?

Of course, it’s easier to talk about getting more sleep than to do it. Long hours at work and endless “to-do” lists at home, coupled with the trials, tribulations, joys, and responsibilities of parenting, can leave little time for what has become the luxury of sleep. But remember, it isn’t a luxury. It’s a necessity.

Sleep is simply your body’s way of resting and restoring its energy levels. It’s good for your health – body, mind, and spirit. It can be a wonderful way to solve problems, dream dreams, or recover from an illness. Make it a priority to get your Z’s. Your body is counting on you.

Bottom line:

Get your seven or eight hours of sleep each night – and you’ll help yourself to a healthier, thinner life.

Who is Dr. Roizen?

A nationally renowned expert, Michael Roizen, M.D., or “Dr. Mike,” is personable, witty, and full of important health insights imparted through his books, a radio show, and his Website, www.realage.com.  He’s also chief wellness officer and chair of the Wellness Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, where he practices both internal medicine and anesthesiology. He’s listed – along with his physician wife – as one of the 1,000 Best Doctors in the United States.

At the age of 61, Dr. Mike has also been a top-ranked squash player. His RealAge books and his “YOU” books – coauthored with Dr. Mehmet Oz – YOU: On a Diet, YOU: The Owner’s Manual,YOU: Staying Young and YOU: The Smart Patient – are runaway bestsellers. His radio show, “YOU: The Owner’s Manual with Dr. Michael Roizen,” is sponsored by Humana and heard on radio stations nationwide. His Website, www.realage.com, has a program aimed at helping health-conscious consumers stop biological aging and live longer, more exciting lives.