Page 44 - Tracy Anderson Magazine | Spring 2021 Issue

that we absolutely shouldn’t cut corners on, it’s sleep. In- “YOU MIGHT
If we’re to focus on one element of total body wellness
and it’s linked to all types of diseases of the body and NOTICE THAT THE
adequate sleep can wreak serious havoc on our bodies,
also quality. This pillar of your wellness should be treat- DAY AFTER A NIGHT
mind. However, it’s not just about quantity of sleep, but

ed like healthy eating and your fitness routine—with dili- OF POOR SLEEP
gence, attention, and proactive planning.
What happens if we don’t get the right amount of sleep? YOU FIND YOURSELF
,
you find yourself craving fat, sweets, and salty foods. Men- CRAVING FAT
You might notice that the day after a night of poor sleep
you are) and might be more emotionally reactive. You SWEETS, AND SALTY
tally, you certainly won’t be as sharp (even if you think
your fitness levels plateau. These results are due to many FOODS.”
might also notice that you get sick more easily and that

intricate processes in the body that become dysregulated
without sufficient shut-eye. Sleep is crucial for regulating be fully restful if you’re still digesting. Most importantly,
your levels of leptin and ghrelin (hunger-regulating hor- don’t look at your electronics right before sleep as they
mones); recalibrating your amygdala (the part of the brain emit blue light, which disrupts melatonin levels. Activities
that can make you unusually reactive to negative events); like meditation, inhaling lavender, static stretching, or a
enhancing your processing speed, working memory, and warm magnesium soak are all helpful winding-down ritu-
cognitive performance; and supporting muscle repair. als that promote relaxation. Avoid the nightcap. Despite
what you may think, alcohol doesn’t promote healthful
Sleep is also important for keeping our immune cells ac- sleep. It may help you fall asleep more quickly, but it dis-
tive; after just one night of poor sleep, there’s a 70 percent rupts your deep sleep and REM sleep (the most restor-
reduction in their activity. Perhaps most importantly, you ative portions of your sleep cycle) and also keeps your
need an extended period of time to flush toxins known as body temperature too elevated.
beta-amyloid (Aß) that build up in the brain throughout
the day. Too much Aß in your brain is correlated with Furthermore, your bedroom environment should be as
impaired brain function and is thought to be a main con- conducive to sleep as possible. Try to ensure your room
tributor to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in is completely dark (even dim it a few hours before sleep)
later life. and relatively cool, ideally around 65°F. If you’re hav-
ing trouble falling asleep, it’s better to get out of bed,
Even if you don’t experience any of these things or feel do something relaxing, and then return to bed for sleep,
the impact immediately, slow internal changes are taking instead of staying in bed feeling restless. It’s important for
place over time that can cause disbalance in the body. your brain to associate your bed with sleep; if you stay in
These will eventually manifest in the forms of heart dis- bed while not sleeping, your brain may instead associate
ease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and hypertension. The link that feeling with being in bed, exacerbating the problem.
between poor sleep and cancer has become so profound
that the World Health Organization has classified night- Lastly, to wake up, try to avoid using an alarm clock
time shift work as a probable carcinogen. and especially one on your phone. The alarm noise and
looking at your phone first thing in the morning both send
So, what can you do to improve your slumber? Sleep hy- your cortisol levels soaring before you’ve even gotten
ABC’S TO giene should incorporate healthy pre-bedtime and wak- out of bed and will not set your day off on the right foot.
Snoozing the alarm is like a repeated trauma; avoid this
ing strategies to optimize sleep duration and sleep quality.
First things first: Seven to nine hours of sleep per night at all costs.
BETTER ZZZS Noah Buscher, courtesy unsplash.com should be nonnegotiable. As you lead up to your bed- Sleep is certainly not something to be taken lightly as it’s a
time, you should also keep in mind key do’s and don’ts.
Try not to exercise later than two to three hours before
profound element of a healthy body and a healthy mind.
We hope that this advice can help you refine your sleep
bedtime as it will raise your body temperature, working
The importance of proper shut-eye. against your body’s natural tendency to drop in tempera- routine, but if you would like any further inspiration, we
also recommend Matthew Walker’s book Why We Sleep
ture in preparation for sleep. It’s also important to eat din-
ner two to three hours before sleep as your sleep will not
(Scribner). ■

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