Sleep

Regular, good quality sleep is important[i].  As we saw with sunlight, our pineal gland produces a hormone called melatonin that regulates our circadian rhythm.  Melatonin[ii] is associated with longevity[iii] Disruption to our circadian rhythm brings pineal gland dysfunction and eventual failure which is what initiates the aging process[iv].  What to do about it – avoid alcohol, limit caffeine[v], ensure daily hydration, stop eating at least 2 hours before bedtime and stop screen time at least 2 hours before bedtime. 

Make a list of all of the things that keep you awake at night and should you wake thinking about them, remind yourself that you’ve written these things on a list and you can deal with them in the daytime. 

What preparations will you take to get 7-8 hours sleep[vi] at night as part of your nutrition goals?

[i]Yin, J. et al. (2017). Relationship of sleep duration with all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular events: A systematic review and dose-response meta‐analysis of prospective cohort studies. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(9), e005947.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.117.005947

[ii] . Srinivasan V, Cardinali DP, Srinivasan US, Kaur C, Brown GM, et al. Therapeutic potential of melatonin and its analogs in Parkinson's disease: focus on sleep and neuroprotection. Ther Adv Neurol Disord. 2011;4:297–317.

[iii]  Oaknin-Bendahan S, Anis Y, Nir I, Zisapel N. Effects of long-term administration of melatonin and a putative antagonist on the ageing rat. Neuroreport. 1995;6:785–788.

[iv] Rozencwaig R, Grad BR, Ochoa J. The role of melatonin and serotonin in aging. Med Hypotheses. 1987;23:337–352.

[v] Nutrition Guide for Clinicians. 828

[vi] Yin, J. et al. (2017). Relationship of sleep duration with all‐cause mortality and cardiovascular events: A systematic review and dose-response meta‐analysis of prospective cohort studies. Journal of the American Heart Association, 6(9), e005947.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.117.005947