|
|
528 Chama, N.E., Albuquerque, NM 87108 http://www.cbass.com |
From The Desk Of Clarence Bass
By Clarence and Carol Bass
|
|
Too Little Sleep
There is a lot of sleep study information from organizations such as Stanford Center on Longevity, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, and the National Sleep Foundation, and it shifts the narrative on sleep. Sleep is no longer seen as optional but as essential to health.
The American Academy terms it "on par with nutrition and exercise."
An MIT researcher found that sleep helps the brain clear toxins and consolidate memories - poor sleep is linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, and ScienceNewsToday's Review of Sleep Benefits called sleep "an active, dynamic process, not passive downtime."
These studies matter because they help in creating personal habits - understanding the science might help you prioritize sleep and adopt better sleep habits.
Lack of Sleep Can Harm Your Heart
To focus on a problem caused by lack of sleep the Harvard Health Letter (November 2025) reports that regularly sleeping less than six hours per night can lead to problems that can harm your heart.
Research shows that the average person needs seven to nine hours of sleep per night. When we age it is common to sleep a little less than seven hours. But if you are getting less than six hours per night, you are getting into the danger area, especially for your heart.
Why Does it Hurt Your Heart?
It isn't necessarily a direct cause of heart problems. It triggers a long list of changes--such as increases in blood pressure, blood sugar, and inflammation--that contribute to heart problems. Studies have shown that chronic sleep deficiencies are linked to nearly three times the risk of heart disease and a 20% higher risk of heart attacks.
A lack of sleep disrupts hunger and appetite, causing us to eat more foods rich in fat and carbs, which lead to weight gain.
A nationwide survey found that those of us who average less that seven hours of sleep have higher rates of obesity, compared to those who get an adequate amounts of sleep. Obesity is a major cause of heart disease, inflammation, and diabetes.
What are Better Sleep Habits?
Waking up at the same time is important. The key is going to bed at the same time, making sure the two compute to at least seven hours; better yet eight hours.
Harvard Health Letter lists ways to help if you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. The headlines are self-explanatory: create a healthy sleeping environment, turn off electronic devices, turn lights low, avoid late-night exercise, no nightcaps, and cut down on caffeine.
They end by urging you to see your doctor if you have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep. There are a number of health problems that can be addressed to ensure better sleep, such as restless legs syndrome, medication side effects, and sleep apnea.
My Additional Recommendation
If you are really interested in getting the details on your sleep, you might also consider using one of the fitness trackers such as Fitbit or Apple watch, or the Oura or Galaxy ring that gives you a daily readout on your sleep patterns. Some of these so-called biohacking devices require a yearly subscription fee.
It is interesting to see how much "deep sleep" you are getting each night as registered by the devices. Deep sleep is slow-wave sleep or stage 3 non-Rem sleep, which is the phase where your body and brain are undergoing the most recovery. It is at this stage that muscle tissue repairs and growth hormones are released, among other things.
The recommendation is that deep sleep make up about 20-25% of your total sleep time. If you sleep 7-9 hours that would mean 1.5 to 2 hours of deep sleep.
These devices can also be a negative if you let them make you feel bad about the results. Data from lab studies and the wearables have shown that athletes often get less than 1.5 hours of deep sleep even with 7-9 hours in bed. Endurance athletes and those in high-intensity sports may experience sleep disturbances due to hormonal and sympathetic nervous system activity.
Take the results with a grain of salt and use them to get a general sense of your own particular pattern of sleep because each person is an experiment of one. There is no one right answer for everyone.
Some years back we used the Fitbit watch for this feature and found it interesting, but the information we received did not change the pattern of our training or daily schedule which was already working for us. We had biohacked ourselves as much as we were going to.
Dark Showering
Recently, as well there have been recommendations that you try "dark showering," at the end of the day - a method long used in Japan and India where lights are turned just low enough to see as you shower, creating a less stimulating environment and encouraging a calmer meditative state for sleep benefits.
My Take On Sleep
Carol goes to bed at the same time every night and has little or no trouble staying asleep.
I'm not nearly as regular.
I often watch a ballgame or something else. That keeps my mind from wandering off trying to solve problems of the day.
I also nap during the day, which some people call "banking" sleep. (Winston Churchill was known for napping during the day.)
I believe I sleep at least seven hours all together.
I've got the message, however, and hope our readers will as well.
November 1, 2025
Comment on this article: FEEDBACK Ripped Enterprises, P.O. Box 51236, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87181-1236 Home | Products Index | Ripped Bks | Lean Adv. Bks | Lean For Life | Recommended Bks | |Consultations | Tapes | To Order | Feedback] Copyright © 2025 Clarence and Carol Bass. All rights reserved.
|
