“Now, a lot of studies show that not getting enough sleep can lower your metabolic function, be associated with cardiovascular problems, cancer and breast cancer in women and increase our mortality. Sleep deprivation also increases your sensitivity to pain. If you have a problem with depression, one of the criteria is a change in sleep,” Reid said.
"Most of all, losing sleep alters your metabolism, setting the stage for weight gain. Scientists at the University of Chicago have found that a sleep debt of three to four hours over a few days was all it took to provoke metabolic changes that mimicked pre-diabetes." [2]
The Sleep Cycle:
Our sleep/wake cycle is governed by circadian rhythms, with two daily peak times for sleeping, night and midday. As the sun goes down in the late afternoon, the cells in the retina of the eye send a message to a cluster of nerve cells called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SNA or circadian clock), which is located in the hypothalamus deep in the center of the brain. The SNA then signals the pineal gland located in the hypothalamus to produce the hormone melatonin, which is manufactured from the amino acid tryptophan. [3]
Interesting Articles
- Link Between Sleep, Immune System in Stanford Study http://healthnewsresearch.com/?p=189
- Older People Needlessly Suffer Sleepless Nights: http://healthnewsresearch.com/?p=102
- Scientist Records Surprising Brain ‘Dialogue’ During Sleep: http://healthnewsresearch.com/?p=135
