Many are still in the dark about the profound implications of sleep, or lack thereof.

But the biological rhythm of sleeping and waking (circadian rhythm) is linked to your metabolism and cannot be overlooked. The 24-hour circadian rhythms govern fundamental physiological functions in all humans. These circadian clocks are the essential “time-tracking systems” in your body, and when they’re disrupted, poor health through a variety of mechanisms can ensue.

In terms of your metabolism, evidence suggests that an enzyme protein—which is an essential molecular gear of the circadian machinery—interacts with a protein that senses cell energy levels and modulates metabolism and aging. So there’s a tightly regulated codependency between your circadian clock and your metabolism and cellular performance.

This also suggests that proper sleep and diet may help maintain or rebuild the balance between your circadian clock and your metabolism, and could also help explain why lack of rest or disruption of normal sleep patterns can increase hunger, leading to obesity-related illnesses and accelerated aging.

It’s important to realize that your circadian rhythm evolved over hundreds of generations to align your physiology with your environment, which involves sleeping at night and staying awake during daylight hours. If you deprive yourself of sleep, you’re effectively disrupting your biological processes, including those regulating your metabolism.

In addition, lack of sleep has been shown to affect levels of leptin and ghrelin, two hormones linked with appetite and eating behavior. When you are sleep deprived, your body decreases production of leptin, the hormone that tells your brain there is no need for more food. At the same time it increases levels of ghrelin, a hormone that triggers hunger.

The end result is decreased satiety, hunger pangs, and a sluggish metabolism…

Key recommendations to improve your sleep are :-

Go to sleep by 10.30pm and wake between 6 ands 7.30am

Avoid all caffeine after 1pm

Sleep in a completely dark room

Good night

Peter Lemon

5/4/11