Anti-Aging and Adequate Rest!

One of the most overlooked aspects of an anti-aging regimen is also one of the most important: adequate sleep on a regular, nightly basis!

Increased distractions in the modern world are eating into the time that has been reserved by your body (after years of natural evolution) for total body rejuvenation. Every night, while you rest, your body works to repair and re-energize the largest organ in your body, which also happens to be the most visible – your skin! Every day, millions of cells die off from environmental influences, sun damage, and dry or peeling skin. Sleep is the only regenerative cycle that can work naturally for you in undoing the aging effects of the day. With proper sleep, the skin can rebuild the dead and dying cells and work to produce the growth hormone that helps keep you looking young and vibrant. During sleep, your body also releases melatonin, which has incredibly positive effects on your skin and your immune system. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, you are robbing yourself of the truly beautiful skin that you deserve!

Most medical studies suggest an average of eight hours of sleep per night, but many people actually require around nine hours of complete, restful sleep. Unfortunately, with so many distractions in today’s age, most adults end up getting only five or six solid hours of rest! I recommend getting enough sleep to feel completely rested on a regular basis, so that your body has the time to naturally work for you and your anti-aging desires.

Sleep is essential to give your body time to build and recover from the stresses of the day. I have compiled several tips to assist you in falling asleep (and staying that way) throughout each and every night.

Fatty foods take a lot of work for your stomach to digest and may keep you up due to increased energy obtained from eating. Snacking increases your blood sugar and this interferes with growth hormone production - essential in looking younger, longer.

Alcohol consumption can induce sleep disorders by disrupting the sequence and duration of sleep states and by altering the time it takes to fall asleep, as well as total sleep time. Alcohol reduces your sleep quality because it pumps norepinephrine into the system, which can cause you to wake at odd hours of the night.

It should be obvious, but avoid caffeinated food and drink (including coffee, soft drinks, tea and chocolate) several hours before bed. Caffeine is a natural chemical that activates the central nervous system, which means that it revs up nerves and thought processes, which can disrupt your body’s “resting” cycle.

Your circadian rhythm is your 24-hour daily cycle. If you begin to keep a regular sleep schedule (going to bed and waking at the same time every day), you will begin to feel refreshed and more energized. After some time, you will begin waking naturally – without an alarm! This is your body’s way of letting you know it is receiving the rest it needs. If you require an alarm on a daily basis, this is your body’s way of letting you know that you need more sleep, and you should probably go to bed earlier on a daily basis.

A “before bedtime” routine will assist your body in relaxing in preparation to sleep. A regular schedule helps the body shut down at the end of the day and “turns off” the body’s alert system for the next “activity.” During this “before bedtime” routine, you should turn off your television or computer, as the light will suppress melatonin production and the activity on the screen over-stimulates the mind. Instead of looking at a bright screen, try listening to music or practice pre-bedtime meditation and stretching. Take a relaxing bath to float away the stresses of the day. These activities will cause the brain to slow down and the thought processes to relax, enabling the body to prepare for rest. If you are finding it hard to fall asleep, try a relaxation technique, like visualization or deep breathing - both of which can be done without getting out of bed.

Regular, aerobic exercise improves heart health and blood pressure, builds bone and muscle, helps combat stress and muscle tension, and can even improve your mood by releasing feel-good endorphins into your bloodstream.  Physical tiredness will also cause you to sleep soundly. Exercise can cause you to sleep longer, while also helping you feel more awake and energized during the day.

To get a more direct sleep-promoting benefit from morning exercise, you can combine it with exposure to outdoor light. Being exposed to natural light in the morning, whether you're exercising or not, can improve your sleep at night by reinforcing your body's circadian cycle.

Try to schedule at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three or four times a week.  Exercise earlier in the day, however, as exercise stimulates the body and aerobic activity before bedtime may make falling asleep more difficult.