Metabolic and Mental Health
Here’s How I Corrected My Sleep Issues in 7 Steps and Reaped Many Health Benefits.
Sleep deprivation could lead to serious health issues affecting millions of people if it remains unresolved.
Purpose of the Article
This article briefly introduces life dissatisfaction with sleep issues and provides practical takeaways using healthy lifestyle approaches to address them.
Inspiration for the Article
Subscribers who noticed my mention of sleep in many health improvement articles requested me to write a piece summarizing the key points based on my reviews, observations, and experience. I like the idea coming from the readers. Thus, I decided to pen this piece with critical issues, including practical takeaway points.
Significance of Sleep for Health
Sleep is one of the fundamental requirements for our physical and mental health. More specifically, sleep is critical for cellular, metabolic, immune, endocrine, and mental health.
The body and mind cannot survive without adequate sleep and cannot thrive without restorative sleep. We might sleep long hours, but if our sleep is not quality, the body cannot recover, and the brain cannot create memories efficiently.
So we need adequate quality sleep, also known as restorative sleep. Different sleep phases, such as rem, light, and deep sleep, occur at night, and all are required for various functions.
When I fixed my sleep issues, I resolved many health issues that disrupted my quality of life in my younger years. The most significant benefit of restorative sleep for me was defeating chronic stress and chronic inflammation.
When I fixed my sleep issues, losing visceral fat and gaining lean muscles became effortless. Life became more enjoyable and satisfying.
Another friend, after fixing his sleep issues, lost significant visceral fat, as I documented in an article titled Fred Slept Better and Lost 44 Pounds.
I also heard similar sentiments from other people who solved their sleep issues. Therefore, I am keen to pass along my hard-learned lessons.
In short, restorative sleep can activate the body’s self-healing system preventing health conditions.
Causes of Sleep Deprivation
I’d like first to explain the causes of sleep deprivation so my protocols can make better sense.
Like many people, I suffered from sleep deprivation and insomnia in my younger years for various reasons. In hindsight, I was doing everything wrong and was wondering why I couldn’t sleep like some people.
Even though there might be genetic connections, some people have more difficulty than their family members. For example, a friend with a twin sister can’t sleep as well as her sibling. Sadly, she felt ashamed to disclose the situation to her parents. Therefore, they had no clue about her sleep disturbance until she grew up.
In my childhood, sleep was not an issue for me. When I had less sleep in a day, I had more the next day. My real problems started at college when I adopted a new lifestyle with a restrictive diet.
When I looked back, I identified four major causes.
1 — The first one was my anxious mind contributing to my sleep deprivation.
2 — The second point was my ambition for personal and professional development, which led to chronic stress and inflammation.
3 — The third one was the hormonal imbalance caused by wrong diets and workout regimes.
4 — In addition, my sleep hygiene was problematic, which made the situation worse.
Even though numerous hormones play a role in sleep, the most critical ones are cortisol and melatonin determine our sleep and wakefulness, as I explained in an article titled The Critical Role of Cortisol in Sleep Disturbances.
Importance of Understanding Adenosine Molecule
I’d like to highlight a critical metabolic molecule we need to know to form sleep homeostasis and maintain sleep cycles. It is called adenosine.
Adenosine is a signaling molecule informing the body to fall asleep. This signaling indicates that the cells don’t have enough energy.
In short, the more adenosine accumulates in the brain during the day, the sleepier we feel at night.
Unfortunately, caffeine is a massive risk in preventing sleep because it acts as an adenosine receptor antagonist. Therefore, we feel energetic when we consume caffeine, which is great during the day but terrible at night, leading to insomnia and sleep deprivation.
Refraining from caffeine afternoons might be necessary for some of us. For example, I couldn’t sleep properly after consuming coffee at around 3 PM. Based on our metabolic rate, caffeine might stay in the bloodstream for around 8 to 12 hours.
I introduced the details of adenosine in another article.
The next critical point about understanding adenosine’s role in sleep is the importance of exercise in sleep architecture. I cover this point in section #5.
1 — Fix the anxious mind.
Anxious thoughts and feelings adversely affect our sleep. When we have a stressful day and if we cannot stop our recurring thoughts, it can be challenging to sleep.
As my anxious mind was one of the primary causes of my sleep deprivation in my younger years, I worked a lot on this topic. I tried several techniques based on my reviews and tips from health communities. These experiments helped me a lot.
The most effective and sustainable way to calm the mind and reduce anxiety is meditation and other mindfulness practices. For example, my sleep problems disappeared after starting a half-hour meditation daily. Furthermore, sleep quality significantly improved.
I also use self-talk, therapeutic writing, listening to music, dancing, working in a flow state, and performing pilates to reduce my anxiety and stress. I pay special attention to emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility to gain a better mental and emotional profile.
If you have anxiety disorders, this condition requires guidance and support from qualified healthcare professionals, such as psychiatrists, who can diagnose and treat the situation with medication or behavioral therapy.
I wrote several articles about anxiety. Here are the two that might give you different perspectives.
A Shift from Anxious to Confident and Calm Mind in Two Steps
Here’s Why I See Anxiety and Fear as Friends Rather Than Enemies
2 — Balance Hormones.
Hormones affect both physical and mental health. For example, hormonal imbalance is one of the root causes of sleep disturbances.
The two critical hormones for sleep and wakefulness are melatonin and cortisol. Moreover, cortisol plays the opposite position to melatonin.
However, other hormones like insulin, growth hormones and sex hormones (e.g., estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) affect sleep quality.
From my reviews, testosterone reaches the highest during REM sleep. For women, estrogen plays a role in the metabolism of the critical mineral magnesium.
Blood sugar and insulin spikes also affect sleep quality. In addition to many scientific articles, this paper examined the association between poor glycemic control, impaired sleep quality, and increased arterial thickening in type II diabetic patients.
The chemical compound with many functions in the cells acting as a neurotransmitter, histamine, also affect our sleep quality.
If you experience hormonal issues, getting them fixed with support from a hormone specialist like an endocrinologist is necessary.
I wrote multiple articles about hormones. Related to sleep, you might check this article titled Fix Hormonal Sleep Issues and Improve Sleep Quality in 3 Easy Steps.
You may also review this article to learn more about hormones affecting our metabolic and mental health. Hormonal Intelligence: Sharpen It to Achieve Optimal Health
3 — Create a Sleep Hygiene and Stick to It
Sleep hygiene is a fundamental requirement for restorative sleep. In this section, I summarize the key points.
I wrote numerous articles about sleep hygiene and the importance of monitoring our sleep. Interested readers might check this article Smart Sleep Habits — Chapter 5.
Here are the takeaway points from my experience.
1 — Prevent eyes from blue lights at night.
2 — Keep your bedroom cooler than other rooms (e.g.,18C).
3 — Keep your bedroom dark or use eye-musk to prevent lights.
4 — Consider noise cancellation earplugs if your home is in a noisy suburb.
5 — Consider supplementing with magnesium as a qualified healthcare professional advises if your diet does not include enough of it.
6 — Ensure your room has fresh air. Consider an air cleaning machine or Himalayan salt lamps in the bedroom if you live in a polluted area.
7 — Write your worries on a paper before going to bed and don’t think about them when trying to sleep.
8— If you wake up for any reason and cannot sleep, change room and perform boring tasks such as reading a non-stimulating book.
9 — Expose your eyes to sunlight briefly as the first thing when you wake up.
It is also essential to have a supportive bed and pillow.
The biggest unhygienic item considered watching TV, playing computer games, or using mobile phones with social media in the bedroom.
4 — Consume nutrient-dense food and fix digestive issues.
Like all aspects of health, a nutritious diet is also necessary for quality sleep. A lack of minerals and vitamins can stress the body and mind, causing sleep deprivation.
Thus fixing nutritional deficiency is necessary to improve sleep quality. There might be a need for supplementation and medication for some people. It is essential to obtain timely guidance and support from qualified healthcare professionals.
Digestive issues are also problematic for sleep. For example, overeating causes sleep deprivation. In addition, an upset stomach, leaky gut, bloating, and other digestive issues can interrupt our sleep.
5 — Perform regular and joyful exercises.
Regular exercise is beneficial for our health for various reasons. Workouts are also necessary for improving sleep. Movements during the day make contributions to sleep quality from multiple angles.
The first one is increasing the amount of adenosine in the brain, which can make us sleepier at night. This point is critical for those who cannot fall asleep quickly.
The second benefit of exercise is removing toxins from the body through the lymphatic system. The third benefit is to increase blood flow and oxygenate the body leading to more cleansing and balancing hormones.
I tried different exercise protocols. For me walking barefoot on the grass or beach sand provided the best outcome. When I measured my sleep quality through my smartwatch for months, I noticed that my sleep quality was much higher on those days I completed 10,000 or more steps.
Performing calisthenics and jumping on the trampoline also helps me sleep better. However, my sleep quality decreased when I did these exercises less than four hours before bed.
6 — Use the power of thermogenesis.
Thermogenesis is one of my popular lifehacks. It helps me in many ways. I use cold and heat to improve my health and fitness.
Using dry saunas during the day enhanced the sleep quality of many people in my circles and me. The excess heat of the sauna helps us reduce toxins via perspiration.
Some people benefit from taking hot baths with Epsom Salts. I tried it many times and enjoyed it very much.
However, my lifehack is to have mixed cold and hot showers half an hour before bedtime. So, for example, I turn the hot tap for 30 seconds and switch back to the cold tab for 30 seconds.
I do it five to seven times. Some people do less and some more. It is a personal choice. The key point is that alternating cold with hot water can reset the circadian rhythm, allowing better sleep quality.
You might check the following links if you want to learn more about the benefits and use cases of thermogenesis for health and well-being.
Here’s What Happened When I Experimented with Thermogenesis for Decades.
A Cold Shower a Day Might Keep the Doctor Away in My Experience
7 — Act mindfully and meditate regularly.
As stress and anxiety are the major causes of sleep deprivation, reducing them with mindfulness practices is effective. Mindfulness methods are ideal for managing thoughts and emotions.
Numerous studies indicated the benefits of meditation and other mindfulness practices for improving sleep quality. The key mechanism is reducing stress and preventing its accumulation.
When I increased my meditation sessions from one to three times a day, I noticed a significant improvement in my sleep quality.
When we act mindfully during the day, we can manage our stress better and prevent it from exceeding the threshold. Chronic stress, due to the hormonal effect, can cause sleep issues. Meditation prevents the accumulation of stress.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Even though most of us know the importance of sleep for physical and mental health, some of us experience sleep deprivation knowingly or unknowingly face the consequences.
Understanding the significance of sleep for everyone is essential. Unfortunately, I met educated people who believe they can survive with a few hours of sleep by using stimulants. These people burn out very quickly.
However, some of us experience sleep deprivation due to underlying health conditions such as hormonal imbalance. For these situations, timely support from qualified healthcare professionals is essential.
Sleep issues can make other issues even worse. For example, long-term sleep deprivation causing elevated cortisol levels can make the patient’s body insulin and leptin resistant. Then insulin resistance leads to type II diabetes, heart disease, and neurological disorders.
Takeaways
1 — Find ways to reduce stress and anxiety.
2 — Balance the hormones with healthy lifestyle choices.
3 — Create effective sleep hygiene and stick to it.
4 — Consume nutrient-dense food and prevent digestive issues.
5 — Keep moving joyfully.
6 — Use cold and health to reset the circadian rhythm.
7 — Meditate or use other mindfulness techniques to manage thoughts and emotions.
Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.
Besides aiming to increase the hormonal intelligence of my readers and writing about neurotransmitters such as dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, GABA, acetylcholine, and norepinephrine, one of my goals as a writer is to raise awareness about the causes and risk factors of prevalent diseases that can lead to suffering and death for a large portion of the population.
I aim to educate, create awareness, and empower my readers to take control of their health and well-being.
As a new reader, please check my holistic health and well-being stories reflecting my reviews, observations, and decades of experiments optimizing my hormones and neurotransmitters. I write about health as it matters. I believe health is all about homeostasis.
Petechiae, ALS, Metabolic Syndrome, Type II Diabetes, Fatty Liver Disease, Heart Disease, Strokes, Obesity, Liver Cancer, Autoimmune Disorders, Homocysteine, Lungs Health, Pancreas Health, Kidneys Health, NCDs, Infectious Diseases, Brain Health, Dementia, Depression, Brain Atrophy, Neonatal Disorders, Skin Health, Dental Health, Bone Health, Leaky Gut, Leaky Brain, Brain Fog, Chronic Inflammation, Insulin Resistance, Elevated Cortisol, Leptin Resistance, Anabolic Resistance, Cholesterol, High Triglycerides, Metabolic Disorders, Gastrointestinal Disorders, Thyroid Disorders, Anemia, Dysautonomia, cardiac output, and urinary track disorders.
I also wrote about valuable nutrients. Here are the links for easy access:
Lutein/Zeaxanthin, Phosphatidylserine, Boron, Urolithin, taurine, citrulline malate, biotin, lithium orotate, alpha-lipoic acid, n-acetyl-cysteine, acetyl-l-carnitine, CoQ10, PQQ, NADH, TMG, creatine, choline, digestive enzymes, magnesium, zinc, hydrolyzed collagen, nootropics, pure nicotine, activated charcoal, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B1, Vitamin D, Vitamin K2, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine, and other nutrients.
Disclaimer: My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.
As part of my creative non-fiction writing goals, I’d like to share a few stories that might warm our hearts with a bit of humor into weighty topics.
Sample Humorous Stories
Finally, After Burning Her House, Georgia Found Enlightenment
Hilarious Tips to Prevent Brain Atrophy and Keep the Gray Matter Giggling
8 Psychological Points I Had to Unlearn and Relearn the Opposite
Based on my writing experience and observations, I documented findings and strategies that might help you amplify your voice, engage your audience, and achieve your desired outcomes in your writing journey.
I publish my lifestyle, health, and well-being stories on EUPHORIA. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.
You might join my six publications on Medium as a writer by sending a request via this link. 22K writers contribute to my publications. You might find more information about my professional background.
As a writer, blogger, content developer, and reader, you might join Medium, Vocal Media, NewsBreak, Medium Writing Superstars, Writing Paychecks, WordPress, Cliqly, and Thinkers360 with my referral links. These affiliate links will not cost you extra to join the services.
