The one missing ingredient of a healthy lifestyle could be sleep

IT’s been a tough year so far, with ever-changing budgets and weather fronts, but the questions I am asked by readers and clients remain the same. What’s the best exercise? How do I get more energy? And what are the best foods to get me a flat tummy?

There has been a lot of talk recently about the importance of sleep, and the fact that getting a good night’s sleep is a contributory factor to keeping in trim. The fact is that a major component of lean muscle building is down to the quality of your sleep. Remember, the more lean muscle you have the higher your metabolism, the more you burn fat. Our sleeping hours is when all of this happens.

Even if you do a tough, regular workout and try to eat cleaner, you may feel you’re still not getting the results you want. In these days of hectic, busy lifestyles and stressful careers, you may find you’re not sleeping as well as you could, and this may have a negative impact on your body, as well as your mood.

Here is a closer look on how to improve the quality of one third of your life!

Most people need seven or eight hours’ sleep a night. If you are not getting enough sleep then your level of cortisol rises during the daytime. A study carried out by scientists in Belgium found that participants who slept for less than six hours had higher cortisol levels in the afternoon and early evening compared to participants getting their eight hours plus. Cortisol is a hormone that, when released, breaks down muscle tissue. It happens when the body is stressed, and the fight-or-flight mechanism kicks in. Exercising and dieting put stress on the body, so it’s important to give it the correct rest whether you’re trying to add muscle or lose fat.

A lack of sleep may also be responsible for your sugar craving. In a recent study conducted by the University of Chicago, participants’ hunger hormone levels were increased when sleep was deprived. Often in a very fatigued state the body kick-starts the internal drive to eat. In addition to this, the researchers also pointed out that sleep restriction can decrease glucose and insulin sensitivity — two of the most critical factors involved in the development or prevention of diabetes — as well as regulating the satisfaction you feel after a meal is eaten.

Another worrying factor to inconsistent sleep is increased visceral fat. This type of fat surrounds and protects your organs. When levels reach excess, it increases the risk of devloping a number of life-threatening diseases.

In one particular physiological study performed in the Czech Republic, researchers found that optimal body weight was associated with getting at least seven hours. If you are adding exercise to your routine, make sure you are getting seven to nine hours sleep consistently. If you exercise in a sleep-deprived state you are simply causing more stress to the body. When you sleep the body repairs itself, it repairs your organs as well as all of those sore muscles from working out. Without this recovery time, you are going into your next session or day at a disadvantage.

So, to sum up, sleeping well not only makes you feel more alert and “alive”, it also has an impact on your food and exercise regime. Make sure you’re getting at least seven hours each night.

Of course, for some people this is more easily said than done. If you are in a pattern of disrupted sleep, think seriously about taking on board some of the following general advice.

Start to wind the body down a few hours before bed time. Limit large meals, alcohol and exercise for at least two hours before lights out. Also, stop drinking fluids at least an hour before bed. As well as this, limit the number of electronic devices in your room — TVs, DVD players and laptops can distract you and keep you up later than you need to be.

Not only are you going to feel better, think clearer, and be much stronger when it comes to making the right food choices, you will also be promoting long-term health.

lRichard Hawkins is a personal trainer at Expert Fitness Studio on Bell Street. Contact (01491) 413416 or go to www.expertfitnessstudio.com