Virtually everyone has experienced sleep deprivation at some time. It can be from anxiety over an exam or being kept awake by a colicky baby. There are so many reasons anyone can have for not getting enough sleep, but the National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute lists four specific ways to determine if you are sleep deprived:
To get to the root of sleep issues, you need to understand that there are two basic types of sleep. One is rapid eye movement (REM) and the other, non-REM. Non-REM is commonly called deep sleep whereas dreaming occurs during REM sleep. The two types of sleep generally occur in a pattern of three to five cycles per night. To function and feel well while awake depends on whether you get enough of both types of sleep. It also depends on whether you’re sleeping when your body is actually prepared to sleep.
Why and how you sleep
Everyone has an internal clock that controls wakefulness and when the body is ready for sleep. This body clock follows a 24-hour cycle called the circadian rhythm, which is controlled by the increasing need to sleep as each waking hour passes in combination with environmental cues, such as light and darkness.
The body releases chemicals in a daily rhythm, which the body clock controls. When it gets dark, the body releases melatonin, which signals that it’s time to prepare for sleep. Melatonin in the bloodstream peaks during the evening, causing sleepiness. Exposure to bright artificial light during this time can disrupt this state of sleep preparedness and result in the inability to fall asleep. On the other hand, when the sun rises, the body release cortisol, which prepares the body to wake up.
The circadian rhythm and timing of the body clock changes with age. Teens fall asleep later at night than younger children and adults, because their melatonin is released later in the 24-hour cycle. Young children tend to sleep more in the early evening while teens tend to sleep more in the morning. Older adults become more similar to young children in their sleeping patterns: early to bed and early to rise.
Importance of sleep
Sleep affects overall physical health, because it’s involved in the process of healing and repairing the heart and blood vessels. When there is a chronic sleep deficiency, there is an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and stroke.
Too little sleep also increases the risk of obesity in many age groups, ranging from teenagers to the aged. This is because sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of ghrelin, the hormone illicits hunger, and leptin, which gives a feeling or fullness. Ghrelin levels go up when the body has too little sleep, making you feel hungrier than when you are well rested.
Sleep also affects the body’s reaction to insulin, the hormone that controls blood glucose levels. Not enough sleep results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, and that increases the risk for diabetes.
Natural hormones that promote growth in children and teenagers are triggered by deep sleep. This same hormone also boosts muscle mass and helps repair cells and tissues not only in youths but in adults as well.
Even the immune system relies on sleep for optimal function. Chronic sleep deficiency changes the way the immune system responds to foreign or harmful substances—this is why you seem to get sick more easily when you are sleep deprived or fatigued.
People who routinely or chronically sleep less than needed do not function at optimal levels during their waking hours, and bad sleep habits over the long term will affect their health. The National Heart, Lung & Blood Institute recommends the following amounts of sleep for various stages of life:
| Age | Recommended Amount of Sleep |
| Newborns | 16–18 hours a day |
| Preschool-aged children | 11–12 hours a day |
| School-aged children | At least 10 hours a day |
| Teens | 9–10 hours a day |
| Adults (including the elderly) | 7–8 hours a day |
In maintaining good sleep habits and restful cycles that support the body’s defense system, LPGN IBOs are at a distinct advantage with access to Laminine and IMMUNE+++. Many IBOs report significantly improved sleep after taking Laminine. Be sure you have both on Auto-Delivery, so you never run out!
Share the benefits of how Laminine can help you develop good sleep patterns, while IMMUNE+++ works to boost your defense system. It’s National Sleep Awareness Week and the perfect time to tell all your family, friends and acquaintances about the importance of sleep. Sweet dreams!