YOUR 2024 BRAIN BRAWN MINI RESOLUTION SLEEP BETTER: WEEK 1

Originally published March 11, 2024

​Sweet Sleep
 
Hello and Happy Monday!
 
It has been said that sleep is of the brain, by the brain and for the brain. As such, for our next resolution, we will explore what is currently understood about sleep and the brain, and what you can implement and avoid in order to improve your sleep.
 
We’ve curated tips to help improve your sleep, which we'll discuss in greater depth each week.

For our 7-week sleep resolution, we encourage you to try one of our sleep tips each day, as well as track the hours spent in bed.
 
You can view our tips and log at the bottom of our weekly emails. You can also view the tips by clicking here.
 
It is also important to consider the quality of sleep within the hours spent in bed. Variables affecting sleep quality include time to fall asleep, hours asleep vs. hours in bed, number of nocturnal wakings, and rising feeling refreshed. These variables are best measured by a sleep tracker. If you have an interest in obtaining one, here are a few to consider.

GLOSSARY OF SLEEP-RELATED TERMS

Circadian Rhythm. The 24-hour life cycle of an organism. It is most affected by lightness and darkness and impacts physical, mental and behavioral changes within the organism.
 
Sleep Pressure. The pressure to sleep. It is lowest in the morning upon rising and builds throughout the day to be highest at night.
 
Adenosine. A neurotransmitter that promotes sleep pressure. High amounts of adenosine promote sleep pressure.
 
Sleep Efficiency. The ratio between time spent sleeping vs. time spent in bed. Sleep efficiency of 85% or greater is considered ideal.
 
Sleep Latency. The time it takes a person to fall asleep. Less than 20 minutes is ideal.
 
Sleep Architecture. The basic pattern of normal sleep, divided into REM and non-REM sleep.
 
Glymphatic System. The waste clearance system for the central nervous system. It is most active at night during sleep.
 
Sleep Debt. The difference between the amount of sleep needed and the amount of sleep achieved.

Sleep and Brain Health

No one really knows why we sleep. Theories abound, but the exact reason is unknown. However, we do know chronic sleep disruption leads to a litany of health disorders and absolute sleep deprivation can lead to death. Likewise, while the exact mechanism by which sleep protects the brain is unclear, it is known that sleep disruption is a critical risk factor for neurodegeneration. Interestingly, some theorize the brain is a biological computer and sleep is the reset button for the operating system.

Here are some highlights of what we currently understand about sleep and the brain:
 

• Sleep is in fact so critical that it is considered an important preventive strategy and therapeutic intervention for Alzheimer’s Disease. Recommended interventions for improving sleep include cognitive behavioral therapy, exercise, socialization, melatonin and light therapy. Much of what we will cover here this month will include first line of defense behavioral strategies. We will not be addressing the medical conditions OSA and RLS.
  
  
• Sleep is induced by neurons (brain cells).
  
  
• It is thought that the relationship between sleep & neurodegeneration is bi-directional, meaning that sleep disturbances affect the development of neurodegeneration, and that neurodegeneration disrupts sleep. It is often unclear, however, as to which came first (the chicken or the egg?!). Sleep changes are considered a predictive, pre-clinical symptom of neurodegenerative conditions. And up to 45% of those diagnosed with neurodegenerative conditions experience sleep disturbances.
  
  
• Adults who habitually nap are at high risk for cognitive disorders.
  
  
• Those who habitually use sleeping pills are at high risk for neurodegenerative conditions (one study places the risk of developing dementia for sleeping pill users at 80%). Sleeping pills are NOT considered the first line of defense in older adults with sleep disorders.
  
  
• The Goldilocks timeframe for protective sleep is 5-7 hours a night. High risk sleep times are 4 or fewer hours a night, or 10 or more. In studies, the more sleep is restricted, the worse cognitive performance gets on subsequent testing.
  
  
• It is well-established that we consolidate and strengthen our memories during sleep. The two cognitive domains most affected by sleep loss are attention and memory.
  
  
• Sleep loss leads to activation of the fight or flight system, thereby increasing cortisol and blood pressure. Activation of the fight or flight system also weakens the immune system which leads to an increase in oxidative stress and permeability of the blood brain barrier. Metabolic health is also impacted, leading to insulin resistance (last month we discussed how excessive blood sugar impacts the brain). One of the magical functions of sleep is to reduce metabolites from the brain. Essentially, sleep detoxifies the brain via the glymphatic system

A bi-directional relationship also exists between sleep and exercise, and it deserves some extra attention here:
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• Exercise resyncs the Circadian Rhythm.
  
  
• Exercise promotes sleep by regulating the central nervous system, endocrine system, metabolism and body temperature.
  
  
• As people age, they tend to spend less time in the critical later sleep stages, but people who exercise spend more time in these later stages of sleep than those who do not exercise.
  
  
• People who exercise have an enhanced “rest and digest” system, which is the counter to the “fight or flight” system, improving both sleep and mood.
  
  
• Exercise can reverse cognitive decline induced by lack of sleep.

​With all this in mind, use the calendar below to log your time in bed. If you have a sleep tracker, log actual hours slept. Note that the benefits of each resolution build upon the others, and the habits we develop are meant to stay with us well beyond the month the resolution is held. We will continue to log meals without sugar alongside our sleep progress.

Feel free to email your Motivated Mondays Coach Michele at [email protected] with your individual questions. See you next week!
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Click for CCP's Curated Sleep Tips

​TRACK YOUR PROGRESS:  YOUR MINI RESOLUTION TO SLEEP BETTER

Log how many hours you've slept each day, and record which sleep tip you followed from the above link. Click to view and download the log.