003 // Sleep's Connection to Eating Healthy

As we learned in last week's email (you can read it here), our bodies come fully loaded with internal clocks (circadian rhythm). As we understand how our systems ebb and flow, we can orient our days so we work with our bodies and not against them. Also in recap, one-off tactics to get healthy usually don't work. To illustrate these points further, this email will give you insight into the connection between sleep and eating well, as well as some practicals on how to get better sleep.

Your body is largely controlled by hormones. Hormones are little chemical messengers that travel through your body and make things happen. When it comes to appetite and energy balance, there are two main players: leptin and ghrelin.

• Ghrelin: makes you feel hungry
• Leptin: makes you feel full

When you don't get enough sleep, ghrelin levels increase, while leptin is suppressed. Quite literally, your body is telling you to eat more and to stay hungry. When you aren't rested and recovered, your body can go into a survival mode and as a result, try to capture as much energy (food) as possible to survive.

Another bummer is that you crave simple carbohydrates (junk food). You've probably felt this before...the "will power" to make healthy choices is gone. It's not there because your hormone friends are sending different messages.

How to sleep better:

1. Good sleep starts in the morning. Wake up as close to sunrise as you can and right when you get up, go outside and get sunlight for at least 10 minutes, even if it's cloudy. This helps set your circadian rhythm, signaling to your body that it's the morning... making it easy to wind down at night because you're on schedule :)
2. Be active during the day. Your body uses sleep to recover and repair from the day. If you didn't do anything during the day, it doesn't have much to recover from. The more active you are, the more tired and in need of rest you are. Not exactly rocket science.
3. Consistent sleep/wake time. Go to bed and wake up at the same time. Your body craves routine and will start to anticipate sleep, releasing the hormone (melatonin) to make you sleepy hours before. "Sleeping in" on the weekends throws your body off this rhythm (kinda like jet lag). So avoid that unless you need to catch up.
4. Avoid artificial blue light at night. Our modern indoor lighting and screens emit harsh blue light. This blue light signals to your body that its still daytime, so it will keep all systems going, while suppressing melatonin. Dim the lights, use candles and opt for a book instead of your phone before bed. (We'll dive more into artificial light later).
5. Create a Ritual. Prepare for sleep... make your bedroom a sanctuary for your last hour before bed. Be intentional about winding down and calming your mind. Take it seriously.

Like I've said before — your body is a living, breathing miracle. Everything affects everything. Be grateful that your body is constantly looking for ways to bring you into balance and healing. Understand that your natural state of being is health. You aren't spinning your wheels trying to get to the top of the mountain to achieve wellness. You are returning to living in alignment with yourself.. and in that place, is wellness.

See you next week.

TOMMY

// if you need help in any specific way, hit reply and let's talk.

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Email Archive:

​001 // Step 1 to a Healthy Life​

​002 // Your Body Runs on Clocks [Circadian Health]