Red-bull not only gives you wings; it could possibly be one of the main reasons as to why you can't seem to lose that extra poundage that has crept up on you over the winter.
must...have...more...energy...NOW!!!!
That seems to be today’s motto, after all Call of Duty is not going to beat its self. Whether it's late night gaming or texting until sunrise; it's no secret that today’s youth and even some adults, strive to stay awake.
It should pretty much be next to common sense by now that our bodies need sleep in order to function properly - but how much is enough? Everyone else only getting about 5 hours too, that's reasonable enough, right?...sadly; there is no negotiating physics and the truth is that 5 hours of sleep is simply unacceptable! Now I'm sure at least ten reasons (slash excuses) as to why you can't manage more "Z" time in your schedule just flew by, but its time to face the music cupcake!
...Call my Bluff?
A couple of years ago before the obesity pandemic arose, medical students at the University of Warwick Medical School in Coventry, England conducted a study that held sleep deprivation as one of the key factors responsible for becoming obese. The study found that subjects who slept for 5 hours or less had a greater increase in body mass and found themselves with a larger waist circumference.
"Yeah but I only sleep bad during the week, I make up for it over the weekend"
...Sorry my little quotationed excuse, you're wrong...AGAIN!!!
Another study formed in 2006 showed that subjects who, apparently had no responsibilities at all and were able to sleep 9 (or more) hours a day held similar results to those who slept less. Over sleeping, or "mini coma's" as I like to refer to them as, puts your body under stress, and as stressful as sleeping for 9 hours sounds; trust me its no picnic for your body. Now you're probably wondering how one can be under stress when they get to sleep for 9 plus hours a night? Well first off; if you are able to sleep for nine or more hours on the daily, a little word of advice; get out and do something with your life! Second; your body requires certain nutrients in order to function properly and slipping in and out of nine hour comas make it difficult for your body to adjust. By eating properly (balanced meals, every 2 hours) your body begins to recognize that its nutrients are coming in at a steady pace, allowing your central nervous system to flush out/burn all the unwanted nutrients/ empty calories. Spending half the day between the sheets (alone!) in la-la land causes your body to store unwanted carbs and fats simply due to the fact that it is unable to distinguish a time that it will be receiving these vital nutrients again.
...
We all know that stress is not good for ones health. Just because your heart is not palpating out of your chest does not necessarily mean that your body is not under stress. Although it's a well known fact that weigh loss has been identified as a good stress indicator, sleep deprivation causes various hormonal changes that hold the opposite effect on the body and can ultimately lead to heart disease, diabetes and obesity.
It's a proven fact that lack of sleep produces a hormone called ghrelin. Pronounced GRELL-IN; it is the hormone that triggers hunger and since staying up all night cause the hormone to react, by doing so you are subjecting yourself to serious health complications in the future.
So, what's my point? Well, in a nutshell;
SLEEP MORE; GAIN LESS!
Stop "C.O.D.ing", put the blackberry (or iphone if you're smart) on the charger, close the laptop for about an hour before bed as technology plays a major role in sleep deprivation. By doing so you may ultimately notice a drastic improvement in your sleeping patterns and possibly your pant size!
So in the words of my good friend Michael Scott;
"Game, set, match... point... Scott... game over... end of game"
