Sleep - What happens during sleep.

Sleep is our favorite thing to do and we discuss what happens when you sleep and why you should do it! Also why it is important for athletes and gym goers to sleep plenty.    Show Notes:    Stages of Sleep   Stage 1 -  Non-Rapid Eye Movement 1 The in-between (the upside down) This stage is linked to internalizing body movements during the day.   Stage 2 – Non-Rapid Eye Movement 2 Onset of full sleep Disengaged from surroundings   Stage 3 – Non-rapid Eye Movement 3 Deepest sleep Hormone release Human Growth hormone Blood rushes to muscles where Muscle restoration and development takes place Liver continues to detoxify your body and send vital nutrients to where they need to go Less adrenaline is pumping through your body Interesting fact: children with sleep apnea are usually shorter and smaller than other kids their age. Once their tonsils are removed and they can breathe normally while sleeping, their body finally starts getting the human growth hormones that they need and they grow at an incredible rate.   Stage 4 – Rapid Eye Movement Active brain Dream State REM has been shown to have restorative effects on the brain. Useless memories are deleted and important ones are imprinted into long term memory.   Hormone Release during sleep Human Growth Hormone is naturally produced by your own body. This hormone allows you to become stronger, faster, and better in the gym. The stress hormone Cortisol is suppressed. High levels of cortisol in your system leads to high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, diabetes and more. Prolactin is released. Prolactin is an anti-inflammatory and is important in joint recovery    What Happens when you don’t sleep well  Hunger hormones aren’t well regulated, because you didn’t sleep well. Meaning you are more likely to crave high calorie, maybe not so healthy food.  This could result in weight gain. Sleep deprivation decreases your levels of leptin, which is a hormone that makes you feel full. It also increases your level of ghrelin, which increases appetite. This makes sense when you look at the way we evolved. During the day we were always out gathering, hunting and preparing food. At night we would always shut ourselves away from danger. Our bodies had to suppress hunger.   Circadian rhythm controls the release of all hormones. If the circadian rhythm is off, your hormones go whack Without REM, the hippocampus of the brain does not function properly. Causing the Amygdala to have to work more. The amygdala is associated with rage, irritability and moodiness. When you don’t sleep well, HGH doesn’t get released in the numbers it should. Refer back to the children with sleep apnea Your metabolism slows way down. It basically goes into survival mode. Some researchers think that when you don’t sleep, your stress hormones (cortisol) continue create a “fight-or-flight” response in your body. Because the cortisol is not being suppressed by sleep. And when you are in fight-or-flight response, your body saves as much as it can.  Thus the slowed metabolism. Long term bad sleep will significantly decrease your reflexes and quick thinking skills.  Find us on Facebook, instagram and twitter @ UnderTenFitness  Online: http://www.undertenfitness.com/