SLEEP - Are you getting enough?

Sleep, why we need it, why it can be hard to get, and how it affects everything from athletic performance to our personal success and heath, is one of the hottest topics in science today.

So How Much Sleep Is Ideal?

According to studies people who sleep between 6.5 and 7.5 hours a night live the longest. People who sleep 8 hours or more or less than 6.5 hours have shorter life spans. There seems to be evidence to support that there is just as much risk over sleeping as there is in under-sleeping.

It may be interesting to note that long sleep starts at 8 hours and sleeping 8.5 hours might really be a bit worse than sleeping 5 hours a night.We can only guess at why people who sleep from 6.5 to 7.5 hours an night live longer, but we don’t really know the cause or the effect.

For example we don’t know for sure if a person who sleeps less time a night can live longer by extending their sleep and if a longer sleep can live longer by getting up a bit earlier.

One thing to remember as well if you are an athlete or bodybuilder, is that one of the only times we can grow or repair muscle is during certain stages of sleep. For the active trainer, and athlete our sleep is very important to recovery, in fact it is just as important as the workouts themselves.

The Eight-Hour Myth - Dispelled

So based on the studies and information at hand the 8 hours a night myth has been effectively squashed but it stems from an average. It's possible that the amount of sleep we need is determined by our genes and may be why we are either short or long sleepers.

The Long And Short Of It

Our genes may determine the amount of sleep our body requires for us to awaken feeling refreshed and recharged. This likely occurs across a gamut, with “short-sleepers” needing less than average and “long-sleepers” needing more.

Sleep Debt

When we don’t get enough sleep to meet our needs, we run into sleep debt. Sleep debt can accumulate. There are a number of signs or things that happen when we are in sleep debt

- Daytime sleepiness

- Fatigue

- Difficulty concentrating

- Poor judgment

- Increased risk of accidents

- Other health complicationsWe might be able to pay off sleep debt by taking naps or by sleeping in (or just going to bed earlier).

In conclusion Sleep is very important to everyone regardless of whether you are a bodybuilder or regular person, so remember to make sure your body gets the rest it needs!

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

Feeling Flat? There may be a reason...

1. Sugar has a tendency to be a craving and a curse all at once. It tastes good going down and keeps you from feeling ‘up’. When you crave something sweet, its important to have something else ready and available to eat instead. Try to choose snacks that have a small amount of carbohydrates to give you a measurable amount of energy for your day like whole grain crackers and low-fat cheese, fresh fruit or a small box of raisins and low-fat cheese or plain, nonfat yogurt blended with fruit.

2. Caffeine is another substance that will give us the wake up call that we need, but leave us hanging later on. Try to choose the decaffeinated version of your favorite beverage like coffee, tea or cola and avoid using caffeine to help you stay awake; this will only throw off your natural sleep cycle and promote your low energy levels.

3. Dehydration – With our busy lifestyles, it is easy to forget to drink water throughout the day. We need water to flush out toxins, keep our energy levels elevated and to keep our tissues hydrated. It contains no calories, so you can drink as much of it as you want to, and if you need some variety, add a lemon or lime slice to it. You can also make homemade lemonade with lemon, water and a small amount of sugar or artificial sweetener.

4. Exercise –Whether or not you exercise consistently, the amount of exercise that you get (or don’t get) could be contributing to your lack of energy. While exercise energizes us physically, mentally and emotionally, we feel more sluggish without it. On the other hand, when we do exercise, it enhances our mood by releasing endorphins, a ‘feel good’ chemical that increases energy levels. Hopefully it will encourage us to exercise more…. but not too much. Overtraining will deplete your energy reserves, break down muscle and make you feel weaker instead of stronger. Exercising too much could suppress your immune system, which could increase your chances of a bacterial or viral invasion, making you more vulnerable to illness. So make sure that you stay in control of your workout sessions and the frequency of them.

You (and you alone!) are in control of your own energy levels, so choose to eat the right foods and drink the right beverages to boost your energy instead of bring it down.

For more information see source: www.fitness.com

6 quick tips for getting to sleep...

Many people have problems falling asleep at night, often because their minds keep running at full-speed even though they feel physically tired. Here are six techniques that may help:

1) Keep a regular sleep schedule. This gets your mind and body into a routine.

2) Stay away from reading fiction before bed. Fiction stimulates your imagination and does not help you relax your mind and get to sleep. Mental energy is not what you want when trying to fall asleep.

3) Take a few minutes to quiet your mind. This will help stop that ceaseless thinking. Ways to quiet your mind are: slow and deepen your breathing; think of a few things that went well with the day and be grateful for them; release the emotions attached to anything that didn't go well; stop consciously thinking about things. That last one means to stop trying to think about any issues you have, and stop consciously putting your attention on them. If something is still on your mind, write it down on a notepad next to the bed and resolve to deal with it tomorrow. This is really an important step because if you haven't released something that's bothering you before you try to go to sleep, you'll be replaying it over and over unless you have extremely good control of your thoughts.

4) Keep away from any form of caffeine after 1:00 pm in the afternoon. No coffee, decaf, tea or soda with caffeine. If you are susceptible to the effects of caffeine, it will make it harder for you to quiet your mind when you want to sleep.

5) Focus on your body and relax one area at a time starting at your feet. This both helps your body physically relax and helps you keep your attention on something other than your to-do list, what's going on at work, how mad you are at someone, etc...

6) Visualize walking down an endless stairwell. Keep your attention on your feet as you visualize your walking. This is similar to number 5 above. Giving your attention to something mindless and repetitive helps your brain shut down.

Judy Braley is an author, an attorney, and a parent of two. Her personal development blog with free articles and information on inspiration for your life can be found at GrowFromWithin.com. Copyright © 2007 Wherett Inc. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Judy_Braley