IMMUNITY LESSON 17- Eat Better to Sleep Better. Sleep Better to Eat Better

IMMUNITY LESSON 17
Eat Better to Sleep Better.

Sleep Better to Eat Better.

 The Four Pillars

The symbiotic relationship of the Four Pillars to one another cannot be overemphasized. It is an important part of WHY the Four Pillars of Well-Being are foundational components of becoming more resilient to stress. All are interrelated, and the effectiveness of adopting habits in each of the four areas will result in the improvement in the other pillars, and they all are of uber importance. They cannot be pursued in isolation and achieve the desired results.

It Goes Like This

Adequate sleep is dependent on having the right attitude and being open to recognizing the vital importance of adequate sleep. It also is dependent on movement during the day, being outside for some portion of the day, eating hours before bedtime, and eating the right foods during the day.

Because 90% of your serotonin (the “feel good neurotransmitter”) is produced in your gut, eating the right non-processed foods will produce the correct calming neurotransmitter “cocktail” (including serotonin, oxytocin and others) makes falling asleep easier and promotes better sleep.

Eating 3 hours prior to bedtime also has a dramatic effect on how well we are able to fall asleep and how well the sleep we do get restores us. After a meal, a large part of your blood flow is directed to your intestines to digest and process the meal.

This may diminish the ability of the brain to cleanse the waste products that build up during the day through the brains “glymphatic” system, especially if the meal is too close to bedtime. Essentially, your body gets confused if it should be digesting or sleeping and has a hard time doing both optimally at the same time.

Give Your Brain a Bath

Your brain has a special cleansing system, similar to the lymphatic system in the rest of your body, called the “glymphatic” system. Fluid flows through the brain tissue to wash away the metabolic waste products that accumulate with awake brain activity.  Essentially, your body gets confused if it should be digesting or sleeping and has a hard time doing both optimally at the same time.

During deep sleep, the cellular components of the brain shrink a bit allowing more room for the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to give your brain a washing out that is up to 20 times more complete than when awake.

Hence, with adequate deep sleep, you will wake up rejuvenated, restored, and refreshed as your very important “brain bath” has cleansed your brain of the debris and waste from the previous day. The “brain bath” will assist in reducing stress, enhancing your immune system, and causing us to feel better.

Inadequate or poor-quality sleep results in an accumulation of these waste products which predictably result in a “hangover” of sorts the next day with us feeling:

• Less energy
• Decreased cognitive ability
• Inability to make decisions
• Poor attitude
• Poor food choices
• Suboptimal immune response

So, good sleep, or “Better Sleep,” is a key to making the right eating decisions so you can feel your best, and avoid feeling your worst.

The Bottom Line

“Better Sleep” is our goal. It consists of 7-8 hours of optimal quality sleep that is produced by doing all of the little items we have discussed.

There is no silver bullet to achieve optimal sleep.

It takes a consistent sleep schedule, activity during the day, diminished activities in the evening, sunsets for caffeine, alcohol, and digital screens. We have to throw the kitchen sink at sleep just as we have to throw the kitchen sink at decreasing stress and enhancing our immune system.