Biohacking: Sleep

Sleep is important to your health

"Sleeping < 7 hours per night is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, frequent mental distress, and all-cause mortality"

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), p. 137-141

Good sleep helps lower cortisol levels

Cortisol raises insulin levels.

"...cortisol raises insulin levels and is a major pathway of weight gain. Therefore, reducing your cortisol levels is an integral part of your overall weight-loss effort. Reducing stress levels, practicing meditation and getting good sleep are all effective methods for achieving lower cortisol levels."

Dr. Jason Fung, M.D., nephrologist, in The Obesity Code, p. 252

Keys to good sleep hygiene

"THERE ARE SEVERAL keys to good sleep hygiene, and none of these involve the use of medication. ( Medications disturb the normal sleep architecture, the pattern of REM and non-REM sleep.) Simple but effective ways to improve sleep include the following:

• Sleep in complete darkness.
• Sleep in loose fitting clothes.
• Keep regular sleeping hours.
• Try to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
• See the light first thing in the morning.
• Keep your bedroom slightly cool.
• Do not keep a TV in your bedroom.

Dr. Jason Fung, M.D., nephrologist, in The Obesity Code, p. 252