Photo by Rhett Sutphin via Flickr

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and many Americans are looking forward to a feast.  There will be tables laden with turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, yams, mashed potatoes, bread, salads, vegetables, and various pies.  Sounds great, doesn’t it?  What most people are not looking forward to is the sleepiness that follows the meal, which they blame the tryptophan in the turkey for.  But is turkey really to blame?

What is tryptophan?
Tryptophan is an essential amino acid, which means that we have to get it from plant or animal sources because our bodies don’t naturally produce it.  Tryptophan plays an important role in the production of serotonin, which leads to calmness and can make you sleepy.  Tryptophan is also an important factor in the production of niacin, a B vitamin.  And turkey contains tryptophan, which is why it has gotten a bad rap for making people tired.  But other foods, such as chicken, egg whites, cheese, sunflower seeds, some fish, soybeans and pork chops have as much or more tryptophan as turkey and you don’t see people blaming those foods when they feel tired.

Does eating turkey cause fatigue?
Even though tryptophan is present in turkey, it is not the cause of the sedative effect that we feel after eating Thanksgiving dinner.  In order for tryptophan to make you sleepy, you have to consume it on an empty stomach without consuming any other protein.  Besides, the amount of turkey eaten during Thanksgiving is generally too small to have any appreciable effect.  Scientists now believe that it is actually the eating of a heavy meal that is rich in carbohydrates that causes the tiredness, not the turkey.  Of course, any alcohol that is consumed with the meal only adds to that effect.

What can you do to be less tired?
If you decide that you would rather skip the after meal stupor this year, here are 3 things you can do to prevent that lethargic feeling:

1. Don’t overeat: When you overeat, you will feel more lethargic because blood is diverted to your digestive system from other organ systems, making you fatigued.  After all, it takes a lot of energy to digest a large meal.
2. Limit carbohydrates: Meals that are heavy in carbohydrates trigger an insulin effect, making you tired.
3. Limit fats: High fat foods take more energy to digest, requiring extra blood to be diverted to the digestive system, leaving less energy for other bodily functions, resulting in lower energy levels.
4. Limit or avoid alcohol: Alcohol makes you more lethargic because it is a central nervous system depressant.

The bottom line:
The tryptophan in turkey has been blamed for causing the after dinner fatigue on Thanksgiving day, but the blame needs to be redirected to the true cause: overeating and too many carbohydrates and fats.  So, if you don’t want to feel the overwhelming need to take a nap after the big meal this year, eat a more balanced meal that is not too high in carbohydrates or fats.  And do not overeat or drink too much alcohol.  If you follow this simple formula, you may make it through the Thanksgiving festivities without passing out on the couch after the meal.

Photo by DiscoverDuPage via Flickr

For the past few months, Neil slept poorly, tossing and turning to find a comfortable position, but always waking up stiff and achy.  He wasn’t sure why he slept so poorly.  He had never had any problems sleeping before. The answer eluded him until he went to Hawaii on vacation.  While he was there, he had his best night’s sleep in months.  That is when he realized that it must have been his mattress that was ruining his sleep.  His old mattress must no longer have been providing the support and comfort that he needed.  After all, it was 9 years old.

Neil was probably right.  On average, mattress sets are good for 7 years. After that, many stop providing the necessary comfort and support. Sleep is an essential part of our lives that greatly influences how we feel. When we don’t get enough of it, we neither function nor feel our best.  Plus, prolonged periods of poor sleep negatively impact both our physical and psychological health.  That is why sleeping on a good mattress set is crucial in both getting a good night’s rest and in caring for our health.

What makes up a mattress set?
When selecting a mattress set, there are 3 basic component choices that affect sleep quality:

1. Foundation or box spring: A hard platform that lies beneath the mattress, providing support and shock absorption, reducing the wear and tear on the mattress.  The most common choice is a box spring.
2. Mattress core: This is the core of a mattress.  It is very important because it provides support for the spine.  It can be constructed of foam, innersprings, natural fibers or water or air filled chambers.
3. Upholstery layers: These are foams or fibers that encase the mattress core, enhancing cushioning and providing surface comfort.

All 3 of these layers work together to provide the support and comfort needed to get a good night’s rest.

What to look for when buying a mattress:
Choosing the right mattress set can be confusing and sometimes overwhelming. Here are 4 tips to consider when shopping for the right mattress:

1. Buy the right size: It is important to select a bed that gives enough room to move.  Most adults should not sleep on a twin bed and couples should not sleep on a full.  Those are too small for those uses.  And for individuals who are over 6 feet tall, a California King is recommended.
2. Buy the whole set: Foundations or box springs and mattresses are built to work together.  So, buy the matching set to enhance your comfort and support.  Don’t buy mismatched sets, even if they are cheaper.  That can result in back pain or in the set wearing out more quickly.
3. Get expert advice: If you have joint or muscle pain, such as arthritis, back pain or fibromyalgia, talk to a mattress expert, your doctor or a physical therapist.  They will help you choose the right mattress for your specific needs, so that you can get the best night’s sleep possible.  At the very least, if you are at the showroom, try to get an in-store consultation to help you find the right mattress.
4. Try out the bed: Before purchasing, lie on the mattress sets in the showroom.  Stretch out on the mattress and change positions.  Feel for comfort and support.  If possible, try to get the retailer to offer a 30 to 60 day home trial.  Sometimes a bed might feel comfortable at the store, but after a few nights at home it no longer feels comfortable.  You’ll have the bed for years and they cost quite a bit of money, so you want to make sure that you buy the right one.

The bottom line:
Buying the right mattress set is crucial for getting a good night’s rest.  So don’t be shy!  Ask the experts questions, lie on the mattress sets in the show room and buy a matching set.  After all, we all want to feel rested, refreshed and ready to take on the day every morning!  For your health, buying the right bed is well worth the expense.

Photo by Swami Stream via Flickr

I received a lot of feedback about the First Q&A show 7 weeks ago.  Since it was so well received, I’m bringing you another one today.  I’m planning to continue putting out one of these Q&A shows every month or two, as long as I keep getting lots of excellent questions.  I love answering the questions and by putting the answers into a special episode, rather than an email, everyone can benefit from them.

In this episode, we have questions about how many calories to consume when training for a marathon, sleep deprivation, coconut oil and loose skin after weight loss.

Here are the links that I promised: “Running: The Gold Standard of Exercise” and “Drive Safe, Not Drowsy.”

Some references I used while researching this show are runners world, WebMD and Mayo Clinic.

The video podcast for this week is:

1. Putting the Plan Back In Weight Loss

The blog posts for this week are:

1. Extra Protein, Extra Large Muscles?
2. Eggs: Can I Eat Them?

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review.  It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners.  Thanks for listening, everyone!

Photo by Sergi Melki via Flickr

For the past few weeks, Darren had woken up tired and in a bad mood. Not only that, his neck and shoulders had become progressively more tense and achy.  Since his mattress was fairly new and had all the latest features, he figured it couldn’t be the problem.  It had to be the pillow.  It was 10 years old, after all!  With that in mind, Darren went online to purchase a new pillow.  “But which is the right pillow?” he wondered.  “There are so many to choose from…”

Like Darren, many people are confused by the huge variety of pillow choices on the market.  Picking the right pillow can be as confusing as picking the right car or television.  There are hundreds of different types of pillows to choose from. Many people, however, just grab the first pillow they see or the cheapest they find.  However, picking a pillow is too important a decision to make that way.

Why is choosing the right pillow so important?
Your posture during sleep is just as important as when you are awake.  If you want a good night’s sleep and less aches and pains when you wake up, it’s critical. The right pillow can substantially improve your quality of sleep.  The wrong pillow can lead to restless nights due to increased muscle tension.  Over time, that increased muscle tension and poor sleep quality can take a toll on your body, making you both sore and more fatigued.

How do I choose the right pillow?
Buying a pillow doesn’t have to be complicated.  Just remember one simple rule. When choosing a pillow, make sure that it supports your head in such a way as to maintain the natural alignment of your spine.  You want to make sure that your head is aligned so that your ear is in line with your shoulder.  Some pillows will bend your head towards your chest or your ear upwards to your shoulder, depending on what position you sleep in.  If you are not in proper alignment, it can strain your neck and cause discomfort, pain and a poor night’s sleep.

Now, that being said, there is no one right pillow for everyone.  It is important to choose a pillow based on what kind of sleeper you are.  If you are unsure, choose a pillow based on what position you start in when you go to bed.  Here are some tips based on the position you sleep in:

1. Stomach Sleeper: Choose a soft, flatter pillow that keeps your back from excessively and unnaturally arching.
2. Side Sleeper: Choose a firmer, thicker pillow to keep your head in line with your spine.  You can also place a pillow between your legs or hug a long body pillow to help keep the rest of your body in proper alignment.
3. Back Sleeper: Choose a medium sized pillow that won’t push your head unnaturally forward.  Your head should be in line with your spine so that you are looking straight up at the ceiling, not down the length of your body.

As for those people sleeping with two or more pillows, that is too many.  You should only sleep with one good pillow under your head.  More than that will force your head out of alignment and result in aches, pains and a poor quality of sleep.

The bottom line:
Choosing the right pillow can make a big impact on your quality of sleep and your life.  It can be the difference between a poor night’s sleep and a night of restful sleep.  So, no matter what style of pillow you pick, make sure that it is the right fit for you!  After all, a good night’s rest depends on the pillow you use!

Photo by mybulldog via Flickr

After a long, stressful day at work, Debbie was exhausted. She rested her head on the pillow, snuggled in close and closed her eyes, looking forward to a good night’s rest. Tomorrow looked to be more of the same, so she would need the sleep.  Just as she was about to drop off to sleep, a loud noise startled her.  Not again, she thought.  Did Tom have to snore tonight of all nights?  Frustrated, she tried to fall asleep, but the loud snores bored into her head.

Sound familiar?  Snoring is a common problem that afflicts over half of adults at one point in their lives.  Not only can it disrupt or annoy a sleeping partner, it can also impact the health of the snorer.

What causes snoring?
Snoring occurs when air is unable to pass normally through the respiratory passages due to narrowing or blockage.  The air passing through a smaller opening causes the relaxed tissues around the back of the throat to vibrate during breathing, creating harsh, rattling sounds called snores.  The narrowing can be in the nose, mouth or throat.  There are many root causes of snoring.

Why do people snore?
Here are a seven common reasons why people snore:

1. Allergies: Seasonal allergies can lead to a stuffy nose, which can cause snoring.
2. Cold or sinus infection: Nasal congestion or obstruction can cause snoring.
3. Being overweight: Being overweight is a common contributor to snoring.  Carrying extra weight can lead to extra bulk in the throat, which can cause narrowing of the air passages and snoring.
4. Deviated septum: The septum is the tissue and cartilage that separates your nostrils.  If that nasal partition is crooked, it may cause snoring.  If that is the cause, there are surgeries available to correct it.  That will not only take care of the snoring problem, but will also improve breathing.
5. Too much alcohol before bed: Drinking too much alcohol overly relaxes the tongue and throat muscles, which can obstruct air movement and cause snoring.
6. Enlarged tonsils or adenoids: If these are enlarged, it can narrow the airways contributing to snoring.
7. Sleep apnea: Snorers who are chronically sleepy may have obstructive sleep apnea.  With sleep apnea, sleepers stop breathing temporarily.  When they struggle for air, they snort loudly to force the airways open.  This is a dangerous condition if untreated.  If you suspect you have sleep apnea, see a specialist or visit a sleep disorder clinic immediately.

What can I do to stop the snoring?
If your partner’s snoring is keeping you up at night, here are six suggestions to try to stop it.

1. Have them sleep on their side: Lying on the back can partially obstruct airflow by allowing the tongue to fall back into the throat.  To prevent your partner from lying on their back, sew a rolled up sock or tennis ball to the top of their sleepwear. (Don’t do this without their permission or you might not have to worry about hearing them snore ever again.)
2. Avoid or limit alcohol: Avoid alcohol at least 4 hours prior to sleep.
3. Try nasal strips: Adhesive strips that are placed over your nose may improve breathing by opening the airways in the nasal passage.
4. Lose weight: Sometimes changing your diet and losing weight is enough to reduce or even stop snoring.
5. Take away allergy triggers: Sometimes removing allergy triggers (pets, stuffed animals, down comforters/pillows) from the bedroom can solve the snoring issue.
6. See a specialist: If snoring continues or becomes louder, see a specialist to determine if you have a nasal obstruction, deviated septum, enlarged tonsils or adenoids or sleep apnea. Your doctor will help you find ways to stop the snoring by either suggesting lifestyle changes, medication or surgery, if necessary.

The bottom line:
Why should you suffer another sleepless night?  Simple lifestyle changes, such as sleeping on the side, taking away allergy triggers, avoiding alcohol before bedtime and losing weight may stop snoring.  And if you suspect something more serious, don’t hesitate to see a specialist because sometimes snoring can be more than a harmless, sleep disrupting noise.  But whether it’s merely annoying or more serious, don’t lose another night to disrupted sleep.  Sleep is important, so address the problem right away.

It is 2:00pm and you can’t focus enough to get much work done.  You just didn’t get enough sleep last night.  So far, the workday has consisted of hiding yawns and mainlining coffee, so you don’t end up face down on your keyboard.  Worse yet, you swear that it’s even harder to stay awake now than it was in the morning.  If you were any more tired you’d probably fall asleep on your way to the coffee machine for your refill.

All that you want to do is crawl under your desk and take a quick nap.  Unfortunately, your boss checks on you periodically and he would probably fire you if he caught you napping.  So, you stare at your computer screen, struggling to be productive as the minutes slowly tick away until five o’clock.

Despite what your boss might think, when you are feeling tired, lethargic or run down, a short power nap might re-energize you, making you more productive the rest of the day.  Napping can be healthy, beneficial and help you to get more done, not less!

Is napping a sign of laziness?
Despite what some people think, napping is not a sign of laziness.  In fact, about half the people in the world take a nap each day, especially in warmer climates.  However, in the United States, naps are considered a luxury that is only for those who have time to burn, such as infants, students or retired people.  But despite that, almost everyone has the urge to take a nap in the middle of the day, even if they slept well the night before.

Why do I feel tired in the mid-afternoon?
Most people feel an ebb in their energy level in the middle of the afternoon.  Many people attribute that to the midday heat or the eating and digesting of a big lunch.  But those aren’t the two main reasons that we feel drowsy in the afternoon.  The first is that our bodies experience a slight drop in temperature in mid-afternoon as a part of the body’s internal biorhythms, which seems to prepare the body for sleep.  The second is that there is a rise in the body’s production of the hormone melatonin, which makes you feel sleepy.  This hormone is produced by the body both at night and in the middle of the afternoon.  This combination of factors results in the feeling of drowsiness that is commonly experienced by many of us in the afternoon.

How can I make my naps beneficial?
So, if you are feeling tired and decide to take a nap to get that energy boost, keep these 3 tips in mind when taking a nap.

1. Nap in the mid-afternoon: The ideal nap time is from 1:00 to 3:00pm, when your body’s temperature is at its lowest and there is a rise in the production of melatonin.  You want to work with your body, not against it.  Naps at other times of the day aren’t as advantageous.  Morning naps are mainly light sleep, while evening naps put you into a very sound, deep sleep, making you more fatigued and groggy than before.  Also, afternoon naps are less likely to interfere with your nighttime sleep.
2. Don’t substitute a nap for a full night’s rest: Naps should not substitute for sleeping well at night.  However, they are a good way to re-energize yourself in the middle of the day.
3. Keep your naps under an hour: When you nap for too long, you are more likely to go into deep sleep and wake up feeling more tired, groggy and lethargic then if you had not napped.  Some experts believe a 20 minute nap session is the ideal length for feeling energized and more alert.  So, make sure to set an alarm before your nap to make sure that you don’t oversleep.

The ideal nap is a little different for each person, but you should fall asleep quickly and wake up a short while later feeling refreshed.

The bottom line:
If you’re feeling sleep deprived, unwell and run down, a power nap might be exactly what you need.  Napping will renew your energy, increase alertness, decrease fatigue and make you more productive the rest of the day.  So, what are you waiting for?  Don’t spend another day staring at your computer screen suffering and being unproductive.  Take a nap!  As long as it won’t get you fired, of course.

I end the show with a question from Jennifer regarding the salt content in sports drinks or electrolyte replacement drinks.

If you like the show, please head on over to iTunes and give me a nice review. It’s a great way to give me some good exposure and can help me get more listeners. Thanks for listening everyone!

The long awaited Apple app store is here and it has a lot of wonderful things to offer. Since our iPhones are attached to our hips, why not put them to work to improve our health? The app store offers a wide range of free and low cost health apps. Having an iPhone and being curious, I decided to investigate 5 of the most popular health apps downloaded today.  Here they are in no particular order:

Trail Guru (Free) – iTunes link

Description:
Are you a hiker, runner, walker or bicyclist? Well, if you’ve ever wondered how far you went, how fast you were going, what your elevation gain was or just wanted a GPS to automatically plot your route on a map, then this is the app you should download. Not only will it do all that, it will also upload all that information to its website, so that you can compare your stats across different days. As a bonus, both the app and the account on their website are free.

Benefits:

1. The interface is easy to follow. You just hit START and start moving. You can pause it when you stop, like at a traffic light. That way, only the time actually spent moving will be counted and your average speed will be more accurate.

Drawbacks:

1. You have to make sure the iPhone stays on and the app stays active, because if it goes to sleep it will stop tracking your information .
2. This app only works where you have GPS & phone signal. Without the two, of course, it can’t track any information.
3. The app also drains your battery, so you want to make sure you have your charger if you’re going to be using the phone much afterwards.

Conclusion:
This is a fun app to use and it does a good job of tracking your trip information. It can show you how well you’re doing, enable you to set goals and easily see if you’re meeting or beating them. That can definitely help motivate you to exercise more and more effectively.

Restaurant Nutrition (Free) – iTunes link

Description:
This app is pretty self explanatory. It shows you the nutrition information for popular, chain restaurants such as Arby’s, Carl’s Junior, Chili’s and Chipotle. Right now it tracks twenty-four different restaurants. If it doesn’t track your favorite restaurant, check back later because they’re still adding more.

The app tracks calories, carbohydrates, protein, fat, cholesterol, sodium, vitamins, sugar, and fiber. They also keep a history of what you ate and the nutritional information by date, so that you can keep track  of what you’ve been eating over time.  As a side bonus, it will tell you where the different restaurants are located near you using your GPS and Google maps.

Benefits:

1. It is good for people who want to keep track of what they are eating.
2. It helps you to make a healthier choice at the restaurant you’re at and can help you to choose the healthiest place near you to eat at.
3. It has an easy to use interface.

Drawbacks:

1. My main problem with this app is that it doesn’t have many non fast food chains. So if you try to stay away from fast food chains it won’t be as useful.
2. It doesn’t have a nice comparison tool of foods at a restaurant. Or an easy way to show all the restaurants it tracks on a map all at the same time. That would help you to choose the healthiest food at the healthiest place super fast. Of course, that’s way too much to expect from a free app, but it would be very cool if it did that.

Conclusion:
If you eat out at chain restaurants, especially fast food chains, download this app.  With this, you can be armed with the information needed to make the healthiest choices possible. (Hey I’m a realist, I know that at least some of you eat at these places sometimes.) That way, you can be healthier without taking hours to try to research the information in advance.

StepTrakLite (Free) – iTunes link

Description:
This is a very basic app. It basically makes your iPhone a very expensive pedometer with a couple extra features. It tracks the amount of steps you have taken, broken down into walking steps, running steps and total steps. It also tracks the amount of time you spend doing either moderate or vigorous exercise.

Benefits:

1. The interface is very easy to understand.
2. It breaks your steps down into walking and running, so you can run it all day and see what your combined steps are between exercise and normal activity.

Drawbacks:

1. You have to make sure that your iPhone doesn’t go to sleep when you’re moving and the app stays active or it stops counting your steps.
2. Keeping your iPhone active all the time drains your batteries. So bring your charger with you if you are keeping it running all day long.

Conclusion:
It is good to see how much you are walking so that you can increase your steps with time. If you’re on the go all the time your iPhone battery might drain too fast.  In that case, you might need to get an extra clip-on battery pack for the iPhone or just get a pedometer instead.

MyNetDiary – Online Diet Log (Free) – iTunes link

Description:
This app gives you a convenient place to track your diet and your progress. When you start using the app you need to create an account on their website, which costs between $7-9/month depending on the time frame you sign up for. Once you’re signed up, you enter your height and wight and it gives you your BMI. Then you put in your goal weight and the date you want to achieve that by. The app tells you how much you need to change your calorie consumption/burning by to achieve that.

Then you enter what you eat for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks as well as the exercise you do during the day. The app has a nice list which shows how many calories you burn doing different  activities, at different intensities for different amounts of time. You can also view a chart that shows your nutrition (past 30 days) and weight for as long as you been using the program.

The app also tracks how much water you drink during the day, your measurements (waist and hips), blood pressure, sleeping hours, body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, vitamins and medicines, etc. You can also take notes on what you want to do, your thoughts,mood and progress. It also shows you what rate you should be losing weight at, based on that day’s activity and food consumption. Remember though, this is just a guideline. Your weight loss will vary with your metabolism.

Benefits:

1. The interface is very easy to use.
2. It tracks almost anything you could want it to.

Drawbacks:

1. BMI is not a great indicator for athletes.
2. Don’t have every item food wise, but they have a reasonable list.
3. The monthly fee for having an account is a little steep.

Conclusion:
If you have a really hard time tracking your nutritional and exercise information or aren’t normally motivated to do it, this app makes it very simple and easy to do. Since, it is on your phone, you’ll  have it with you wherever you go.  You just have to decide whether or not it is worth the cost to you.

aSleep ($0.99) – iTunes link

Description:
This is a program that plays ambient sounds in order to relax you and/or help you fall asleep. It has about 50 different sounds and has a timer.

Benefits:

1. It has some nice soothing sounds, such as rain, forest and beach with seagulls.
2. The timer is nice, so that you don’t drain your battery while you fall asleep.

Drawbacks:

1. It has got a lot of bizarre noises that probably won’t help you sleep, such as, ferry fog horn , helicopter, tennis and aliens. So, only a few of those approximately 50 sounds will help soothe you.

Conclusion:
It is a decent program for playing some soothing sounds and you’ll probably enjoy it. For only $0.99 you really can’t go wrong. Is it the best ambient noise app in the iTunes store? I’m not really sure. White Noise is also in the app store and is more popular but after spending $0.99 for this one and it being good enough, I couldn’t see spending $0.99 again for that one as well.

That is just a few of the many health apps available at the iTunes Store that can help make being healthy easier for busy people and maybe a little more fun! Enjoy your iPhone while improving your health.

Getting the body that you want isn’t something that can be done in 30 minutes a day or even an hour. Most people think that they are done once the workout is over. That’s just not true.

Working out is an important part of being healthy. However, there are three other key components to getting and maintaining a healthy body.

First piece of the puzzle: Eat right.
Eating right doesn’t mean not eating. It means eating the right foods, in the right portions and at the right times.

Eat throughout the day. Always have healthy foods available for snacks. Having healthy snacks around when you’re hungry can prevent overeating at meal times due to feelings of “starvation.” Also, when hunger strikes, you won’t grab a candy bar from the vending machine, because you have a healthy alternative.

Don’t skip breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because the body is in fasting mode when you wake up. Your body will burn less calories until you eat, or “break your fast.” So, by not breaking your fast shortly after waking up, you lose the opportunity to burn more calories in the early hours of the day.

Don’t take this as an excuse to eat bacon, eggs, and pancakes every morning. While you may have started your engine early, you’d  be drowning it with more fuel than you can easily burn. So, eat a reasonably sized, healthy breakfast.

Second piece of the puzzle: Relax.
If you feel stress building up in your life, take action to dispel it.  Allow yourself the opportunity to relax.

Chronic stress is harmful to our bodies.  It can weaken our immune system and upset the normal balance in our life. Prolonged stress has been linked to  heart disease, certain types of cancer, depression, poor sleeping habits, poor eating habits, anxiety and headaches. It is hard to be healthy when you are chronically stressed.

Take a time out, if you feel stress building. If stress is building up too high, take a short break. During that break put aside whatever issues are causing the stress. Instead, do something that relaxes you. That could be as simple as going for a walk, listening to your iPod, or meditating.  If that doesn’t work, you could try talking to someone sympathetic. The act of sharing often helps to relieve stress.

Third piece of the puzzle: Get enough sleep.
There are four reasons why sleep is important in conjunction with being healthy.

Physical Recovery. If you’re exercising correctly, your muscles gets pushed to the limits of what they are capable of. This produces soreness. While you’re sleeping, the muscles do most of their repairs and make you stronger. These new stronger muscles burn more calories. So, getting an inadequate amount of sleep means that you won’t receive the full benefit from your workout.

Mental Recovery. In order for your brain to be functioning at its peak capacity, you need to get sufficient sleep. Without adequate sleep memory and judgment are impaired.

Preventing a Weakened Immune System. Inadequate sleep suppresses your immune system. That means you’ll get sick more often, you’ll recover slower and feel worse while you’re sick.  Not only does that make you miserable, but it makes it difficult to eat properly or get exercise.

Prevent Disease.  Getting an insufficient amount of sleep has been linked to increased chance of high blood pressure, diabetes, depression or other anxiety disorders according to the Mayo Clinic. Inadequate sleep could also double the chances of becoming obese according to ScienceDaily.com.

So, get enough sleep because it is essential to being healthy. Plus it will help you to get the full benefits of those workouts you put in.

The bottom line, is that being healthy involves more than just working out. You can’t  neglect eating healthy, managing stress or getting sufficient sleep. If you do, the one hour a day you work out will be undone by the other twenty-three.