EXERCISE REST AND SLEEP

SLEEP: is a naturally recurring state characterized by reduced or absent consciousness, relatively suspended sensory activity, and inactivity of nearly all voluntary muscles

EXERCISE: is also known as physical activity and includes anything that gets you moving, such as walking, dancing, or participation in any other sort of activity.

REST: can be seen as the period of relaxation and not necessarily sleep.

SIX BENEFITS OF REST

1.     Aids Recovery: a day or two off per week is required to allow bone, muscle, tendons and ligaments the time to recover and repair them.  Muscle growth occurs during rest periods, not during exercise;

2.     Keeps you healthy:  avoids the risk of the immune response being compromised due to over-training;

3.     Helps you sleep:  adequate sleep allows the mind to repair itself and develop new connections (useful when learning new skills, adaptations);

4.     Lowers stress: decreases abnormal levels of cortisol (stress hormone): This will allow alertness, productivity and general health to be maintained;

5.     More energy throughout the day:   adequate rest helps you avoid energy slumps during the day, ensuring workouts are more effective and efficient;

6.     Boosts brain function:  allows for better concentration and focus.

BENEFITS OF SLEEP

Following are some of the benefits of sleep and how it improves the quality and the length of your life.

1.     Sleep helps to repair your body.

Your body produces extra protein molecules while you're sleeping that helps strengthen your ability to fight infection and stay healthy. These molecules help your immune system mend your body at a cellular level when you are stressed or have been exposed to compromising elements such as pollutants and infectious bacteria.

2.     Sleep helps keep your heart healthy.

Your cardiovascular system is constantly under pressure and sleep helps to reduce the levels of stress and inflammation in your body. High levels of "inflammatory markers" are linked to heart disease and strokes. Sleep can also help keep blood pressure and cholesterol levels (which play a role in heart disease) in check.

3.     Sleep reduces stress.

A good night's sleep can help lower blood pressure and elevated levels of stress hormones, which are a natural result of today's fast paced lifestyle. High blood pressure can be life threatening and the physical effects of stress can produce "'wear and tear" on your body and degenerate cells, which propel the aging process. Sleep helps to slow these effects and encourages a state of relaxation.

4.     Sleep improves your memory.

That 'foggy' feeling that you struggle with when deprived of sleep makes it difficult to concentrate. This often leads to memory problems with facts, faces, lessons, or even conversations. Sleeping well eliminates these difficulties because, as you sleep, your brain is busy organizing and correlating memories.

One of the great benefits of sleep is that it allows your brain to better process new experiences and knowledge, increasing your understanding and retention. So, next time you hear someone say "why don't you sleep on it," take their advice.

5.     Sleep helps control body weight issues.

Sleep helps regulate the hormones that affect and control your appetite. Studies have shown that when your body is deprived of sleep, the normal hormone balances are interrupted and your appetite increases. Unfortunately this increase in appetite doesn't lead to a craving for fruits and veggies. Rather, your body longs for foods high in calories, fats, and carbohydrates.

So, if you're trying to lose those stubborn few pounds that just keep hanging around, consider the benefits of sleep on weight control and make sure that getting enough sleep each day.

6.     Sleep reduces your chances of diabetes

Researchers have shown that lack of sleep may lead to type 2 diabetes by affecting how your body processes glucose, which is the carbohydrate your cells use for fuel. The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School reports that a study showed a healthy group of people who had reduced their sleep from eight to four hours per night processed glucose more slowly. Other research initiatives have revealed that adults who usually sleep less than five hours per night have a greatly increased risk of developing diabetes.

7.     Sleep reduces the occurrence of mood disorders.

With insufficient sleep during the night, many people become agitated or moody the following day. Yet, when limited sleep becomes a chronic issue, studies have shown it can lead to long-term mood disorders such as depression or anxiety.

The benefits of sleep are extensive and can make a difference in your quality of life, as well as the length of your life. Therefore, it is vital to place a priority on getting ample, consistent sleep.

BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

Regular physical activity that is performed on most days of the week reduces the risk of developing or dying from some of the leading causes of illness and death in the most countries.

1.     Reduces the risk of dying prematurely.

2.     Reduces the risk of dying prematurely from heart disease.

3.     Reduces the risk of developing diabetes.

4.     Reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure.

5.     Helps reduce blood pressure in people who already have high blood pressure.

6.     Reduces the risk of developing colon cancer.

7.     Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety.

8.     Helps control weight.

9.     Helps build and maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.

10.                         Helps older adults become stronger and better able to move about without falling.

11.                         Promotes psychological well-being.

SPECIFIC HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

1.    Heart Disease and Stroke.

Daily physical activity can help prevent heart disease and stroke by strengthening your heart muscle, lowering your blood pressure, raising your high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels (good cholesterol) and lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (bad cholesterol), improving blood flow, and increasing your heart's working capacity.

2.    High Blood Pressure.

Regular physical activity can reduce blood pressure in those with high blood pressure levels. Physical activity also reduces body fatness, which is associated with high blood pressure.

3.    Noninsulin-Dependent Diabetes.

By reducing body fatness, physical activity can help to prevent and control this type of diabetes.

4.    Obesity.

Physical activity helps to reduce body fat by building or preserving muscle mass and improving the body's ability to use calories. When physical activity is combined with proper nutrition, it can help control weight and prevent obesity, a major risk factor for many diseases.

5.    Back Pain.

By increasing muscle strength and endurance and improving flexibility and posture, regular exercise helps to prevent back pain.

6.    Osteoporosis.

Regular weight-bearing exercise promotes bone formation and may prevent many forms of bone loss associated with aging.

7.    Psychological Effects.

Regular physical activity can improve your mood and the way you feel about yourself. Researchers also have found that exercise is likely to reduce depression and anxiety and help you to better manage stress.

REFERENCES

1.     MohammadReza Zaregarizi. Effects of Exercise & Daytime Sleep on Human Haemodynamics: With Focus on Changes in Cardiovascular Function during Daytime Sleep Onset. ISBN 978-3-8484-1726-1. 

2.     Gottselig JM, Adam M, Rétey JV, Khatami R, Achermann P, Landolt HP (March 2006). "Random number generation during sleep deprivation: effects of caffeine on response maintenance and stereotypy". Journal of Sleep Research 15 (1): 31–40.

3.     Abbott RD, White LR, Ross GW, et al. Walking and Dementia in Physically Capable Elderly Men. JAMA. 2004;292:1447-1453.

4.     American Diabetes Association (ADA). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes -- 2008. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S12-S54.

5.     Brown WJ, Burton NW, Rowan PJ. Updating the evidence on physical activity and health in women. Am J Prev Med. 2007;33(5):404-411.

6.     Brown SG, Rhodes RE. Relationships among dog ownership and leisure-time walking in Western Canadian adults. Am J Prev Med. 2006 Feb;30(2):131-6.