In an effort to support the Five Pillars Of Military Wellness (Emotional, Physical, Spiritual, Social, and Family), we are creating this new e-mail digest focused on providing tools that our Warriors and their families, and even those in civilian life, can use to improve their health, mental state, and overall wellness. We want to provide exceptional value to those who are subscribed to receive information from Mighty Oaks. Over the coming months and years, we hope that these articles become a valuable resource to your life and the life of your families. Feel free to share this digest with anyone you think might benefit from it. Thank you for your continued support, and God bless.
Sleep is a physiological necessity,
and lacking sleep can correlate to a varied array of negative physical, mental, and behavioral outcomes. A study linked “abnormal sleep duration or a sleep disorder diagnosis with an increased incidence of obesity, hypertension, or metabolic syndrome.” To clarify, not getting the recommended 8 hours a day could lead to obesity, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
How does sleep affect weight loss? – By Sarah Finley
“Believe it or not, we burn calories as we sleep. Most people burn an average of 50 calories an hour when asleep, but the exact amount is based on our basal metabolic rate (BMR) – and the more sleep we get, the more calories we burn. Someone who only sleeps an average of 5 hours a night is more likely to burn fewer calories than someone who regularly gets 8 hours a night. This is why it can be important to learn how to sleep for longer if you generally don’t get much sleep.”
Our Nation’s military personnel are particularly vulnerable to “sleep disturbances” due to the strain, complexity, and irregularity of their sleep schedules. According to The National Sleep Disorder Study, 9,786,778 veteran patients were included in their analysis. Be mindful that once a military personnel becomes a veteran, their “sleep disturbances” will alter from an active combat zone. If you are a veteran who is looking for how to sleep longer, Gavin Newsham, an award-winning sportswriter, has some ideas you can try.
How to sleep for longer – By Gavin Newsham
“The amount of sleep you need is dictated by your circadian rhythm. It’s the 24-hour body clock that helps to regulate a wide range of your body’s functions, from appetite to blood pressure to your temperature and, crucially, the sleep you require. But while some people, like, for example, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, can survive on as little as four hours sleep a night, most of us require a lot more, according to the BBC.”
The recommendations:
- Stick to a sleep schedule
- Plan Ahead
- Breathe!
- Watch Your Diet
Getting on a healthy schedule will assist you in your day-to-day life. Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Vincent Capaldi says “Cognitive dominance is critical for success in the battlefield of today and tomorrow. Sleep is ammunition for the brain, necessary for the maintenance of sustained vigilance and cognitive dominance” Proper sleep aids you in your day. Sleep affects the brain in ways you’d never realize without seeing it for yourself.
How sleep affects the brain – By Gavin Newsham
“During sleep, your brain waves become slower and the body cools. Secretions of melatonin, the hormone responsible for sleep, also rise. Meanwhile, wake-promoting neurotransmitters subside and sleep-promoting neurotransmitters take over, sending you into the stages of sleep in which the brain waves reduce in frequency but increase in amplitude, or non-REM sleep. This is followed by REM sleep, where the brain waves increase in activity, accompanied by the rapid eye movements that give it its name.”
If you are a veteran, first responder, or active duty, we understand the battles of veteran living. We are here to stand with you and serve you through your trials and tribulations. If you are interested in learning more about Mighty Oaks Foundation, click here.
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Sources:
Alexander M, Ray MA, Hébert JR, Youngstedt SD, Zhang H, Steck SE, Bogan RK, Burch JB. The National Veteran Sleep Disorder Study: descriptive epidemiology and secular trends, 2000–2010. SLEEP 2016;39(7):1399–1410.
https://www.livescience.com/how-to-sleep-for-longer
https://www.livescience.com/how-does-sleep-affect-weight-loss
https://www.livescience.com/how-sleep-affects-the-brain
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