Ladies...Are You A Little Grumpier These Days?

Hopefully the title of today's blog didn't turn you away kicking and screaming.  Maybe it caught your eye because you have noticed that you (or a special lady in your life) have been a bit on edge lately.  Well you are not crazy, it can happen.  A recent study by scientists at Duke University (sorry all of you University of Kentucky fans) shows that women really do need more sleep than their male counterparts.  Are you getting enough sleep?  Sleep is important to all aspects of your life...muscle repair, health, weight loss, mood, nutrition, etc.  Check out some of our other blogs on sleep ("Sleep Hygiene", "Improve Your Sleep Quality", "Are You a Night Owl").  

Researchers stated that women need more sleep than men because they have more of a "multitasking" brain.  We need more time to shut everything down and fall deeper in to REM sleep.  Unfortunately, lack of sleep can be more detrimental to women also.  As well as a higher risk of heart disease, depression and psychological problems, sleep-deprived women have extra clotting factors in their blood, which can lead to a stroke.  They also have higher inflammation markers, which indicate developing health problems and are linked to pain.  So if you are experiencing more pain than usual, it might be due to the lack of quality sleep.  This study also found that men showed no increased risk of developing the ailments that affect women when they are sleep deprived.  According to sleep expert Dr. Michael Breus, "We found that women had more depression, women had more anger, and women had more hostility early in the morning".  

Professor Jim Horne, director of the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, England, also found that women need approximately 20 minute more sleep than men.  Again, due to the female multitasking brain.  The more multitasking women do during the day, the more their brain needs to recover and subsequently the more sleep they need.

So, are you getting enough?  It's time to take a step back and consider your health first.  Remember, a lot of women tend to be the "caretaker" of the family so if something happens to you, who is going to take care of you??  Take small steps to ease up on the amount of tasks you perform in a day.  Start delegating to other family members and friends.  Learn to say "no" once in a while and your health just may improve.  Get the rest you need and allow your body to repair itself and recover from all that you do.

"Sleep is the best meditation".  --Dalai Lama

"The best cure for insomnia is to get a lot of sleep".  --W. C. Fields 

Fight the Winter Blahs

In the wintertime, do you just feel "blah"?  Is it hard for you to get motivated to do anything let alone exercise during winter?  You are not alone.  The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that approximately 36 million Americans suffer from depressive symptoms during the colder months.  Some Americans may experience more severe symptoms and may be diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, or SAD for short.  SAD is classified by symptoms of depression that make performing regular, daily activities difficult.  A lesser, milder version of SAD is the "winter blues".  Although people are able to function when suffering from the "blues/blahs", symptoms are still similar.  Symptoms often include fatigue, weight gain, sleep problems such as insomnia and hypersomnia (sleeping too much), mood swings, introversion and food cravings.  The problem many doctors have in diagnosing SAD is the symptoms overlap with many sleep disorders and other forms of depression.  What causes the winter blahs?  Research had shown the increase in darkness during the winter months causes an overproduction of melatonin, also known as the "hibernation hormone".  Also, with reduced amounts of sunlight, serotonin levels are reduced which ultimately increase the depression-like symptoms. 

Where do you go from here?  As the days get shorter and darkness arrives earlier in the day, it's important to stay active as much as possible.  If the weather isn't too bad, take a walk or go for a jog.  Not only will you reap the benefits of the cardiovascular benefits but also you'll get a little bit of daylight to keep those winter hormones under control.  Try to maintain a regular exercise routine, as hard as it might feel, throughout the cold, dark winter months.  Other things you can do include brightening up your office and home.  Open shades/blinds, trim back trees/shrubs that may block windows and keep curtains pulled back throughout the day.  If the days are still too gloomy and dark, you can invest in a sun light.  These lamps have special fluorescent bulbs that mimic the brightness of a sunny day.

Obviously if you reside in southern climates such as Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, you are less prone to suffer from symptoms of winter blahs or SAD.  Sunshine is more prevalent in these states thus reducing the chance of  "winter hormone" buildup.  Regardless of where you live, try to stay active as much as possible.  Exercise increases the "feel good" hormone serotonin and helps keep your mood positive any time of the year.  Still need help battling the "blahs?  Why not try something different for exercise...take a class, hire a trainer, workout with a friend or family member.  If you are still searching for help to battle the winter blues, come in to PROMATx Health Club and let one of our trainers banish the blahs!!