How Sleep Impacts Hormone Regulation
Sleep is an essential part of our daily lives, giving our bodies and minds time to rest, restore, and process information. A well-regulated sleep cycle is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, but it turns out what goes on in our sleep can have a direct effect on our hormones too.
Hormones are responsible for controlling a wide variety of bodily functions, from regulating mood to controlling appetite. How much sleep we get and quality of that sleep can play a huge role in how our hormones impact our everyday lives.
By understanding how sleep impacts hormone regulation,we can get a better grasp on our overall health and wellbeing.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone responsible for activating the body’s stress response system, also known as the fight-or-flight response. When our bodies are exposed to stress, cortisol is released to help the body break down fatty acids, increasing glucose levels and blood pressure.
The link between cortisol and sleep is particularly significant, as cortisol secretion is highest in the early morning and cortisol levels can be affected by disrupted sleep patterns. If we don’t get enough sleep, our cortisol levels increase significantly, triggering the body’s stress response system even when no real distress is present.
Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced in the brain’s pineal gland that helps regulate our circadian rhythm, or our “body clock”. Melatonin works to control the body’s daily sleep/wake cycle, helping us recognise when our bodies need to ready themselves for sleep.
Low melatonin levels can lead to sleep issues such as insomnia, and even depression in some cases. Additionally, melatonin production decreases with age, making it harder for the elderly to maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
Melatonin can also be disrupted by the use of electronics in the evening, as blue light from screens tends to interfere with our body’s production of this hormone.
Adrenaline
Adrenaline is a hormone that works to trigger the body’s fight-or-flight response. While adrenaline is helpful in times of distress, long-term chronic stress can cause increased levels of adrenaline, leading to health issues and difficulty maintaining healthy sleep patterns.
It is important to recognize the signs of high levels of adrenaline. Anxiety, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping are all symptoms of high adrenaline. If you suffer from any of these, it is important to take a step back, take deep breaths, meditate, or get some exercise.
Natural remedies such as lavender, passionflower, chamomile and lemon balm are also known to have a calming effect on the body, relieving stress and encouraging relaxation.
Mind and Body Benefits
- Better regulation of cortisol production.
- Increased levels of melatonin, resulting in better quality of sleep.
- Reduced levels of adrenaline which can lead to less stress in the long run.
- Higher levels of alertness during the day.
- More balanced hormone production.
Conclusion
Getting enough quality sleep is essential for maintaining healthy levels of hormone production. If our hormone levels are out of balance, it can have a huge impact on our physical and mental health, so it’s important to pay attention to how our sleep affects our hormones.