Sleep: Slowing Pre-mature Aging?

​A recent study by the University of California, Los Angeles found that just one night of sleep deprivation can activate genes related to biological aging.  The older adults in this study were kept awake and were only allowed to sleep between 3am and 7am.  After the partial night of rest, the study participant’s blood was analyzed, and it revealed deterioration in the cell’s growth and division cycles.  The authors suggest that insufficient sleep may increase the risk for chronic disease by “activating the molecular pathways that drive biological aging.”  Promote health and healing in your own adult body by securing 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night. Kids and teens need even more, up to 14 hours!

Improving your quality of sleep can be as easy as a few simple changes:
1. Try eliminating sources of ambient light in your bedroom.  
2. End screen time on phones, television and computers one hour before bedtime.  
3. Create a consistent schedule of going to sleep and rising at the same time each day.  
4. Avoid alcohol, which may make you feel sleepy, but can disrupt good R.E.M. sleep cycles.
5. Eliminate caffeinated beverages or make your last one before noontime!