Are ewe hormonal? How your hormones affect your sleep…
Our bodies have many cycles - our daily circadian; our digestive; our monthly reproductive; our seasonal - so how do our hormones play a role in these, and how can we better manage these? Here are just a few of the key hormone players that affect you every day:
1. Grehlin: Ghrelin is a hormone produced by specialised cells that line the stomach and the pancreas. It is produced during a healthy sleep cycle, signalling appropriate hunger levels during the following day. Ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after meals. A shorter sleep cycle can mean fluctuations in Ghrelin levels, and increased daytime hunger.
2. Leptin: A hormone that counteracts the effects of ghrelin, Leptin is produced by the fat tissue in the body, during sleep. Leptin induces satiation or a feeling of fullness after a meal. When the leptin level is high, hunger is decreased. Studies show that people with shorter sleep cycles have elevated ghrelin (appetite-inducer) and lowered Leptin (appetite suppressor). In Western societies, where chronic sleep restriction is common and food is widely available, changes in appetite regulatory hormones with sleep curtailment may contribute to obesity.
3. Melatonin: Produced with trigger of darkness at two times: 1) when the sun goes down ii) again at around 10-10.30pm. Increases sleep inception. Melatonin regulates your sleepwake cycle, so if you don’t secrete enough of it you may find it difficult to get to sleep. Melatonin is only available on prescription here in NZ, but the precursor to it can be found in tart cherry, and the following foods: Cabbage, feverfew (herb), walnuts. Nibbling some walnuts prior to bed is not a bad idea, as they also contain protein to stabilise blood sugars. Some researchers say that melatonin may also be cancerprotective.
4. Cortisol: levels of this hormone dip at bedtime, and increase gradually during the night to prepare for morning alertness. Cortisol imbalances are common these days due to high stress levels. It is very simple to have your cortisol tested - you can ask your GP or naturopath. We can do a one-off cortisol blood test first thing in the morning, or a 24-hour assessment, to see what your cortisol levels are doing throughout your wake and sleep cycle. In my clinic, I test cortisol and other hormones regularly.
And of course, because food and lifestyle are our foundations of attaining good health, we work with a natural approach to help you feel your best.
