Comments on: Leveraging Sleep to Become More Focused

By: MooNWalker

MooNWalker — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:07:55 +0000

Well, it’s not my findings, I’m just an IT guy, working on database stuff. I learned this while working with Innovative Metabolic Solutions, LLC. Dr. Mary Vernon and Dr. Eric Westman are people in our company that actually were doing the research. You can learn more at myimsonline.com

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 02:37:33 +0000

That’s excellent insight, MoonWalker. I must’ve overlooked that. Would you mind if I updated that and included your findings? I’ll give you cred, of course.

P.S. Thanks for all the great comments. You kick ass.

By: MooNWalker

MooNWalker — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 18:47:45 +0000

I have a comment about eating fatty foods, Scott, from the view point of someone who works in the company that specializes in metabolic management. You are right that fatty foods disrupt sleep, since as high protein foods it takes a while for them to be digested. But research shows that it’s not the fat in food that’s causing obesity, it’s carbohydrates. To explain it as short and as simple as possible, our bodies work in either one of the two metabolic modes: either spending, or saving.

In spending mode body uses fats for energy, whether it is fatty tissue of the body itself or the fats that come with food. All the fats that came from outside sources but were not used are discarded. Now in saving mode body uses carbohydrates as an energy source, regardless whether they are simple or complex. All the carbohydrates that were not used are saved as fat in the body.

This modes are being triggered hormonally. Main hormone that regulates this processes is insulin. When insulin level is high body switches to saving mode, when it’s low body switches to spending mode. So the bottom line is, if there are no carbohydrates in the food worst thing about fat is that it will interfere with sleep.

By: Stephen Furlani

Stephen Furlani — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:31:09 +0000

Awesome, thanks.

(The exclamation about TV was more for the people who confuse it for rest, and not that you left it out.)

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:15:30 +0000

Stephen —

Great point. Thanks for the comment.

I wrote:

“For about six-months I fed the habit of going to bed around 12am. At this time, I would read blogs, email and articles via my iPhone. I’d get a computer tan before going to bed every night. Guess what happened when I was in this habit? My mind would be racing and I’d end up falling asleep around 2am. One of the worst things you can do for sleep is surrounding yourself with a computer or iPhone before bed. It’s like asking your mind to run a marathon one minute, and fall asleep the next.”

However, by electronics, I left out TV. I’ll be sure to put it in there.

I mentioned “sleep routines” a couple times in the chapter; however, I like your input about sleep “rituals.” I’ll add that in.

I’ve placed your updates and credited you in step #1

By: Stephen Furlani

Stephen Furlani — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:07:29 +0000

Can I add a little something? It’s something that is underwriting a lot of your posts lately… it’s that people confuse entertainment for rest. Getting an emotional ‘high’ off of entertainment (whether it’s humor, drama, or video games) is significantly different than rest.

An hour of TV before bed is *not* restful! Neither is that web-browsing or facebooking (although I admit to lolcats before bed).

Another thing to help with sleep is to develop a little “ritual” before bed each night. Do the same things in the same order. Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your glasses in the same place on your nightstand, etc. I recently had to switch from a 12am-8am to a 9pm-5am sleeper with my new job. Cutting out the entertainment and adding the rituals helped the most.