Poor Sleep? It Could KILL You!
By
Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Posted December 22, 2019
Noticing the bags under her eyes, I asked Melinda how she was sleeping.
“Not too bad,” she said.
“What does ‘not too bad’ mean,” I asked?
“I get at least six hours a night,” she said.
And that seems like a reasonable answer in a world of computers and phones that keep us connected to all the bad news in the world – not to mention worrying about the people you love.
But six hours is NOT enough sleep for Melinda OR anyone!
In fact, not getting enough sleep could KILL you.
Most people know that not sleeping feels awful.
The next day your mind is a mess… you feel zapped of energy… and your mood is in the toilet.
But not sleeping can do a lot more damage to your health.
You see, not getting the sleep your body needs can put you at risk for many diseases and can dramatically shorten your life.
A new study by Chinese researchers shows just how bad chronic sleeplessness is for your health.
The researchers followed 480,000 people for ten years and found that people who sleep poorly increased their risk of death by 20 percent.
Interestingly, it didn’t matter if the poor sleepers had trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early – all of them died early.
People who don’t sleep well have increased risk for stroke, heart attack, and poor blood sugar control.
What is going on?
Poor sleep changes your body’s metabolic control – which makes diabetes, weight gain, high blood pressure, and heart disease much more likely.
Bad sleep also increases alcohol use, smoking, cravings for sugars and carbohydrates, and drops physical activity.
A good eight hours of sleep is necessary to restore energy, refresh your immune system, and reset your heart and brain.
You can sleep better by practicing good sleep hygiene. This means going to bed at the same time every night, staying away from screens an hour before you hit the sack, sleeping in a cool and dark room.
If you need help, avoid the sleep drugs you can get at the grocery store (or prescriptions) – they only make things worse.
Try calming herbs like chamomile, passionflower, hops… and try melatonin to reset your sleep/wake cycle.
Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND
Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.
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