Prioritize Sleep & Revitalize Your Body with Bioidentical Hormone Therapy

Make Sleep A Priority, And Your Body Will Rejoice — From Your Mind To Your Muscles To Various Parts In Between. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy In Littleton, CO, May Be Key.

Sleep is vital for your health and wellness, which is probably obvious as you hit the snooze button each morning. Just 15 more minutes — does that sound familiar?

But, over 35 percent of people aren’t getting enough, despite the number of times they hit that switch.

While you might feel drained, especially by the end of the day, underneath it all, sleep deprivation is wreaking havoc on other parts of your body as well — like your heart and immune system.

Even if you’re already convinced it’s vital, that still doesn’t help you get more, especially as your hormone levels edge closer to E. The key to getting that 50 winks, well more since we're referring to your full night's sleep, might be bioidentical hormone therapy in Littleton, CO.

Put sleep at the top of your list of self-care, and the difference will speak for itself.

What’s Sleep?

Sleep is your body’s way of resetting, but scientists have yet to figure out exactly why humans need it and how it works.

What is known: your sleep is divided into two phases — non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). During REM, you’re hopefully dreaming of frolicking on a beach — if you like that sort of thing — because that's when dreaming usually happens.

However, you can dream in other stages as well. As an interesting tidbit of information, REM got its name from the involuntary, jerky eye movements occurring during it.

Though your eyes may be active, your body actually becomes paralyzed as a safety mechanism, protecting you from yourself, particularly when you’re dreaming. Breathe a sigh of relief, though, because the nerves that immobilize your skeletal muscles throughout that phase don’t affect your heart or lungs.

You also go through NREM sleep, which has its own phases. And its deepest is one of the most vital because you need it to have that refreshed feeling in the morning, as it’s required for physical restoration. If you’ve ever felt groggy when you got up or couldn’t seem to get with it, you woke up in the middle of this stage.

All night long, you cycle between these stages, about every 90 minutes. And, hopefully, that’s happening for you around four times per night, considering most people need at least seven hours of sleep nightly to be in peak condition. Only about five percent can get by with six hours or less a day and feel bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

Why You Get Sleepy

You’ve been there… you’re going strong all day, and you hit that wall when you can’t seem to keep your eyes open, and you’re, well, dragging.

This happens because your body produces a molecule called adenosine while you’re awake. It increases the longer you’re up and usually peaks at about 12 to 16 hours from when you open your eyes in the morning. If you’re exercising or exerting yourself physically, your level is even greater throughout the day.

On the flip side, if you’re consuming caffeine, your levels are blocked, leaving you feeling awake, possibly longer than you want.

As you sleep, your body clears the adenosine, so you feel rejuvenated when you wake.

Why Rest Matters

Go just a day without adequate sleep, and you’re feeling it. You might struggle to think, and your memory might not be even close to sharp as a tack. Getting through the day is a push on those days. Now amplify that by however long you’re not resting enough.

What you’re not feeling, though, is everything that happens behind the scenes. Take your heart, for instance. Inflammation occurs when you’re not getting adequate shuteye. (Quality and quantity matter, by the way.) Your chances of heart disease rise because of it. You’re also more likely to have high blood pressure when you’re not hitting the hay for long enough.

Other reasons you should strive for the daily recommended amount of rest include:

• Giving your muscles time to repair
• Keeping your mental health in check
• Ensuring your hormones remain balanced
• Maintaining strong brain function (daily and in the long run)
• Managing your weight

How to Get More of That Good Stuff

The benefits mentioned didn’t even scratch the surface for timesake, but it’s obvious that sleep is quite the power-up. While it would be nice if humans had a sleep bank that stores excess for a rainy day when we didn't rest, your body just doesn’t do that. So, each night, you need to receive enough.

Fortunately, if you’re currently not hitting the mark, some tips can help.

• Make Outdoors Part of Your Morning Ritual

  Whether sitting on the deck to enjoy your coffee or getting out for a brief, brisk walk, make getting outside on sunny (or even partially sunny) days one of the first things you do. Aim to step outside within 30 minutes of waking up for at least five to 10 minutes.

  The reason?

  That 24-hour internal clock of yours — your circadian rhythm — is heavily influenced by light. Direct exposure almost first thing in the morning suppresses melatonin production, the hormone responsible for making you feel sleepy.

  As sunlight decreases throughout the day, or you’re just not getting it, your body produces more of this sleepytime hormone, preparing you for bedtime.

• Take a Cold Shower in the AM

  The next to-do on your list should be to get a COLD shower. Most of us crave that super high temperature of soothing water to relax our muscles (and us, in general, for that matter).

  But raising our core temperature, which your body will do after a cold shower, increases alertness by stimulating the release of adrenaline. Ultimately, this helps you feel tired when it’s time.

  By the way, squeezing in your exercise in the morning will have the same effect.

• Consider Carefully When and if You Should Nap

  Based on that internal clock, it’s normal for our wakefulness to drop between about 1 and 4 pm. That’s why so many reach for a coffee or energy-boosting snack then.

  But, squeezing in a nap might be a better way to get that bit of regeneration you need to conquer the rest of your day, states NASA. Studies conducted by members of the organization revealed a short nap, for as little as 26 minutes, can improve task performance by 34 percent. Plus, your alertness may increase by over 50 percent.

  Just make sure that nap is before 2 pm, or you could find your body ready to burn the midnight oil rather than doze off come bedtime.

  As a helpful hint, do you remember the adenosine we discussed above? It decreases from a nap, which can make it so when bedtime rolls around, you’re nowhere near ready to turn down for the night. For that reason, if you find yourself tossing and turning to fall asleep, resist the urge to nap during the day.

  A little is good, so more must be better, right? No, not at all! If you take a siesta that’s over 90 minutes long, you fall into your sleep cycle and feel even worse after your nap.

• Regulate Those Hormones

  Age-related hormone decline is a natural part of life. While it’s most often associated with causing mood swings, weight gain, and hot flashes, it can shake up your sleep routine as well, making it difficult to fall and stay asleep despite getting enough physical activity and regulating your caffeine intake.

  The hormone drop affects your melatonin production and causes stress and night sweats — all culprits in making sleep a challenge when menopause, or the male equivalent, andropause, strikes.

  By seeking bioidentical hormone therapy in Littleton, CO, you minimize your symptoms and keep your melatonin production strong so you sleep as you should.

Learn more here: Fact Vs. Fiction: Understand HRT for Women in Littleton, CO

Bioidentical Hormone Therapy The Key To Restful, Rejuvenating Sleep.

Hopefully, you’re not waking up every three hours to eat, but going into a deep sleep — you know, one without worries as a baby gets — is possible with bioidentical hormone therapy in Littleton, CO.

You’ll reduce stress and night sweats and boost melatonin production, all factors that can get you catching the ZZZs that your body and mind crave and need.

Lifestyle changes can also help, no matter whether you’re ready for hormone replacement or not. That's why, for some, reaching out for weight loss assistance can be a game changer.

Ageless Expressions offers all this and more, and we’re known for our dedication to our clients. Check our clients’ reviews click here.

A better night’s sleep might be just a phone call away at (720) 864-1272. Call us today and book your appointment. And we’re a convenient drive for those in the area, located near Sterne Park.

Contact Information:

Ageless Expressions

2329 Main St #201
Littleton, CO 80120
United States

Gina Haeussner
(720) 532-1856
https://agelessexpressionsmedspa.com