The Vicious Cycle of Stress and Sleep Deprivation: What this means for your health

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According to the American Sleep Association, adults need from 7-9 hours of sleep each night. But up to 40% do not meet this minimum. And adolescents and children require even more pillow time. Sadly, the fast-paced culture that we live in is a major contributor. Everyday stress from balancing work, family, school, and other responsibilities contribute to a society where being stressed-out is the norm. Let’s take a look at how stress and sleep are related.

Brain function

Sleep benefits neuronal plasticity, the brain’s ability to form new neural connections. This allows neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and disease as well as adjust in response to new situations or changes in the environment.

The hippocampus portion of the brain suffers the most when we become sleep deprived. A lack of sleep always results in a decrease of intercellular communication in this area of the brain. This ultimately affects glutamate receptors. These neurotransmitters are vital for important neural communication, memory formation, and learning. Therefore, sacrificing a night of sleep to study for that exam may be counterproductive because of the resulting memory impairment.

Worst case scenario for your brain is when severe sleep deprivation leads to or exacerbates neurologic and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia.

Mood

Everyone knows the telltale signs of an overtired toddler: crying, tantrums, anger, aggression, despair, etc. That missed nap surely takes its toll, and not just on the screaming child. Sleep is vital to mood regulation.

Your body’s natural circadian rhythm is responsible for mood regulation. Disruption to this natural rhythm affects your brain’s output of dopamine, resulting in mood disorders, ranging from grouchiness and lethargy to depression and mania-like behavior.

The bottom line is, without proper sleep we are at an increased risk of mood dysregulation. Without proper sleep, we experience more depression, anger, confusion, anxiety, lack of vigor, and fatigue.

Physical Health

While you sleep, your body is busy repairing bones, muscles, organs, and cells. Hormones are regulated and your immune system is tuned up. Fluids are moved throughout the body. Toxins are flushed and removed. Shutting down is important so those background processes can keep the system running.

When you are sick, you have an increased need for sleep. Even mild sleep deprivation leads to decreased immune function and increased susceptibility to infection. If you don’t give your body the rest it needs to combat an illness, you will be sick longer and more frequently.

Inadequate sleep also contributes to an increased incidence of cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary artery disease, hypertension, and arrhythmias. When we miss out on rest, we also increase our risk of metabolic disease, such as liver disease, diabetes and obesity.

So now that we understand why sleep is so important, let’s look at the relationship between stress and sleep.

Stress Causes Sleep Deprivation

Ever laid in bed waiting for sleep but just can’t shut off your brain? Worries, fears, demands, and expectations just keep playing and playing in your mind and sleep remains just out of reach. Often, we shorten our sleep time in effort to squeeze in a few more hours of work or school. Adequate sleep is often sacrificed on the altar of productivity, but ironically, productivity decreases in direct proportion to sleep. 

Sleep Deprivation Causes Stress

Sleep deprivation elevates concentrations of the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. In this way, a lack of sleep means we are not only less adept to handle stress, but we are also more susceptible to becoming stressed.

It’s a Vicious Cycle

When we are stressed, we have trouble sleeping. Likewise, when we are overtired, we experience more stress. So how do we break out of this cycle? 

Finding a way to de-stress is imperative for your health and well being. Getting off the hamster wheel will help you to live a more fulfilled life. Realize that your body needs sleep like it needs air and food and water to function. When we deprive our bodies of basic needs, things start falling apart.

Finding Stress Relief

There’s no right way to relieve stress. The answer is to find what works for you and do that. For some people, walking or other exercise helps them chill. Maybe reading, dancing, knitting, planting a garden, or another hobby is the way to wind down. Listening to calming music and allowing your mind to empty can bring relief from a stressful day. Practicing meditation, deep breathing, and yoga are sure fire ways to help ease your mind. The point is, don’t just wait for life to slow down and stress to magically disappear because, let’s face it, that’s just unrealistic.

We’ve got to take proactive measures and be deliberate about reducing the stress in our lives. Or the stress will do the reducing. Reducing sleep, reducing health, reducing joy.

Looking for ways to wind down? Check out this post about how Yoga Nidra can relieve stress and help you sleep better. Yes, please!

Essential Oils and Cats: Are they all doomed?

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Surprise! Essential oils are not going to rid the planet of cats.

My followers frequently bring up questions related to an article that claims essential oils cause cat poisonings and death. Y’all, can we please inject some reason into this conversation? Let’s debunk this paranoia about essential oils and cats.

Consider the Source

The article in question clearly states that the essential oils were purchased from an unknown retailer on Amazon. Strike 1, quality matters when it comes to cats.

Moderation, People

The cat was exposed for at least 4 days from a diffuser running throughout the night. She states that the cat loves to sleep with her. If the cat was under the covers, this would basically create a high potency scent tent not appropriate for cats. If on top of the covers, and the bedroom door was closed, again we create a highly concentrated environment that is not appropriate for cats. Plus, if the diffuser ran through the entire night, it creates a prolonged exposure to essential oils, and this is not appropriate for cats. Strike 2. Dose and exposure duration matter when it comes to cats.

The same essential oil was used for 4 days in a row. Strike 3, repeated exposure to the same essential oil increases the risk of adverse reactions in cats.

You’re out.

Caution is the Key

Remember friends: cats lack the ability to glucuronidate substances and they lack a P450 system, so their metabolism is much slower than a human. This means you need to use caution with oils that are high in phenols such as cassia, clove, oregano, thyme, and mountain savory. Also be careful with oils high in monoterpenes, including citrus oils, pine, spruce, and fir.

Common Sense Tips for Cat Owners

Frequently mix up the oils you use, be sure that the cat can leave the room if you’re using a diffuser, and dilute oils around cats.

How do you use oils around cats? Comment below with your own common sense tips!

Be sure to check out this post about the Safety of Essential Oils in Pets. 

Halloween Wreaks Havoc. Here’s How to Prevent Sugar Damage to Teeth

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We all know that sugar is not good for us. Maybe you do your best to avoid eating sugar. But let’s face it, folks, sugar tastes good. And most of us will slip up at least occasionally and indulge in a sweet treat. With Halloween less than a week away, the temptations are everywhere. Chances are you or your children will consume more sugar over the next week than usual. Here are some tips for preventing sugar damage to teeth. 

How Does Sugar Cause Tooth Decay?

Your mouth is teeming with bacteria. Some bacteria are beneficial and part of your healthy flora, while others are the culprits responsible for tooth decay. And these bad guys’ main staple diet is . . . you guessed it . . . sugar. Every time you eat sugar, you provide the harmful bacteria with energy and food to multiply. As they multiply, they actually use the sugar to stick themselves together on the tooth surface. These sticky plaque deposits are impossible to wash away with saliva and even resist normal brushing. The byproduct, or waste material, from these bacteria is very acidic and damaging to tooth enamel. Enamel is the protective coating on your teeth. Once this coating is penetrated, the acids continue to degrade your teeth, forming little holes, or cavities. Without treatment, cavities can progress deeper into the tooth, causing pain and possible tooth loss.

Preventing Plaque Formation

Acids are constantly attacking your teeth and demineralizing tooth enamel. Saliva is your mouth’s best defense against these acids. Not only does saliva dilute the acids, it also helps neutralize the pH of your mouth. This natural process of remineralization replaces some of the stolen minerals and works to strengthen teeth.

However, consuming starches and sugars throughout the day makes it nearly impossible for saliva to keep up. If you plan to eat sugary foods, it is best to eat them all at once rather than nibbling on sweets all day.

Sugar sweetened beverages and hard candies or suckers cause even more damage. These sweets bathe every crack and crevice of the teeth with sugar. Plus, they take longer to enjoy, thus prolonging the exposure. In addition, sugary sodas are very acidic, which only compounds the problem. It is best to limit – or avoid – drinking soda.

The Obvious Solution

Of course the best thing to do is avoid eating sugary foods altogether. But realistically, most of us will have a sweet treat from time to time. The best defense we have is to go ahead and eat that candy bar, and then immediately brush your teeth afterwards. If you are unable to brush right away, swishing with water is the next best option.

Xylitol

Xylitol is derived from fibrous parts of plants, usually corn. This natural sweetener actually works to prevent tooth decay through a couple of different mechanisms. First, it slows the growth of bacteria because they cannot use it as an energy source. In this way, it helps to prevent the acid-causing culprits and alkalinize the mouth. Additionally, xylitol impairs the ability of bacteria to adhere together to form plaque, so they slide easily from teeth. And finally, xylitol encourages salivation, which as stated above, helps to remineralize teeth.  

Studies indicate that regular use of xylitol can prevent and reverse damage to teeth. Fortunately, this sweetener is becoming more and more readily available in gum, mints, toothpaste, mouthwash, and even candies and bagged sweetener. Plus, the body digests xylitol as a fiber with no release of insulin. This means that it’s even safe for diabetics. It lacks the bitter aftertaste of some sugar alternatives and is even suitable for use in baked goods as well.

So go ahead and have your sweets

From a tooth decay standpoint, you can certainly enjoy your sweet treats. The negative effects of the sugar can be easily managed by following a few simple precautions:

  • Avoid long-term sugar exposure throughout the day. Eat it all at once rather than a bite here and there.
  • Avoid sodas and hard candies that bathe teeth in sugar.
  • Brush, or at least rinse your mouth with water, after eating sugary foods.
  • Use a toothpaste, gum, mint, or other product containing xylitol.

If you’d rather avoid the sweets of Halloween entirely, check out this post for some healthy alternatives.

Looking for even more great health and wellness education? Learn more!

Is Your Toothpaste Hazardous to Your Health?

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The average hygiene-conscious American uses about 8-10 cups of toothpaste in a year. But we don’t swallow toothpaste, so does it really matter? Because of the absorbency of the mucosal membranes lining the mouth, the answer is a resounding yes. Most commercial toothpaste brands include fluoride in their ingredients. But do the health risks of fluoride outweigh the potential benefits?

How Our Mouths Absorb Chemicals

The lining of our mouths absorb of drugs and other chemicals quickly. Substances entering the mouth diffuse through mucous membranes beneath the tongue. Because this area has a vast amount of capillaries, it is a fairly direct route into your bloodstream. This direct absorption also bypasses the harsh conditions of the digestive system. This is why taking medicines sublingually often produces faster results than oral ingestion.

So even though we do not swallow toothpaste, every ingredient—good or bad—in your toothpaste is getting a fast pass into your bloodstream as you brush. 

Fluoride. . .Good or Bad?

The majority of toothpastes contain fluoride for its supposed cavity fighting benefits. In fact, the American Dental Association won’t put its seal of acceptance on any toothpaste that doesn’t contain fluoride. But this chemical is also a known neurotoxin that may be responsible for a host of health issues. Neurodevelopmental disabilities include autism, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia, and other cognitive impairments.

In addition, fluoride acts as an endocrine disruptor. It is mistaken by the body as iodine. Iodine is a trace element necessary for nearly every major body function on a cellular level. Mistaking it for iodine, the body absorbs fluoride into tissues. Since very little fluoride is excreted in urine or sweat, it builds up in the body and prevents proper iodine absorption. Iodine deficiency can lead to thyroid issues, cognitive impairment, and pregnancy complications.

As if that weren’t enough, dental fluorosis may also cause some forms of kidney damage.

The Good News

Fortunately, there are lots of good toothpaste options that don’t contain fluoride or other undesirable chemicals. Check out this post about one ingredient you want in your toothpaste to protect your teeth. And you can read about the benefits of Bentonite Clay here. 

If you are looking for more great information on all things health and wellness, come on and !