Paleo Quick Tip of the Day #38- Sleep is more important than exercise AND nutrition!

PQTD #38  Sleep is MORE important than exercise AND nutrition!

Can this really be true?  How can a little thing like sleep be so important, even more important than real, paleo type nutrition and actual perfectly paleo exercise??  What’s such a big deal about sleeping, which to most modern folks seems kind of like not being a hard-charging, drive-ahead sort of man or woman, and instead being a kind of... laid back loser, a hippie without a cause!

Au contraire my frenchophile friend!  Here is what a lack of sleep can, and will do to you:

Hamper your memory and learning ability
Cause you to gain fat weight
Makes you more accident prone
Affects your mood, and makes you depressed
Increases hypertension, stress hormone, and heart problems
Hampers your immune function, making you more prone to all diseases, including cancer and diabetes

Kind of a scary list, isn’t it?  And most people today in the modern world are not just mildly sleep deprived- MOST people are severely sleep deprived, and are really destroying their health, just as they would by eating processed, and fast food meals, twinkies, and washing it all down with soda pop!  At least that won’t KILL them in a few days- did you know that just a few days without sleep can result in DEATH?  And chronic sleep deprivation kills brain cells, and recent animal research suggests that these particular brain cells are never regained- we are just permanently made dumber.

All of this from just trying to prove what hard charging, dynamic, run rings around our competitors types we really are, by forcing ourselves to study, or work, or party hard all night, or stay up on the computer, or watching television, or all of the above...

Instead of getting ahead, we are merely making ourselves fatter, sicker, and dumber than our competition!

Think about it- we can live a really, really long time without food, or good ancestral style nutrition even, particularly if we are keto adapted, i.e. have become fat burners rather than sugar burners!  Even the leanest of us has weeks and weeks worth of fat on our bodies.  Even water can be lived without for a few days.  Without exercise we can live for many, many years- go to Wal-Mart and look at all of the living non-exercisers...

But Sleep is a different story. It is absolutely critical for not only our health, but our very survival!  And if you are striving for peak health, as I hope you are as a Paleo Quick Tip of the Dayer, it is absolutely crucial.

It is also simple, very enjoyable, completely free, and can’t be overdone, like exercise easily can be, as well as eating food can be.  It doesn’t sound that sexy as adding a chinup, or learning a handstand, but it is not only every bit as important as those goals would be, it is MORE important!

And so, look closely at my picture on your smartphone as I’m talking to you... gaze into my eyes... you are getting sle-e-e-e-e-py....

Check out this episode!

PaleoJay's Smoothie Cafe #72- Food is not just Energy, and Sleep is not just Rest

The bottom line is this: the food we take into our bodies is a complex array of nutrients, phyto-nutrients, calories (i.e: Energy), and a complex array of things we have yet to discover that nurture our bodies and minds in a very complex and intricate symbiosis…    Processed foods, foods from Big Food manufacturers  and fast food sellers are largely devoid of nutrients- what they do have is mainly added in after the fact in the form of supplemental (read: chemical!) vitamins.

This is akin to what Big Agriculture has become- pumping chemical nitrogen into a depleted soil in order to produce grain crops of corn, (mainly for high fructose corn syrup and feeding cattle), and soybeans, (mainly for oils, which are highly damaging for humans).  So- the grain is damaging to us in the form of the HFCS, and is also damaging in the form of cattle feed, since cattle, like us, really cannot be healthy and thriving on grains.  They are ruminants, and need grass!

Let’s repeat that again: cows are ruminants, and are meant to EAT GRASS!

It shows just how out of touch we are in modern America that we don’t even know that anymore!  I guarantee our grandparents knew it, and all of our ancestors preceding them.  In fact, the only informed people that don’t know about it are the ignorant, and those who want to keep the rest of us ignorant for their own financial gain.

The reason cows are fed corn is because grains make them FAT!  

More fat in the meat, more weight on the hoof and more money for the seller….  Unfortunately, this grain also makes the cattle sick, and necessitates them being dosed liberally with antibiotics and other rather toxic medicines to keep them alive the few short months they need to suffer to gain sufficient size to slaughter.  This gives us meat, but meat that is from sick animals, with a vastly decreased nutritional profile.

Grass fed cattle are much, much more healthy for us to consume- this grass fed meat is loaded with all of the nutrients that our bodies need to be healthy and happy, and not corn-fed toxic fat beef marbling, loaded with antibiotics and other medicine residues!

The interplay between Nature and God made foods and our own physiology is very complex.  We pretend we know just what nutrients we need to survive, but the sad truth is that our knowledge is surface only- we know how to prevent scurvy, for instance, but to provide real vitality and health we have no knowledge really at all, except to say:

“Eat the minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals, as determined by the FDA”.

This is a prescription that will keep you from scurvy, and some other diseases, but ignores (because they have no idea!) of what you need for HEALTH and WELLNESS.  And isn’t that what we want??

So, you DO have to eat real, healthy, whole, God made foods, as close to their natural state as you can get them, to really be healthy and vital!  Processed and Fast Foods just won’t cut it- drop them our of your diet!

And, while you are at it, turn off your TV and computer and get some quality SLEEP! (Not just rest…)

We all actually get…. TOO MUCH REST!  What??

Yes, really- we sit all day long, most of us, in front of computers, televisions, iPads, and all manner of screens.  We rest constantly, and our bodies crave, and require MOVEMENT.  So, please, start walking as much as possible instead of driving, and riding your bike, and hiking, and doing your Perfectly Paleo Exercises daily… your body will thank you, as will your mind…

But, in addition, we all need good quality sleep!

Sleep does far more than just “rest” us- it is crucial for our bodies in terms of immune function, weight regulation, memory, learning, mood, and many other vital needs.  Like our Real Foods that we don’t know all of the benefits of yet, Real SLEEP has benefits that are as of yet uncharted, but all the more real irregardless.

Sleep avoidance has long been regarded as kind of a “badge of honor”, since that meant your were a really hard worker or party-er, or whatever-er…

Well, that is totally, unabashedly STUPID.

Sleep is utterly vital and necessary and desirable.
To shortchange it willfully is foolish, stupid, and ignorant!

So, to get back to topic:

Get ample sleep each night.  Think of it as like working out- it’s a badge of honor!  The more sleep you get, the more of a smart, hard worker, partie-er, and whatever-er, you can be, just because the quality sleep produces a higher quality YOU!

One tip here: get a quality, LED red nightlight if you use one.  This won’t disturb your circadian cycle like a real nightlight will.  Also, install the free app
http://justgetflux.com/  onto your computer!  This will automatically start blocking the blue light after dark in your area, gradually preparing you for sleep- very effective indeed!  And, don’t watch TV right up until bedtime.  Switch it off at least an hour before hand, and read, or converse before bed.

It really does!  We are meant to sleep for a good 8 hours per night, at least, for a very good set of reasons…

Just as we were fine-tuned over millennia to eat God made foods from Nature for a very good set of reasons…

And so please- Listen to reason!

J

Sleep!

What could be more natural and important than sleep?


The answer is: almost nothing is!

Sleep is so important, that it is one of the most potent bio-markers of health itself.  If you sleep well, and long (at least 7 & 1/2 hours per night minimum), this shows that you are a basically healthy and happy animal!

If you have trouble sleeping... uh oh!  This is a strong indicator, in and of itself, that something is wrong:

Too much stress?  Bad diet?  Not enough, or too much exercise? (Probably too much cardio type)
Soft drinks and other crap in your diet?

All of the above can mess up your sleep, which messes up your attitude, which messes up your health and your life!


Really, in a Paleo concept, how important is sleep?

1. Good, nutrient dense nutrition.  The maximum nutrients in every morsel of food you eat.
2. Sleep!
3. Sun exposure, clean water, good family and extended family (i.e. "Tribe") relations and life.
4. Minimal toxins in environment and food and air.
5. Exercise  (brief, intense, invigorating, and throughout a complete range of motion, including stretching and all forms of exercise short of going to failure!)

So there you have it!  Sleep only comes after your nutrition.  Without good nutrition, good sleep is impossible.  And without good, quality sleep, your "tribal" or personal relations in life are hugely compromised, to the point where you are so stressed out that you don't even care about crucial things like good water, sun on your skin, or minimizing the toxins in your environment!

And if you don't have all of the above, exercise will only add more cortisol, the stress hormone to the mix, and spiral you further down the hole!

So sleep!  Make it a priority. Sleep is more important than exercise.


Much more important!  (and a heck of a lot easier too!)

Especially this Winter time of year, it is natural for us all in Northern climes to be more sedentary and reflective, to "hunker down" in the "cave" with our "tribe", and just chill out.


Not only natural, but beneficial!


So, just do it- go to bed early- really early!  Enjoy it!  Get up early too!  Enjoy the feeling of getting up early, and feeling fully rested, because you went to bed early enough.  Do your stretches, make your Paleo Quick Start Smoothie, do your Transformetrics exercises (No strain- no pain- just enjoy the feeling!)---


And then, start your day:

Invigorated, happy, loaded with nutrition, and, above all, completely rested!

I know it may sound trite, but this is truly the first day of the rest of your (Paleo) life!

Early to bed and early to rise- CRUCIAL FOR HEALTH!

I've been enjoying some vacation time!

I say this not to gloat (although it has been pleasant!), but to share with you some insights I've gained over this period:

Work/Activity is overrated!


All of us, Americans I believe in particular, have been brainwashed into believing that, if we are not being productive, i.e. engaged in making money, or preparing to make even more money, that we are wasting our time!

And on the other end, if we are spending our leisure time,  time we have gained away from work, we had better do it productively: 


Attending expensive spectator sporting events!
Luxury travel to far-distant "pre-packaged" destinations!!
Going to "spas" and "fat farms"; where we are told WHAT TO DO health wise!!!
And, don't just SIT!  Watch TV!!  It is at least 'mind-expanding'!!!!


I'm here to tell you, first-hand, that it is just not so!

Work is important; yes it's true!  Crucial even- but it needs to be real work!


How many of us can honestly say today that we go to work to... labor?  
To accomplish real, physical things?


Very few of us, in modern corporate America at least, can lay claim to doing so.  We sit in offices, we drive to conferences, we connect and network on our computers and other devices...

We don't really do honest work anymore!


I know, I know- I am pushing the point; of course we all are "stressed" mentally and socially, and have to cope with lots of paperwork and such...  but, my above point still holds.

THAT is why, when we are NOT engaged in "WORK", modern-style-


WE NEED TO REVERT TO OUR PRE-INDUSTRIAL AGE PAST!


1. Do LOTS of physical things!  
Work out.  Cut wood.  Hike.  COOK!!
2.  But also other "Physical" things we ignore:
Lie around.  Meditate.  Ponder things.  Sing and play with family and friends!  Pray!!

But mainly, we need to sleep!


The last few nights, I have gone to sleep around 8 PM or so.  And then, I have slept through the night, and not gotten up until 9 AM!


This from a guy who normally wakes up and gets going at 4:30 AM!

Why?  It is really a conscious decision to use my vacation to "reconnect" with my "paleo past" if you will...  and I believe it really paid off!
I have had several "lucid" dreams- strongly visual dreams that are actually more meaningful upon awakening than my real, actual life!  I am certain that these dreams are my "subconscious, inner self" trying to tell me what is really important.
Thinking about these dreams, and trying to interpret them, becomes more important than you would believe- if you have the leisure to actually contemplate them!


So, if you can, give yourself that leisure!  If you have a vacation coming up, don't turn it into a "work substitute", where you run from event to event, just like work! 


Try to actually relax; cut loose from things!  If you normally work out each day, don't!
If you rarely work out- DO! 


Try to eat really, really well- totally Paleo!  Vacations are where we are trained to "let it all go diet-wise".  Huge mistake- we want to get back in touch with our primeval selves!!

And then- sleep a lot!  I mean much more than usual- try out how it was for our primeval ancestors, before electric lights and alarm clocks.  Rejuvenating....

And if you don't have a vacation??


This is even more important for you:

Get to bed REALLY EARLY!  Early enough so you will have a good 8-9 hours of sleep....

GET UP really early!!  You will feel like getting up, since you've had ample sleep...

Work out, early morning!  If you do this one thing, you are setting yourself up for a happy, fulfilling, and ultimately very successful day!!

Start out with "mobility-type" movements, next do some stretches- include the Asian Squat-asian squat video

Follow up with self-resisted exercises- visualized, or self resisted exercises
Finish up with pushups, sit-ups, and hindu body-weight squats.  

If you do all of this, and if you are like me you will do it in front of the TV!!  Netflix streaming!!

Reward yourself for working hard!  You will come to LONG for your exercise sessions, if your restrict your TV watching to ONLY during those times!!

Trust me, you will feel great! Have a Paleo smoothie and toddle off to "work"-

Everything you experience there will "fall into place", and you will recognize everything for just what it really is...

And you will have some really interesting dreams to ponder, as you do your paperwork and teleconferencing and such...

J