Essential Sleep Practices Revealed by Longevity Specialist for Aging Gracefully – Steer Clear of These Three Detrimental Ones
In the pursuit of youthfulness and vitality, many overlook a simple yet powerful tool - sleep. Recent research has shed light on the significant role sleep plays in slowing the ageing process.
Sleep is not just a time for rest, but a critical period for cellular repair and rejuvenation. During deep, restorative sleep, our DNA is repaired, hormones are balanced, and the brain's glymphatic system clears out toxic waste products. This process is crucial as it helps maintain the body's overall health and slows down the signs of ageing.
Magnesium, a vital mineral, plays a key role in this process. It calms the nervous system and reduces cortisol, improving sleep quality and slowing stress-related ageing. Studies suggest that those with higher magnesium levels often experience better sleep quality, contributing to a healthier ageing process.
Establishing a consistent sleep schedule is another essential factor. A regular routine strengthens the internal body clock, allowing the body to fall into deeper phases of sleep more efficiently. This consistency is crucial as it helps the body repair cellular damage, balance hormones, and clear toxins through vital processes such as glymphatic drainage in the brain.
Natural light in the morning can also significantly impact sleep quality and ageing. Morning sunlight improves sleep quality and mood, setting us up for better restorative sleep at night. Conversely, late-night screen use can delay melatonin release, shorten and lighten sleep cycles, and interfere with collagen repair, potentially leading to visible signs of ageing.
Creating a calm pre-sleep routine can also help. Turning off devices an hour before bed signals to the nervous system that it's time to rest, helping lower cortisol and protecting against the cellular ageing that comes from chronic stress.
However, as we age, factors such as shorter total sleep duration, increased sensitivity to noise, more daytime napping, and the presence of age-related health conditions can affect sleep quality and depth. Lifestyle factors like physical activity, stress, and sleep hygiene also significantly impact sleep quality and depth, making the decline in deep sleep with age partly modifiable rather than purely natural.
Unfortunately, poor sleep can raise the risk of age-related conditions such as dementia. Alcohol, for instance, disrupts sleep cycles, suppresses REM sleep, and dehydrates the skin, factors that speed up visible and physical ageing.
In conclusion, sleep is one of the most powerful tools for slowing the ageing process. By ensuring quality sleep, we can help our bodies repair themselves at a cellular level, maintain health, and slow down the signs of ageing. So, prioritise your sleep, create a calming pre-sleep routine, and let the rest do the work of keeping you young!
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