If The Maltese Want To Reclaim Their Health, Then Perhaps They Should Start By Taking A Nap
With the state of Maltese health being what it is, many of us would be willing to receive the odd pearl of wisdom, to help get us out of the gutter. But, it may be worth noting, one trove of treasure may yet be found in the bedroom.
No, we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about sleep.
You may think ‘yeah… sure…’ but you’ll be surprised to learn that sleep is the metaphorical ‘dark knight’ that kicks the root cause of most western diseases right where it hurts.
Experts across the globe have earmarked ‘inflammation’ as the hallmark of most western diseases. The root behind diseases like diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease.
The sad truth is that in Malta, a proper night’s rest is easier said than done, with island-life often giving us the short end of the stick in that regard.
Light and noise pollution, long hours at work, and the late-night sieges on the pubs and clubs. Ring any bells?
There are also those who work nights, with the latest data showing that Malta scored the second-highest share of persons working night duties, in Europe.
We’re all victims of the culture we’re conditioned to live by. Hell, even kids suffer sleep shortages, which could be a circumstance of heavy school labours and increasing extra-curricular expectations.
The sad truth? A lack of sleep is a direct link to chronic inflammation.
People who sleep poorly are at an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, among other chronic conditions. And scientists at the University of Harvard have given us the lowdown as to why.
“During sleep, blood pressure drops, and blood vessels relax. When sleep is restricted, blood pressure doesn’t decline as it should, which could trigger cells in blood vessel walls that activate inflammation.”
“A lack of sleep might also alter the body’s stress response system.”
“A shortfall in sleep interferes with the normal function of the brain’s housecleaning system.”
This ‘housecleaning system’ refers to a process where the body washes out a specific protein in the body linked to brain cell damage. A nasty bugger called ‘beta-amyloid protein‘.
A poor night’s rest will mean that more of this protein will gum up the works, and thus, lead to that nasty inflammation we talked about earlier.
It’s a vicious cycle because the more this protein is allowed to build up over time, the less you are likely to enjoy a proper night’s sleep. The result? Poor memory and concentration issues in the short term, disease in the long term.
A single night’s sleep yields clusters of this protein. But the body can still fix the damage. Although, not if you make a habit of having a poor night over a long span of time. The body can only handle so much.
The expert consensus on sleep time?
For most people, anywhere between seven to nine hours would be considered the sweet spot. More towards nine if you are active in the general sense.
Changing your schedule in a way that would see you hit those numbers could be the biggest gift you could give your body, starting now. Even if it means introducing the odd siesta here and there.
Tag a poor sleeper!