Week 7: The Sleep Cure—Dr. Kelly Traver’s Life-Changing 12-Week Program

This is the seventh week of a 12-week program where we will adapt the principles outlined in Dr. Kelly Traver’s life-changing book, The Program.  Those of you who are learning about this program are welcome to join. As a participant in this 12-week program, you will be expected to contribute as follows:

1. Show up and comment weekly.
2. Undertake the weekly exercises and report on your efforts. 
3. Playfully and enthusiastically encourage others who comment.

This week’s chapter on the importance of sound sleep is jam-packed with practical strategies. Here are the highlights of week 7:

Sleep: The Golden Chain That Ties Health and Our Bodies Together

Enjoying good-quality sleep and getting a sufficient quantity of sleep are essential to our health, according to Dr. Traver. Yet achieving these goals becomes more difficult with age. Two-thirds of older adults struggle with insomnia. The bad news is that our bodies age, body temperature fluctuations that trigger deep sleep tend to flatten out. But the good news is that the fluctuations can be restored through exercise.

The average American adult spends 7 to 7 1/2 hours of sleep each night, a decrease of about 2 hours over the past 100 years. Yet the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine determined that 8 1/4 hours is the average amount of sleep needed to stay alert throughout the day.

What happens when we regularly short ourselves on sleep? Blood pressure and blood sugar levels rise, and the risk of heart attacks increases. Severe sleep deprivation can kill off brain cells. And people who get insufficient sleep (or too much sleep) gain weight. Insufficient sleep triggers the production of cortisol, ghrelin, galanin and neuropeptide Y, all of which stimulate the appetite.

Dr. Traver provides guidelines that can help us get a good night’s rest:

 

1. Exercise and get out in the sun on a daily basis.
2. Stick to a schedule with a bedtime ritual. Avoid daytime naps.
3. Do not eat for three hours or drink fluids for two hours before retiring. Avoid alcohol at night and don’t smoke.
4. Limit caffeine to two cups of coffee before noon.
5. Reserve your bedroom for sleeping and sex. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. If you can’t sleep, get up.
6. Get rid of night worries. To relax, try slow, deep breathing.
7. Check your medications to avoid stimulants. Manage pain that would otherwise disrupt sleep. Limit fluids and diuretics before retiring.

Eat Protein to Help Manage Appetite

Besides getting adequate rest, protein also aids in appetite management. “When you eat protein,” Dr. Traver says, “your stomach empties more slowly, so it leaves you feeling full longer.” Dr. Traver includes a list of healthy sources of protein, including alternatives to meat (beans, eggs, nuts, seeds, tofu), and preparation options to minimize unneeded calories (pages 209-210).

Stretch Yourself

Stretching exercises are also provided (pages 211-219) with drawings demonstrating postures and movement. Dr. Traver reminds us that staying flexible enables our joints to move freely so our body can move more efficiently. She also emphasizes that stretching should not be painful—we should feel a gentle stretch. Stretch positions should be held for 30 seconds and repeated twice. And remember to breathe!

Exercise 1: Review Your Sleep Habits

Review the checklist for getting a sound night’s sleep. See where you might make changes that would improve the quality of your sleep. Keep track of your hours of sleep for one week and note your personal pattern. What time do you like to retire? How many times do you awaken in the night? What is your optimum rising time? What factors detract you from a good night’s sleep? Becoming aware of our sleep needs can enable us to engineer our environment so we get the rest we need.

Exercise 2: Add Daily Flexibility Exercises to Your Routine

Identify eight stretching exercises that you can work into your day or perform in one 15- to 20-minute period. If you need ideas on flexibility and stretching exercises beyond those suggested by Dr. Traver, you’ll find basic ideas here.

Exercise 3: Do Your Homework and Show Up

Review last week’s goals and decide on this week’s short-term goals. Leave a comment with your long-term and short-term goals in response to this blog post.

I look forward to reading this week’s comments from readers who are participating in this 12-week program.