Sleep, The Best Insurance Policy For Longevity

The older I get :)), the more I understand the importance of sleep. I have researched and experimented with various sleep hacks to find what works best for me. I got very inspired by Matthew Walker's book 'Why We Sleep'. Walker is a British scientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

How is sleep structured?

Sleep consists of 2 main categories:

1.??? REM (Rapid-Eye-Movements)

REM sleep is a stage of sleep characterized by increased brain activity, vivid dreaming, and rapid eye movements. It is important for memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and learning.

Potential REM interruption problems:

• Mental consequences (e.g. anxiety)
• Emotional mood fluctuations
• Creativity decline
• Hallucinations
• Hormonal disruption (sex and growth hormones)

2. Non-REM (aka deep sleep)

Consisting of:

Light sleep, lasting for a few minutes as you transition from wakefulness to sleep. During this stage, your muscle activity and brain waves begin to slow down.

Deep sleep:

Body temperature and heart rate start dropping, and your brain waves become slower. The brain eventually starts producing slow delta waves, and it is difficult to wake up from this stage of sleep. This stage is important for physical restoration and memory consolidation.

Potential Non-REM interruption problems:

• Metabolic consequences (e.g. insulin sensitivity)
• Weakening of the immune system (e.g. infections)
• Decrease of long-term memory consolidation
• Cardiovascular consequences (e.g. hypertension, stroke)

Throughout the night, the body cycles through these 90-minute sleep cycles, with each cycle lasting about 90-110 minutes. As the night progresses, the amount of time spent in REM sleep increases, while the amount of time spent in Non-REM sleep decreases.

The role of circadian rhythm (CR) and chronotype (CT)

The Circadian rhythm describes a rhythm of about 24 hours and controls not only the sleep and awake phase but also body temperature, appetite, and sex hormones. CR uses a hormone which is called Melatonin. Darkness at night increases Melatonin which signals the body to fall asleep. Melatonin regulates the timing BUT NOT the generation of sleep!

Do you know your chronotype?

The chronotype refers to an individual's genetic predisposition for when you feel most alert and sleepy. It is pure genetics whether you are a morning, evening, or somewhere in-between type.

How to find out your chronotype:

• DNA test (9 genes)
• MEQ Test (Morning-Evening-Questionnaire) Source: Horne and ?stberg

1. German Version: https://nomadperformance.de/chronotyp-test/
2. English Version: https://www.ncmh.info/sleep-quiz/

Evening chronotypes face more challenges in our society, which lords and awards more in the morning or in-between chronotypes. Many years ago I coached a pre-diabetic, overweight woman with sleeping and emotional health problems. Together we could fix the metabolic syndrome, but I could only partly fix the sleeping and emotional health problems. One reason certainly was the lack of knowledge regarding the association between circadian rhythm and chronotype. She was an evening type and got to bed between 2-3 a.m. and “slept” until about noon. Her environment did not treat her to her advantage, the consequences you can imagine.

What is the impact of sleep on life- and healthspan?

Lack of sleep can increase the risk of chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, and can shorten lifespan. Conversely, getting enough high-quality sleep can improve overall health and extend lifespan.

Here are some reasons why sleep is so important:

• Brain health: During sleep, the brain clears out waste products, including toxic proteins that are associated with Alzheimer's disease. Lack of sleep can impair cognitive function, memory, and decision-making abilities.
• Metabolic health: Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate appetite and metabolism, leading to weight gain and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
• Immune function: Sleep is essential for maintaining a healthy immune system. Lack of sleep can impair the body's ability to fight off infections and increase the risk of chronic diseases.
• Inflammation: Lack of sleep can increase inflammation in the body, which is associated with many chronic diseases such as cancer, heart disease, and Alzheimer's disease.
• Cellular repair and regeneration: During sleep, the body repairs and regenerates cells, including muscle and bone cells. Lack of sleep can impair the body's ability to repair and regenerate cells, leading to accelerated aging and an increased risk of chronic diseases

Practical tips for sleep optimization?

• Maintain a consistent sleep schedule
• Create a sleep-conducive environment
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bedtime
• Limit exposure to artificial light before bedtime
• Practice relaxation techniques, such as meditation or deep breathing
• Exercise regularly, but not too close to bedtime

My personal sleeping protocol looks as follows:

• Very dark bedroom
• Temperature at around 18 degrees
• Last food intake about 2hrs prior to sleeping
• Try to consume a light dinner
• 7-8 hours of sleep
• No alcohol during the week (but going hard on weekends…just kidding)
• No coffee after noon
• 30 min reading/or meditation or breathing exercise before sleep
• High-quality mattress
• No pillow :)) But got rid of the neck and shoulder stiffness

What does "good sleep" mean??

• Quantity: Adequate duration: According to CDC most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night to function optimally
• Quality: Good sleep is uninterrupted and consists of the appropriate amount of time in each sleep stage, including deep sleep and REM sleep
• Regularity: Good sleep is consistent, with a regular sleep schedule and routine.
• Timing: Good sleep is aligned with an individual's chronotype and the body's natural rhythms.

Attached you see an example of a bad sleep, tracked by my OURA ring: It was the night after having finished Patagonman 2023

Can supplements help to improve sleep quality?

I recommend consulting with a physician before starting any new supplement regimen. It is also important to note that supplements are not a substitute for good sleep hygiene practices and addressing underlying sleep disorders or medical conditions. The supplement list below shows relatively solid scientific backup:

• Magnesium: Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in regulating sleep and is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions in the body. Magnesium supplementation which can enter the blood-brain barrier can improve sleep quality. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/24/5235
• Melatonin: Melatonin can help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, but it does not influence sleep generation. Be cautious about dosage and purity. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00415-020-10381-w
• Glycine: Glycine is an amino acid that has been shown to improve sleep quality as it influences temperature regulation https://www.nature.com/articles/npp2014326
• L-Theanine: L-Theanine is an amino acid found in green tea that has been shown to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6836118/
• L-Tryptophane: Can help to improve sleep quality especially ≥1 g/day: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33942088/

My personal sleep supplement protocol looks like this:

• Magnesium L-Threonate: 200 mg/day before bedtime (Magtein!)
• Glycine: 2 gr/day: intake before bedtime
• 1-2 Kiwi fruits 1h before bedtime: https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/apjcn/20/2/169.pdf

Recommended tools to deal with disrupted sleep?

Polysomnography is the gold standard: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/polysomnography/about/pac-20394877

Some less invasive methods are watch, wrist, or ring devices. I use the OURA ring, which measures, HR, movement, sleep stages, HRV, body temperature, and O2 saturation. The ring impresses with its low friction and high accuracy (high means ca 70% accuracy). True to the motto: “Set it and forget it”.

You can also conduct different tests to understand more about your sleep quality:

• MEQ
• PSQI
• ISI
• SBQ

Final Thoughts

I would claim that sleep has not the greatest image in our Western society as it is often undervalued and viewed as a time of unproductivity and wasted time. Up to 30% of our western population (CDC, ESRS) suffer from some form of sleep disorder.

We should combat this cultural narrative and start embracing sleep as a sacred and essential part of our lives as early as possible to cultivate a more balanced and fulfilling existence.

Sweet dreams, and keep it up!

P.S.

The next newsletter(s) will talk about nutrition

References

-"Why We Sleep”: Scientific book by Matthew Walker, a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.

-“The relationship between sleep duration and metabolic syndrome severity scores in emerging adults” (2023): Bilal A. Chaudhry et al.: ?https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9965711/

-“Sleep, awakenings, and IGF-I modulate the GH secretory response to GH-releasing hormone”. E Van Cauter et al.. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, V 74, p 1451-1459: https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-abstract/74/6/1451/2655472?redirectedFrom=fulltext

-“Sleep, Cognition, and Normal Aging: Integrating a Half-Century of Multidisciplinary Research” (2016). M.K. Sculling and D. L. Bliwise. Sleep, Cognition, and Normal Aging: Integrating a Half-Century of Multidisciplinary Research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4302758/

- “Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies”. FP Cappuccio et al. (2017).:https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/33/5/585/2454478

-“Sleep and mental disorders: A meta-analysis of polysomnographic research. C Baglioni, S Nanovska et al. (2016): https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2016-34313-001