SNACK ON EXERCISE, SLEEP LIKE A LOG

Exercise is often described as the wonder-pill, laughter referred to as the best medicine but these
two will struggle to make their impact felt if SLEEP is left out of the equation. These days many
people wear sleep deprivation like a badge of honour. We create the impression that the less you
sleep the more “serious” or goal-oriented you are. Is this really the truth?
Ghana is in a debt-crisis and the whole world to a large extent finds itself in the same soup BUT
beyond this crisis is a SLEEP DEBT that is already causing major challenges but its only the tip
of the iceberg because if we do not halt and reverse this trend, we should expect a major
explosion.
Good restful sleep has been described as “sleeping like a log” or “sleeping like a baby” but not
all sleep is created equal. Sometimes when we sleep, we set a whole orchestra in motion as we
snore in different decibels and octaves that will be the envy of many star singers. Unfortunately,
after a snoring bout even though everyone within earshot of us will swear we have had a great
sleep, we wake up feeling tired and still sleepy. Sometimes people tend to doze off during the
day and some may result in accidents. Sleep Apnoea? The quality of sleep is by all standards
extremely important.

The Disadvantages of Poor Sleep Habits

Poor sleep quality or short duration of sleep can lead to many more things than one can imagine
and it negatively impacts on every aspect of one’s life. Can you imagine developing
hypertension and heart disease, strokes, depression, stress, body pains, obesity, diabetes,
accidents, poor concentration and the list continues.

Late Night Snacking

When you stay awake needlessly past “ungodly” hours you tend to snack as you “work”, watch a
movie, listen to the news etc. Its not the snack that is often the problem but THE CHOICE of
snacks. These snacks and the power of cortisol tend to wave a magic wand on our waistlines
introducing conditions such as obesity and diabetes. Ever heard of the Twi expression “kom nndi
nie w’ada”, which translates as when you are asleep you do not feel hungry.
Late night snacking leaves us with very few options and only vegetables appear to be safe.
Remember to live though, that is what life is all about. These days I have realized that we can
“snack on exercises” as well. So, when that unnecessary urge to eat at midnight comes up just
walk for a few minutes. Has it occurred to you that if you have short bouts of walking lasting
only two minutes at a time and you do this ten times during the day, you would have put in about
twenty minutes of exercise and this definitely counts.
Sleep even impacts on our choices; poor sleep causes us to eat the wrong foods in quantity and
content and even leads us to drink more of what we may need to avoid including alcohol and
hard drugs.

Read Also: Sleep Well- Your Health Depends on it

Sleep Hygiene

Since sleep is so important, we need to share some hints that can improve our sleep quality and
duration and we will refer to these as SLEEP HYGIENE STEPS.

1. Create darkness in your room
2. Ensure your room is cool and well ventilated
3. Wind down or unplug from electronics etc. about an hour to your bedtime. You even
   meditate, spend time breathing or even praying
4. Avoid phones, laptops and books in your bed
5. Exercise: 4 to 6 hours before bed gives best effect but anytime before then is still an
   IDEAL time.
6. Watch your food intake; don’t overeat, avoid spices and lots of oils.
   a. Watch what you drink; stimulants will/may affect sleep, and these include
   caffeinated drinks, fizzy drinks, alcohol and energy drinks.
7. Regularity is key; go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time even on days
   you have extra time at your disposal but remember to live.
8. Writing or typing your TO DO list before sleep may help you sleep easier and better.
9. Discuss with your doctor the ideal time to take your prescribed medication. No point
   taking a water-pill at bedtime when you already have sleep challenges.
10. Get professional medical advice to exclude a disease that may be short-changing you on
    sleep.
    Let us SNACK ON EXERCISE so that we can SLEEP LIKE A LOG.
    AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND
    REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood
    pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
    Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
    Health Essentials Ltd/ Mobissel
    (dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)

*Dr. Essel is a medical doctor, holds an MBA and is ISSA certified in exercise therapy, fitness
nutrition and corrective exercise and he is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The
Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Ever wondered how to get the best exercises and tips on health &
wellness in the comfort of your room? Send an email to info@healthessentialsgh.com ”