“Good sleep requires fairly vigorous metabolism and a normal body temperature. In old age, the metabolic rate is decreased, and sleep becomes defective.” Ray Peat. PhD
The key to quality sleep is high energy metabolism and maintaining optimal body temperature (36.6’C-37’C).
Ample energy is required to relax fully and sleep deeply. Children sleep well because of their ability to maintain a high body temperature and produce energy and carbon dioxide. The combination of these factors lead to restful sleep rather than inflammatory or stressful sleep.
Disturbed rest is associated with ageing, obesity, menopause, depression, and other health problems. If sleep quality is poor, it shows us there is an energy problem.
When efficient energy production fails (for example like with hypothyroidism), compensatory mechanisms kick in to fire up the metabolism and body temperature.
This compensation mechanism involves stress responses that provoke a wide variety of symptoms, among them insomnia or other sleep issues.
Here is a brief list of some signs or symptoms of poor sleep quality:
- Waking unrested or groggy
- Nocturnal urination
- Night sweats
- Difficulty going to sleep
- Difficulty getting back to sleep if awoken
- Low waking temperature and pulse
- Resting temperature or pulse falls after eating breakfast
- Waking once or more during the night
- Waking with a rapid heart beat
- Waking with inflammation, swelling, or coldness especially in hands or feet
- Snoring
- Sleep apnea
- Mouth breathing or waking with dry mouth
- Nightmares
- Waking with no appetite
Do you battle with any of these signs and symptoms?
Let me know, get in touch and I can assess the root cause and advise accordingly.
X M
