Getting more sleep has been a challenge for me. I have made no changes to my sleeping habits even though I really had wanted to sleep better. I have finally found my motivator to getting to bed early!

I listened to Jimmy Moore’s Livin Lavida Low Carb Show on sleep with author T.S. Wiley. She is the Author of Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival. She explains the importance of sleep and how it relates to the function of our bodies and hormones. The bright house lights, computers and televisions that emit so much light can disrupt our hormones. This is the cause of many sleep issues. Cortisol (the stress hormone) increases and Melatonin (the sleep and repair hormone) decrease when our cells are exposed to light. Melatonin is important to our health because it is a powerful antioxidant and we want our levels high.

Right now we are in the dead of winter and it gets dark pretty early (around 5:30pm). T.S. Wiley does mention that we have to follow nature’s rhythm and go into hibernation. Every cell in our body is light sensitive and artificial light in the winter deceives our cells into thinking that it is summer all the time. Animals are more active and store up fat for hibernation in the summer time.  Our bodies are meant to do the same thing, but are in “summer mode” all year long thanks to our bright technology.

Can we really lose fat by lowering our lights and hibernating through the winter?

I think this is the primary reason that I can’t lose the last stubborn 10 pounds.

She also talks about how sleep affects our cravings for carbs and sugars.

It is a very interesting interview that I think everyone would enjoy listening to it.

I never knew how important sleep and sleep cycles are. I will lower my lights and see how this affects my sleep. Good quality sleep affects our mental clarity, physical energy, immune and hormonal health. Insulin
release would be lowered and then I can finally see some fat loss results.

I will keep updating my progress.

Listen to the interview and let me know what you think.

To your health and wellness,

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