There it is.....a yummy cookie or chocolate muffin. Just staring at you. How long can you resist?
Or maybe you open a big bag of crisps. I'll just have a handful, you say to yourself. A few minutes later the empty bag lies next to you and you sigh....next time I'll be stronger.
How can you improve your track record?
You may have guessed from the title.....Sleep!
More specifically, the total amount of sleep and the percentage of deep sleep you get.
Have a look at this 2020 pilot study that examined how sleep might affect cognitive function.
Study Design
12 participants did 3x 60 mins sessions per week over a period of 6 weeks.
In each session the participants completed 4x tasks measuring Resting State (Drowsiness), Memory, Impulsiveness and Reaction Time.
The participants completed daily surveys on perceived quality of sleep, caffeine intake, prescription drugs and mood assessment.
Sleep was tracked with a Whoop band, a wrist worn health tracker.
Brain activity during each task was measured with a device called a Kernel Brain Interface that can detect neuronal (brain cell) activity.
Results
1) Total sleep, deep sleep and sleep latency were correlated with impulse control.
Overall, the more sleep and deep sleep participants got the night before the better they performed in the Impulse Control Task. According to this study 8.0 to 9.0 hours of sleep with 2.0 to 2.5 hours of deep sleep enabled participants to perform well in the task.
In addition the longer it took them to sleep (sleep latency) the better they performed - 12 to 15 minutes appeared to be optimal in this study.
2) Total and deep sleep duration was correlated with neural activation during the Impulse Control task.
On average Kernel images showed a bilateral de-activation during the Impulse Control Task compared to readings at rest. On most days the prefrontal cortex was de-activated but this varied. Some days the prefrontal cortex became activated when compared to resting readings!
Handy when that choccy biscuit or bag of crisps is calling your name!
Caveat: This was a small, pilot study. It would be interesting if the results are replicated in a larger, peer reviewed study.
Things To Note
I don't know of any reputable study that says sleep isn't important. Pretty much every physical and mental health metric improves after consistent, quality sleep.
When you get less sleep your cognitive function declines so that you lose a sense of self. In other words, you can't perceive your own physical and mental decline. Your sleep deprived state becomes normal and you lose your self awareness of what it felt like to be alert and fully functioning.
A lack of sleep means you operate on power saving mode. Chances are that you'll rely more on your system 1 brain. The system 1 brain is quick to respond, impulsive and requires little thought or effort. Perfect for when you're feeling tired or a bit foggy.
System 2 brain is the logical, analytical brain. It tends to be lazy and slower to come on-line. It's more reflective and considers the possible consequences of your actions, if it's given time to do so. It requires more effort to engage system 2 brain unfortunately.
So when you have a dodgy night's sleep the chances are that you'll be more likely to settle for quick fixes, be more reactive and not bother about the consequences or long-term results of your hasty decisions and actions.
You could make poor eating choices, binge on Netflix or just not go that extra mile in your workout.
If you're trying to create new, healthier habits or make balanced lifestyle choices you should take an honest look at your sleep. Improvements made here can positively impact every other area of your life.
Simple Tips To Improve Sleep
There are no magic quick fixes here.
1) Turn off your blue light devices, such as your mobile phone, tablet, Kindle or laptop, 30 to 60 minutes before lights out.
2) Avoid reading emails, texts or scrolling through social media at least 30 minutes before bed. This just excites your brain, lowering your sleep drive and making it harder to get to sleep.
3) Caffeine has a half life of 7 hours, depending on your metabolism. In other words if you drink a cup of coffee at 1pm, half of the caffeine will still be in your system at 8pm. Caffeine blocks melatonin, the sleep hormone. So if you're sensitive to caffeine aim to have your last cup of coffee by 12 noon.
4) Reduce your alcohol intake. Alcohol might help you to get to sleep but it wrecks deep sleep. You'll be more likely to wake up during the night and get less of the restorative sleep your brain and body need to stay healthy and perform well.
5) Keep your bedroom as dark and quiet as possible. Cool is good. Aim for an ambient temperature of 17 to 19 degrees Celsius to match body temperature.
6) Consistency is king. Your body loves consistency. The sleep hormone melatonin is produced about 3 hours before lights out. Therefore if you regularly go to bed around 11.30pm your body knows when to start producing melatonin with a fair degree of precision.
Likewise try to get up at the same time each day. You'll feel less foggy and more alert through the day.
7) Eating a big meal is hard work for the body. If your body is busy digesting a load of food you'll be less likely to have a good night's sleep. With that said, if your body runs short of energy during the night you'll wake up with the midnight munchies because your brain needs glucose ASAP.
Try eating a light protein snack - a small portion of chicken or fish, eggs, nuts, or a protein shake. Casein or a plant-based protein work better than whey because they're digested more slowly and keep blood sugar levels more stable through the night.
The importance of sleep on decision making and mood is why it's one of the foundation steps of the Shift System, my programme for transforming your wellbeing and fitness. If you want to make changes to your lifestyle, improve how you feel, move and function, contact me at [email protected] and we can see if the Shift System will be a good fit for you.