WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Sleep=Growing Healthy Kids

"Sleep is the golden chain that ties our health and our bodies together."  
                                                           --Thomas Dekker

Cell phones.  I always ask kids where they keep their cell phones at night.  The most common answer is, “on my bed” or “next to my bed”.  

All parents need to know that having a cell phone within 10 feet of a child’s brain can interfere with brain development and the ability to get a good night’s sleep.  It is frightening how many parents are not educated about the dangers associated with children’s brain and cell phones.

“Sleep hygiene” is the habit of preparing one’s body and mind for restful sleep: no caffeine at least 6 hours before bedtime, no TV or video games at least an hour before bedtime, no vigorous exercise right before bedtime, and creating one’s bedtime as a peaceful sanctuary.  Add “cell phones charging in another room” to this list. 

Talk with your family.  Ensure that everyone with a cell phone is charging them someplace other than right next to their heads at night.  Start a new family habit and move all electronics out of the bedroom.   At least unplug any electronics in the bedroom at night so the blue and red lights do not interfere with sleep.

Make sure your kids are getting enough sleep (see “Wellness Wednesdays” published August 19, 2015:  “Sleeping for Good Grades and Good Health”).  Not getting enough sleep is associated with being overweight and with poor academic performance.  Make sleep a priority.  Your brain and your body will thank you!  

Everyone deserves to "sleep like a baby" and ALL kids deserve to be Growing Healthy Kids.

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Sleep and Your Weight

"Sleep is the best meditation." 

                                       --Dalai Lama

Whoever invented sleep is my hero.  Nothing beats a great night’s sleep. 

I talk with so many people who take prescription drugs for sleep.  Doctors love to hand out prescriptions for sleeping pills instead of getting to the root cause.  How much profit is being made by Big Pharma with all the prescriptions written? What is the marketing budget? Apparently, we can a big problem sleeping in the U.S. because we spend more than $32 billion a year trying to sleep.

A good night’s sleep is key to staying at a healthy weight.  When people who want to lose weight ask me for help, one of the first questions I ask is about sleep.  Not getting enough sleep is a risk factor for obesity.

According to National Institutes of Health, “Sleep helps maintain a healthy balance of the hormones that make you feel hungry (ghrelin) or full (leptin). When you don't get enough sleep, your level of ghrelin goes up and your level of leptin goes down. This makes you feel hungrier than when you're well-rested.

Sleep also affects how your body reacts to insulin, the hormone that controls your blood glucose (sugar) level. Sleep deficiency results in a higher than normal blood sugar level, which may increase your risk for diabetes.”

Here are 3 tips you can use:

• Maintain regular bedtimes.
• Keep electronics out of the bedroom.
• Have sleep hygiene habits such as no caffeine after 3 pm.

Parents should be mindful of the importance of a good night’s sleep for their own health and children’s health.  Teach your children.  Be a good role model.  Now, off to bed!

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.