In the third and final part of our series on the importance of sleep, we look at the deeper connections between lack of sleep and our physical and mental resources. After a comprehensive overview of the basic aspects of sleep and strategies for improving sleep quality, we are now taking a closer look at the role of fasting and the further effects of lack of sleep on our organism.

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Lack of sleep not only affects our immediate performance, but also has far-reaching consequences for our metabolism, our immune system and our overall resilience. fasting plays a special role in this context: How and why it influences sleep and to what extent it can be a means of improving regeneration is discussed in more detail in this section. We also hear from our expert Prof. Dr. Günther W. Amann-JennsonHow chronic lack of sleep increases the risk of serious health problems such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity. You will learn to better understand the complex relationships between sleep, fasting and health and how you can use these findings for a healthy and balanced life.

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Prof. Amann-Jennson, how does fasting affect sleep?

Especially that intermittent fasting may improve sleep. As is well known, food intake is limited to certain times of the day. For example, some people follow a 16:8 plan where they only eat for an eight-hour period, such as from 12:00 to 20:00, and fast the remaining 16 hours of the day. While the digestive system takes a break, the body can focus on cell repair and recovery instead. Research suggests that intermittent fasting can improve the quality of sleep because it strengthens the daily rhythm. The circadian rhythm controls a variety of biological functions, from our appetite and metabolism to our sleep-wake rhythm. People who practice intermittent fasting also have higher levels of growth hormone (HGH). Produced during sleep, this hormone burns fat, restores muscles, and helps the body repair itself at a cellular level. As a result, people who fast may wake up feeling more refreshed and refreshed even after sleep.

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The positive effects of intermittent fasting on sleep can be felt after just one week. You also spend more time in REM (Rapid Eye Movement) dream sleep, a sleep stage that is responsible for emotional and mental processing. Overall, research shows better sleep quality, better mood, and better concentration during the day.

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And how does sleep deprivation affect gut health?

sleep and Intestinal health are definitely related. Although there is still a lot of research needed here, it is clear that digestive health can play a role in how well someone sleeps. There is a bidirectional influence: sleep deprivation has an effect on intestinal health, problems with the intestines lead to sleep disorders and thus to lack of sleep.

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Here are four ways in which sleep deprivation and chronic sleep debt can have a negative impact on gut health:

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• ‍Lack of sleep can increase stress levels, which in turn has a negative effect on the intestines. If you don't get enough sleep, hormones can get out of balance and the stress hormone cortisol can rise. For example, high stress levels often lead to problems with intestinal permeability. Permeability is the permeability of an organic or inorganic structure to other substances (e.g. gases, liquids). This can result in leaky gut syndrome (“permeable intestine”). During this process, food and toxins can enter the bloodstream through the intestines. This can lead to a wide range of problems, including bloating, inflammation, stomach pain, food intolerance, and changes in the gut microbiome.

• ‍Lack of sleep can have an impact on eating habits. As soon as you sleep too little, you can Hormones that control hunger get mixed up a bit, which leads to an increased appetite. This shows that unrested people often eat unhealthy foods in order to be able to recharge their batteries quickly. These are usually sweets or fatty foods. In turn, these foods can have a negative impact on both intestinal health and overall health.
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• ‍A lack of the sleep regulation hormone melatonin may be linked to GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease). Melatonin is a hormone that our body produces more in the evening and at night, as it helps us fall asleep and stay asleep. But that's not all: Melatonin also helps regulate gastrointestinal motility. When melatonin levels drop, it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep — and it could potentially lead to GERD. There are a number of influencing factors and it seems certain that there is a connection between a lack of melatonin and GERD.

• ‍If you stay up too late, you may eat just before you go to bed, which can have a negative effect on your digestive health. It is ideal to eat last 3 hours before bedtime. This prevents the body from being busy and burdened with digestion during sleep. This is the only way the body can recover and rid itself of toxins. Eating late makes it difficult to fall asleep in most cases and can even interfere with staying asleep.

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Does lack of sleep affect our genes?

In general, it should be mentioned here that lack of sleep can have a different effect on everyone. From a scientific perspective, this seems to suggest that there is a genetic factor that should be considered when it comes to sleep deprivation. In addition to the numerous variations in genetics, gender is another factor to consider when it comes to lack of sleep. It is generally accepted that women are more susceptible to lack of sleep than men, and numerous researchers believe that women even need more sleep. However, there is evidence that women are also better able to deal with the symptoms of a poor night's rest compared to their male counterparts.

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Lack of sleep can very well have an effect on our genes, which are associated with both DNA-repair as well as related to DNA damage. A study comparing doctors who worked day or night shifts found that those who worked the night shift had a 30% lower baseline level of DNA repair gene expression and more DNA breaks than those who did not work the night shift. Following acute sleep deprivation, these two indicators of DNA damage worsened by another 25 percent. When 2 million participants were grouped together for a meta-analysis, the results even showed that, for example, more night shift work (= lack of sleep!) led to an increased risk of breast tumours.

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In our three-part series on the importance of sleep, we have comprehensively explained the important role sleep plays in our health and wellbeing. In first part We examined the various sleep phases and their functions and showed how lack of sleep can have a negative effect on cognitive performance, mental health and physical vitality.

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In second part It was about concrete strategies to improve sleep quality. We've learned about methods to improve sleep environments, dietary habits, and stress management to promote sleep hygiene and ensure restful sleep over the long term.

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Finally, in the third part, we looked at the complex interactions between lack of sleep, fasting and other health effects. We have discovered how lack of sleep affects metabolism and overall health and how fasting can specifically contribute to regeneration.

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In summary, the series shows how essential deep, restful sleep is for our physical and emotional well-being and how we can sustainably improve our sleep quality and thus our health through conscious measures.

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More information:

www.samina.com

www.schlafcoaching.com

www.samina-recovery.com

www.simple-health-sleep.com

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The new book by Prof. Günther W. Amann-Jennson “Einfach gesund schlafen”, IRSIANA Verlag, has been available in bookstores since May 2024.