What Are The Signs Of A Life Out Of Balance?

The signs of a life out of balance are all around us. We skip meals and over-indulge at the table. We sleep too little and work too hard. And when we do find time for rest, it's often interrupted by kids, pets or TV. Feeling constantly stressed yet doing little about it is another sign that your life is out of balance.

The best way to stay on track is to look at what you're doing, set some priorities and work them into your schedule. Start by evaluating the way you eat, sleep, relax and exercise.

Eating out of balance

Do you often have a heavy meal at dinnertime? Skipping breakfast or lunch yet snacking through the day? Don't lose sight of the importance of breakfast. It's one of the most important meals of the day—it gets your metabolism going and helps control your blood sugar level. It also helps to get your digestive system moving so that it's ready for food when you do sit down to a meal later in the day.

Do you go through periods of starvation or overeating? You may think that you're eating right, but when it comes right down to it you may be eating too little or too much. Consider a balanced diet. If you can't live on cookies and ice cream, perhaps you're eating too many snacks—and not enough meals. It's important to include some healthy foods with every meal and snack.

Sleeping out of balance

Are your hours of sleep adequate? Lack of sleep has been linked to weight gain and other health problems. It's not just about getting the recommended number of hours, but also about having good quality sleep.

Eating out of balance

Are you regularly skimping on your meals? Do you skip breakfast or lunch and then gorge on a lot of junk food and desserts when you get home? Your body needs an adequate amount of protein, vitamins and minerals for proper metabolism. You don't need to follow specific guidelines for these nutrients, but eating enough will help keep you healthy and fit.

Sleeping out of balance

Do some nights pass without you sleeping at all? If your sleep is on the short side, it's important to get a good amount each night. Lack of sleep can lead to stress that triggers overeating if you're already stressed by work or other things in life.

Eating out of balance

How much alcohol do you drink? Some moderate drinking may be good for your heart, but too much alcohol can lead to weight gain, especially around the belly. Alcohol is high in calories and doesn't provide you with useful nutrients.

Sleeping out of balance

How much exercise do you get? It's best to get at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, but not in one big chunk. You don't have to use the gym or go for a run —it's better to split your daily activity into 10-minute chunks.

Check out many of the lifestyle, fitness and nutrition tips on our blog. And keep in mind that you can change your life for the better with just a little time and effort.

Sleeping Habits in Healthy Adults Were Linked to Weight Gain, New Research Shows

By Allie Basen-Engquist | Mar 10, 2016

Conducted by researchers at Wake Forest School of Medicine and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, it found that a strong relationship exists between sleep quality and weight gain in healthy people age 20 to 60 years old.

The researchers followed 2,566 participants in two long-term studies, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities and the Cardiovascular Health Study. They were instructed to wear accelerometers on their hips for one week at a time, for at least four separate days each month over a four-year period from 2005 to 2012. The devices measured the number of times participants got in and out of bed and their total sleep time.

Researchers also gathered information about diet and exercise habits, along with body mass index (BMI) measurements every year. At the beginning of the study period, most participants had healthy BMIs (within the normal range), but over time 1 in 5 participants became overweight or obese. That rate was even higher among participants who scored poorly on the sleep quality scale.

Researchers divided sleep quality into three categories based on how often participants got about 7.5 hours of undisturbed sleep each night, with a score of 6 or less indicating poor sleep quality. They then compared that to the participants' BMI and weight gain over the course of four years, which ranged from 72 pounds for men and 71 pounds for women to 203 pounds for men and 201 pounds for women.

The results show that those who lost sleep quality gained more weight than those who had better-quality sleep, regardless of BMI level or physical activity levels in their normal lives.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to show an association of weight gain with sleep among those free from diagnosed sleep disorders," said senior author Dr. Hitinder Gurm, assistant professor of medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and researcher at the Center for Human Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "It confirms that there are inherent physiologic changes that may lead to weight gain as we age."

The reason for this relationship is also unclear, but researchers theorize that it could be attributed to being less physically active during sleep or even having a different appetite later in the day after periods of poor sleep.

"Interestingly, in this study, we found that the quality of sleep was more important than the overall amount of sleep. This is important because people tend to skimp on sleep when they are busy or do not give sleep enough priority."

The results show that those who lost sleep quality gained more weight than those who had better-quality sleep, regardless of BMI level or physical activity levels in their normal lives. "To our knowledge, this is the first study to show an association of weight gain with sleep among those free from diagnosed sleep disorders," said senior author Dr. Hitinder Gurm, assistant professor of medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine and researcher at the Center for Human Nutrition at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. "It confirms that there are inherent physiologic changes that may lead to weight gain as we age." More research must be done to understand why poor sleep is linked to weight gain and obesity, but this study may also help identify those at risk for weight problems.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2016/03/09/sleeping-habits_n_9088878.

Conclusion:

The importance of sleep seems to be overshadowed by other considerations, including family, social life, professional success and other obligations. In fact, a 2013 survey conducted for the Better Sleep Council showed that 75% of adults believe that getting enough sleep is important for emotional health and well-being. (1)

Most people lack adequate sleep or experience problems with their sleeping patterns at some point in their lives. These can include insomnia (trouble falling or staying asleep), or other symptoms such as trouble waking up on time, daytime sleepiness and irritability due to lack of quality sleep. Some people may also have underlying medical conditions affecting their ability to get sufficient restful sleep at night.