WEEKEND CATCH UP SLEEP… IT JUST DOES NOT WORK!
As we head into the work week, keep this interesting article in mind from CNN.com about the importance of getting quality sleep ALL WEEK LONG and not building up a sleep debt for the weekend that we simply CAN NOT successfully pay back:
“Weekend catch-up sleep is not protective,” said Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, director of sleep research at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “The bottom line of this study is that even if you sleep longer on weekends, if you continue to sleep poorly, you will still eat too much, and you will still gain weight.”
The common behavior of “sleeping in on the weekends doesn’t correct the body’s inability to regulate blood sugar if that weekend is followed by a workweek or school week full of insufficient sleep,” said study author Kenneth Wright Jr., who directs the sleep lab at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
“And when we go back to getting too little sleep again,” Wright said, “we’re doing things that could be negative for our health long-term.”
At Comprehensive Gastrointestinal Health we have very strong opinions on the importance of maintaining HIGH QUALITY SLEEP. Not only can poor sleep contribute to weight gain (which in turn can negatively impact pretty much every gastrointestinal disease, including colon cancer), but also can negatively impact irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease.
We take a holistic approach, meaning we have a team of professionals including a gastroenterologist and nurse practitioner, a registered dietitian nutritionist, and a behavioral coach/counselor all on staff. We all work together to assess your symptoms and to recommend evaluation and treatment options, including an easy AT HOME SLEEP MONITOR that can help assess for disordered sleep that merits more aggressive care.
Our team is eager to help prevent colon cancer and help you to achieve your health and wellness goals! To learn more about our services, check out the website at compgihealth.com or talk to us directly by calling 224.407.4400.