THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP...

MUSCLE ADAPTATION FOR IMPOSED DEMANDS

DR. BILL MISNER, Ph.D.

Most of us, possibly from a disdain of, or a childhood "I-do-not-want-to-miss-something" fear, often resist the nodding and drowsy prodding call to sleep. Even the most mature, modern, health-conscious adult may, at times, view sleep as an unwelcome intruder into their play, work, or leisure activities. The costly expenditure of 27-35%(6.5-9.0 hours/day) of a lifetime, is mostly unconscious, and is therefore no small amount of time. Is it possible to do without it? What are the consequences? From the study of severe sleep deprivation in small animals, scientists have estimated that the average human may not be able to live past 10 days without sleep! They are not sure what physiological mechanisms may cause human death, but some have rumored that a body thermostatic failure will result, though this has not been confirmed. The opposite of death is anabolic, life-giving, growing, progressive health, which the correct amount of sleep will nurture. When 65-73% of a day is spent on the demands of waking mental focus and physical energy expenditures(catabolism), then the remaining 27-35% must be donated to the rebuilding and recharging processes in favor of deposit(anabolic) preceding the imposing daily demands which the energy cycle exacts once again... HUMAN ANABOLIC RECUPERATIVE SLEEP IS CONNECTED TO A SENSITIVE BIOLOGICAL CIRCADIAN CLOCK Quality sleep remarkably influences healthy anabolic mental and physical recuperation from all forms of stress. Measured electrical activity in the brain during sleep indicates recuperative cycles of physiological changes occur every 90 minutes. The active biological clock in human beings is set in a flux of "circadian rhythms" every 25-28 hours. This clock is set and reset by a 2500 lumen or lux power found in the full-spectrum wave-length of sunlight at the start and finish of each day. Two other clock-like rhythms occur between 3-6:00 a.m. and 3-6:00 p.m., when our body temperature dips a degree or two fahrenheit, causing drowsiness, or in the case of the latter, the mid-afternoon slump. The highest body temperatures peak between 6:00-9:00 p.m. causing a heightened alertness. Then, as we tend to "wind down" after 9:00 p.m. from daily activities, body temperatures lower, and we are lulled into a state of drowsiness, enhanced by low voltage beta waves are "time-shifting" to higher voltage alpha waves. As alpha waves convert to producing slower theta waves during sleep stages #1 and #2, skeletal muscles are programmed to relax causing the "Hypnic Jerk" or "Nodding" one may experience during a boring lecture or after lunch. Theta wave modulations, when not resisted or interrupted, will soon deteriorate to the slower delta waves which are characterize sleep stages #3 and #4. During these latter stages rapid eye movement sleep(REM sleep), dreams, and muscle paralysis occur. If muscle paralysis does not occur, the vividness of the dream state will physically draw the dreamer into an active state of "sleepwalking", or, worse yet, intense physical activity will further catabolize exhausted muscle tissues already in need of repair. Animal studies(Levie via Moses, 1997) have shown this phenomenom if the brain's ability to paralyze the muscles during the later sleep stages has been neurologically removed, the animals jump around, growl, howl, and exhaust themselves while actively

dreaming. It has been shown that during deep dream-state or slow-wave sleep that Plasma Growth Hormone(HGH) in humans is found to be at its highest levels. (Prinz et al., 1983) Active, full, phasic repair of soft tissue will not occur in the absence of HGH, or, if the sleep stage process is interrupted, suppressed, or modified. HOW CAN DEPRESSED SLEEP LOSS EFFECT STRENGTH, ENDURANCE, AND ENERGY PERFORMANCE LEVELS Human circadian rhythms were measured and observed to cause evening sleep to begin later in summer than winter, while waking occurred earlier in summer than winter.(Honma et al., 1992) Lack of high quality sleep literally "robs" up to half of the anabolic replenishment that both the muscles and the mind crave each day. If, during deep slow-wave sleep (stages #3 and #4) significant growth hormone levels are curtailed by exogenous events, destructive, catabolic processes are likely. Losing sleep has been shown to have a detrimental negative effect on mental and physical recovery, if sleep is deprived for 24-48 hours. Once sleep is lost, it is very difficult to recuperate to the original mental or previous physical levels. Subjects, who were deprived of sleep, recovered only 42% from a sleepless 48-hour time period, and but recovered 72% from a similar 24 hours without sleep.(Rosenthal et al., 1991) The imposition of noise pollution on sleep state has been shown to dramatically depress optimal sleep-state blood chemistry. Aircraft noise from outside homes located near airports creates from 55-75 decibels noise inside the homes. This level of aircraft night noise was observed to raise adult catecholamine levels of Adrenaline & Noradrenaline of all those sampled, and (conclusively) disrupted normal healthy anabolic sleep. (Maschke et al., 1993) Exposure to high-levels of noise during the day also has a derogatory effect on getting a sound night's sleep. Daytime noise pollution(80 decibels or more) has been shown to elevate both heart and respiration rates, disrupting full-staged recuperative sleep. (Fruhstorfer et al.,1984) Other similar hindrances and resultant sleep aberrations resulted in another research study where subjects received sleep in fragments.(Non -fragmented sleep cycles of at least 90+ minutes must be allowed for complete recovery). Fragmented sleep was endured by subjects who were aroused periodically during sleep and were prevented from entering a complete cycle of sleep, for "natural" recovery. Constant arousal from sleep or naps prevented them from returning to pre-deprivation "normal" levels.(Levine et al., 1987) When sleep is altered, reduced, or extended, both performance and mood are effected. Taub and Berger(1976) recorded observations of altering sleep durations by delaying, extending, or advancing each phase of slumber by a 3-hour time span. Their subjects suffered measurable decline in both vigilance performance and mood scale, independent of their individual total sleep time. Getting a "perfect" night's sleep may mean having a "quiet" day, a "stress-free" work experience, a "soundless", "light-free-dark"sleeping environment, and nutritionally supported by a "balance of macronutrients to a precise ratio of specific micronutrients". (All of the previous "underlined" are difficult but NOT impossible to control.) BALANCING THE EXACT MACRONUTRIENT INTAKE WITH THE SPECIFIC-PRECISE RATIO OF MICRONUTRIENTS The biochemistry of sleep is remarkably influenced by what we eat or drink. Relatively small amounts of alcohol(0.8 grams alcohol per kilogram body weight) have been observed to suppress plasma growth hormone values 75% when a single drink is consummed prior to sleep.(Prinz et al., 1980) Perhaps more dramatic is how a poor choice of solid foods may not only reverse the replenishing anabolic effects from a good night's sleep, but may also create the undesired catabolic reactions from a poor night's sleep. Dr. James Balch(1990) has conceded that when micronutrient ratios of calcium to magnesium are imbalanced, or if a person is not getting enough of each mineral from poor absorption rates, insomnia will haunt the malnourished.

Ten percent(10%) of non-chelated mineral supplements are absorbed in the small intestines, while 60% of the chelated minerals are absorbed. A single symptom from calcium-magnesium mineral deficiency is a "blunt arousal" after a few hours of sleep, with the inability to fall back to sleep. Dietary deficiencies of vitamin B-complex micronutrients, (specifically B-5 and B-6), create similar disruptions in sound sleep patterns. Other villains of sound sleep, Dr. Balch named, are prescription medications, caffeine, obesity, hypothyroidism, or systemic disorders. Likewise foods high in the amino acid tyrosine, or its metabolite-derivitive tyramine, have been shown to activate the adrenal glands to release a brain neuro-chemical stimulant dose of norepinephrine, which coerces the alert waking state. The tyrosine-tyramine rich foods to be avoided at the evening meal are cheeses, beer, wine, broad bean pods, chicken liver, sauerkraut, chocolate, bacon, ham, sausage, eggplant, potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes. Low muscle glycogen stores from excessive or prolonged exercise fasting and high-proteinlow fat-low-carbohydrate diets may have a negative effect on the optimal sleep pattern. Nutritive sleepinducing "friendly foods", when eaten at the evening meal will assist sound sleep patterns. These foods contain high amounts of another amino acid, tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin, the precursor for melatonin, an active neurotransmitter for sleep inducement. Foods found to be rich in tryptophan are bananas, figs, dates, yogurt, oatmeal, turkey, tuna, or grapefruit. Complex carbohydrates tend to enhance pre-slumber drowsiness if eaten in several small meals throughout the day. SUMMING UP PRIORITIES FOR OPTIMAL ANABOLIC SLEEP RECOVERY! While some ergogenic experts(Colgan 1993) argue for the HGH anabolic advantage of "naps" taken during the day, or between high-caloric energy expenditures(such as two-a-day workouts), others(Levie via Moses 1997) warn against any interruption of circadian rhythms set by continuous sleep patterns and sunlight. However all scientists appear to agree if more muscular or mental energy is spent during the day, THE greater the need for quality, continuous, anabolic multiple-stage sleep. A prioritized summary, in order of importance, simplifies for individual practice what may produce the maximal desired physiological sleep patterns: * Transition from alert, active, stimulation sources to less active relaxing activities must be implemented daily up to 3 hours prior to sleep.(reading, listening to music, warm bath, a walk) * Eat foods 2 hours or less prior to bedtime which are rich in complex carbohydrates, tryptophan, and contain a 2:1 ratio of calcium* to magnesium* in chelated form, with high optimal intake of BComplex*(especially B-5* & B-6*). * Avoid foods rich in tyrosine or tyramine, caffeine, alcohol, during the 6 hour period prior to going to bed. * Avoid stimulating arousal from exercise, stress, or medications 6 hours prior to sleep. * Assist sleep pattern synchronization with sunlight by developing the habit of going to bed when the sun sets and waking near the time it rises. Reinforcing circadian rhythms by providing a quiet, dark environment where you sleep and when you sleep will cause maximal anabolic sleep returns. * If you "Nap" between two-a-day workouts, attempt to sleep at least 90 minutes for a complete REMHGH physiological sleep cycle event.micronutrient profile for optimal anabolic sleep. DR. BILL MISNER, Ph.D. E-CAPS INC. & HAMMER NUTRITION LTD. 1-800-336-1977

drbill@cet.com http://www.e-caps.com/

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