An adjustment to your lifestyle might be the key to preventing those middle-of-the-night awakenings, according to a specialist.
If you find yourself awake at odd hours, there may be a reason behind your interrupted sleep patterns.
Dave Asprey, known for his work as an author and advocate for longevity, has shed light on why you might be experiencing these nighttime disturbances.
In a video shared with his million Instagram followers, he discussed how fluctuating blood sugar (glucose) levels could be the culprit.
When these levels drop, stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline are released, unfortunately causing you to wake up.
He stated in the video, “For most people who wake up between 3 to 5am and can’t go back to sleep, it is usually [due to a] crash in your blood sugar.”
Asprey further explained that these hormones prompt the liver to release additional glucose. However, they aren’t the only factors elevating cortisol and adrenaline.
Studies indicate that ongoing stress can also increase these hormone levels, affecting sleep quality.
He elaborated, “The problem is, cortisol and adrenaline wake you up. While the brain gets what it wants, you don’t get your sleep.”
So, how can this issue be resolved?
Despite the common advice from sleep specialists to avoid eating right before bed for various reasons, Asprey recommends having a ‘small snack before bed’.
But rather than indulging in snacks like a can of Pringles, he suggests the snack should include ‘raw honey, collagen, MCT oil or a combination of all three’.
MCT oil, a type of fat also present in coconut oil, along with these other ingredients, might provide steady energy without causing the undesirable blood sugar crash.
Asprey’s interests extend beyond just sleep improvement.
He has invested $2 million in efforts to reverse the aging process. Imagine the convenience!
He asserts that his lab results indicate he has a biological age of 39 and foretell a lifespan reaching 180 years.
Though we’re not entirely convinced living to such an age is appealing!