<h1 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #993366;"><em><strong>PART 4a – QUALITY ZEDS LEADS TO QUALITY RECOVERY – MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY &amp; EMOTIONALLY</strong></em></span></h1>
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<h4><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>PART 4a</strong></span> continues to offer the results and feedback from my ‘Work/Lifestyle Stress Balance’ case study.</h4>
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Got to <span style="color: #993366;"><strong>PART 1-3</strong></span> to catch up.

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<h4><span style="color: #993366;">Today’s section offers;</span></h4>
<ul>
	<li>The ill-health consequence of consistent poor sleep,</li>
	<li>The power of quality sleeps on sustainable good health, and</li>
	<li>The sleep hacks (strategies) we used to sleep better (the hacks that worked).<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/braaaaa.jpg"><img class=" size-medium wp-image-2758 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/braaaaa-300x300.jpg" alt="braaaaa" width="300" height="300" /></a></li>
</ul>
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We used the same simple sleep strategies on both groups.

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<blockquote><span style="color: #00ffff;"><strong>GROUP 1</strong></span> - the sustained rock star-like adrenaline (stress) chargers, and,

<strong><span style="color: #00ffff;">GROUP 2</span></strong> - those now living with some of their (serotonin) lights dimmed lower than ideal.

<strong>Note</strong> – Group 2, Serotonin Seekers, may have reached this somewhat disheartened (yet usually guarded) state after living an adrenalin charged (consistently stressed) lifestyle, and have been broken, or, they slowly reached this state over many years.</blockquote>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>The Head Buzz Test</strong></span>

Before launching into all things sleep, below is a short, simple ‘test’ we performed on most subjects.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Instructions</strong></span>
<ul>
	<li>Lay down for five minutes of so. Do not attempt to fall asleep, just lay down and focus on your phone or TV.</li>
	<li>Now, get to your feet, as in fully upright, as quickly as possible.</li>
</ul>
Now, while this sudden (gravity challenged) change in blood pressure is likely to offer a brief moment of ‘head spins’, you should gather your composure within two to three seconds.  However, should your optic focus, coordination imbalance or head spins linger longer than three seconds, this seemed to correlate with our Group 1 members – the adrenalin (cortisol overload) stress drivers.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>An active (positive) Head Spin Test and the list below was reflective of adrenalin stress drivers</strong>.</span>
<ul>
	<li><strong>High</strong> (systolic – the top number, g.,. <strong>145</strong>/85) <strong>blood pressure</strong>. Medics confirmed, in all but one subject, this ‘high’ result was NOT reflective of atherosclerosis ( the potentially dangerous narrowing of blood vessel walls) but related more if not solely to hormonal and neurotransmitter imbalance – lifestyle stress (anxiety) 101.  Either way, in the event of sustained HBP, I strongly recommended consulting your GP if this is the case.</li>
	<li>*Slowly gaining tummy fat, even while exercising regularly, and believing their diet was nutritionally</li>
</ul>
**Hyper adrenaline drivers commonly favour glucose (sugar) as their preferred fuel source (not fat).  With adrenalin and consequent cortisol in full unrelenting swing, sugar is released to fuel this <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/burn-oo.jpg"><img class=" size-medium wp-image-2678 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/burn-oo-300x168.jpg" alt="burn oo" width="300" height="168" /></a>high pitched energy.  Increasing blood sugar is usually met with increasing insulin, which, for the part, drives the laying down of body fat.  This is a reason why ‘lifestyle stressed’ males into their forties start laying down additional kegs.  It’s often not the grub, a few beers, or lack of exercise, but a hormonal imbalance driven by sustained stress.
<ul>
	<li>Struggling to communicate once leaving work, unless fuelled with one or four alcoholic drinks.</li>
	<li>Waking frequently at 2 am and struggling to return to Delta wave quality sleep (see next bit).</li>
	<li>Craving energy pick-ups like – sugar, caffeine, alcohol and drugs (prescribed or unsubscribed).</li>
	<li>**Low sex drive.</li>
</ul>
** All necessary ‘good’ (HDL) cholesterol plays a significant role in producing hormones.  And, no hormones, no life. Now, if all your hormones are being used to generate hormones like cortisol, which is related to controlling and balancing adrenalin, this leaves less cholesterol to produce other, critical, hormones like testosterone.  With little testosterone, low serotonin, a beat up dopamine system – courtesy of false highs - this could likely lead to low sex drive and possible emotional challenges that come from this.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>What is quality sleep? </strong></span>

Perhaps the easiest way to answer this is to offer the feedback of subjects assessing with ideal health; mentally, emotionally, physically and sexually;
<ul>
	<li>Fall asleep within 3 minutes of laying down.</li>
	<li>While moving around a little during sleep, sleep was mostly</li>
	<li>Woke naturally 5days/7 within 20 minutes of the alarm</li>
	<li>*Rarely wake to feel dehydrated.</li>
	<li>Usually, wake energised leaving mostly optimum function within 20 seconds of standing.</li>
</ul>
*Your waking and bed weight difference should be between 0.4 – 1.2 kgs.  I would suggest assessing your hydration status if regularly outside this ratio.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Serotonin/ Melatonin perfect balance.  </strong></span>

Serotonin and melatonin are both neurotransmitters derived <a href="http://nootriment.com/tryptophan-supplement/">from the essential amino acid tryptophan</a>, found in protein (see Part 4b). These brain messengers are important for regulating our sleep cycles and our moods (see diagram).<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture2.png"><img class=" size-medium wp-image-3543 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture2-300x204.png" alt="Picture2" width="300" height="204" /></a>

Serotonin, (see Part 1) in healthy people should be thriving during daylight hours – being our ‘all-day’ sustainable natural high.  So while dopamine takes effect for intermittent ups, serotonin, should keep ticking away all day leaving us happy, vibrant and tolerant.

As night falls, serotonin levels should drop naturally, with melatonin naturally (the sleepy bio-chemical) amping up.  Subjects claiming irregular sleep were assessed (medically) to be low in melatonin.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Benefits of quality sleep!</strong></span>

I would think the benefits of regular quality sleep would seem obvious enough.  Quite simply, you’re living with ideal health – body &amp; brain.

After 28 years of assessing health, I’ve found consistent sleep trumps all in delivering our best health - this includes food choices and exercise.  Poor sleep classically seems to influence poor food choices (and gut health), movement (mainly increasing joint inflammation), and behaviour.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Touched down in the land of Delta Blues</strong></span>

Of the five most significant brain waves (see pic), it is Delta waves @ &lt;4Hz that take us to our best sleep and recovery.  The more Delta waves over your resting period (say 6-8hours), the better. Theta waves @ 4-8Hz offer us dreams and REM, so are also great in amplifying your best resting and rejuvenating state. <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture1.jpg"><img class="  wp-image-3544 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture1-300x290.jpg" alt="Picture1" width="249" height="241" /></a>

Now then, as for our adrenalin junkies, well, they found themselves at best in an Alpha state @ 9-13Hz, which, while somewhat relaxed, won’t produce sleeping gold.  At worst, often around 2 am, they’d find themselves whacking out Gamma waves @ 30+Hz (brain overdrive, sensitive to sound and thermoregulation – I’m friggin hot).  Gamma waves and sleep don’t match – at all.

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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Sleep Hacks (the ones we used with success)</strong></span>
<ul>
	<li>The Power Snooze – the ultimate turbo recharger.</li>
	<li>Dialling into Delta Waves, and staying there – till you wake naturally at your best time.</li>
</ul>
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<span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Download “free’ App both on iPhone and Android – <u>PZIZZ</u></strong></span>

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<strong>Application # 1</strong> – I just need a short sharp recharging time out.<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/download-8.jpg"><img class=" size-full wp-image-3541 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/download-8.jpg" alt="download (8)" width="225" height="225" /></a>

Hit ‘Power Snooze’ (Red button)
<ul>
	<li>We found 13-17 minutes worked best. Any longer than 20 minutes encouraged delta waves which left subjects drowsy for the rest of the day, and, throwing normal evening sleep patterns out of kilt.  Oh, and it’s best practiced between 11am-2pm – avoid any later in the day.</li>
	<li>Laying down worked However, I am aware this is a challenge in most workplaces.</li>
	<li>You’ll need Headphones.</li>
	<li>Subliminal suggestions and background theta waves will give you a short, sharp recharge – seriously – just go with it!</li>
	<li>Don’t worry, as you’ve set the time, and some bloke with a late night AM radio voice will bring you back from the clouds right in the knick of time – often leaving you drooling.</li>
	<li>Improved Results were cumulative. Best results came after 5-6 cracks.</li>
	<li>Most notable results were the improvement in late afternoon focus and concentration, with many subjects claiming a significant emotional boost once they arrived home.</li>
	<li>It also seemed to curb or regulate appetite, hence, not getting home feeling like you could eat a horse.</li>
</ul>
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<strong>Application # 2</strong> – I’ve had a crap day, I’ve got loads my plate, particularly tomorrow, there are dickhe@ds everywhere, and I’m struggling to nail down quality zeds, this has left me buggered!
<ul>
	<li>Hit ‘Sleep’ (Blue button)</li>
</ul>
Firstly, give yourself a chance.
<ul>
	<li>Whack on clean sheets and a clean pillow case.</li>
	<li>Make sure you’re not too hot to start, yet throw a blanket at your feet for around 2 am (check out a ‘normal’ 24-hour functional time clock – see pic).<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture3.png"><img class="  wp-image-3542 alignright" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/Picture3-300x155.png" alt="Picture3" width="468" height="242" /></a></li>
	<li>Turn off all those annoying blue lights – other than your phone dialled into PZIZZ.</li>
	<li>Limit alcohol to one drink if any, avoid coffee after 1 pm, and avoid carb &amp; sugar loading just before bed. Yes, turkey and milk do actually amp up melatonin – try it!</li>
	<li><em>The last tip</em> – if possible, avoid TV advertisements late at night. That is, intermittent ads littered with brain sparking subliminal gingles, suggestive messages, and colours like red and yellow (g., desert cooking shows!!). Reading or talking would be ideal.</li>
	<li>Set your Pzizz for around 50 minutes. Subjects reported this was about the best time, as it led them quickly into Delta waves and had them flicking between delta and theta for the rest of their recovery sleep (6-8 hours).</li>
	<li>Sleep control is mostly subliminal delta wave binary noise with only brief introductory voice-overs – again, I’m sure it’s the bloke who hosts ‘love song dedication’ 10 pm on 2UE.</li>
	<li>You’ll naturally pull your headphones out, roll over and continue stacking quality zeds after 50 minutes.</li>
</ul>
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Hopefully, this offers the motivation to give it a crack.  It’s free.