Numerous studies have shown the importance of sleep and the effect sleep deprivation can have on our brains. It is well-known that poor sleep patterns can contribute to such brain disorders as Alzheimer’s and dementia.  Lack of sleep can lead to memory loss and the size of the brain would shrink.  A lack of sleep can lead to all kinds of problems. For those of us who are severely sleep deprived, we would have suffered the consequences of it,  ranging from irritability to a weakened immune system, weight gain, diabetes, lack of concentration and coordination, poor memory, heart diseases, just to name a few.

Having a good night’s sleep allows the body time for replenishment, repair and rejuvenation. It nourishes skin cells and gives the body the chance to eliminate toxins.  Not having enough sleep can lead to a build up of toxins which in turn can be a contributory factor in the growth of fibroids.   This explains why the fibroid in my uterus is growing in size as I am severely sleep deprived!

Sleep will also help to alleviate stress and allows the muscles to relax. Stress is a secondary cause of fibroids, so steps should be taken to control stressful situations wherever possible. Another problem with having insufficient sleep is that the hormones in the body will go out of balance and hormonal imbalances are another factor in fibroid growth.

Therefore, lack of sleep can cause at least 3 potential problems as far as fibroids are concerned:-

1. Toxic overload
2. Stress
3. Hormonal imbalances

How much sleep do we need?

1. Sleep boosts immunity

2. Sleep can help you keep your weight in check

3. Sleep boosts mental wellbeing

4. Sleep prevents diabetes

5. Sleep increases sex drive

6. Sleep wards off heart disease

7. Sleep increases fertility

How to catch up on lost sleep

If you don’t get enough sleep, there’s only one way to compensate – getting more hours of shut eye. 

It won’t happen with a single early night. If you’ve had months of restricted sleep, you’ll have built up a significant sleep debt, so expect recovery to take several weeks to months.

Starting on a weekend, try to add on an extra hour or two of sleep a night. The way to do this is to go to bed when you’re tired and sleepy, and allow your body to wake you in the morning naturally (no alarm clocks allowed!).

Expect to sleep for upwards of 10 hours a night at first. After a while, the amount of time you sleep will gradually decrease to a normal level.

There are many ways to banish stress from your life from exercising to staying positive, eating healthily, getting help from professionals, making time for fun, doing things that make you happy, letting go of expectations, prioritizing rest and getting rid of the toxic things and people from your life.