1. Building Networks
Connecting Business
Creating Opportunities 33 Feature WWW.BRITCHAM.ORG.SG
By Chris Richards
Focus on Health:
Why Sleep is a Necessity,
not a Luxury
All too often we skimp on sleep, thinking that we can
“catch up”later, but the result is a negative impact on
your health, productivity and body composition

2. S
leep is in scarce supply with the work
culture in a city like Singapore.
We all too often skimp on it thinking that
we can “catch up” either by weekend lie-ins
or ride the fatigue wave out with caffeine
and sugar. The harsh truth however is that
it’s a zero sum game. You need what you
need when you need it and cannot make it
up later without a negative impact on your
health, productivity and body composition.
How do you define how much sleep you
need? You should wake up feeling refreshed
without the need for an alarm clock. That’s
probably something that very few of you
ever achieve. It doesn’t have to be eight
hours though for some it will be more and
others can function optimally on much less.
Whatever your own sleep sweet spot is, you
must never forget that it is one of the key
non-negotiables to optimal living.
In very simple terms not getting enough
sleep plays havoc with:
1. Testosterone production: go a few nights
on a 60 percent measure of sleep and see
where your libido is at. Possibly a teenager
or young man in his 20s won’t feel this,
but wait until the 30s and 40s hit.
2. Insulin/Cortisol “see-saw syndrome”:
your tired mind (never forget how
significant the brain is in these things)
and body needs boosts in cortisol to get
it going and is also more insulin resistant,
meaning it is much more likely to store
glucose in the fat cells. What sort of
foods do you reach for when you are
sleep deprived? The worst kind. Forget
meat and vegetables and think croissants
and candy. You do this for a hormonal
reason and it will send you into a negative
spiral of worse food, lower “real” energy,
mental fog and fat accumulation.
3. Growth Hormone (HGH) production: we
release a lot of our HGH during certain
cycles of sleep. Miss these cycles out and
you can’t play “catch up”.
How to Improve Sleep Quality
1. Keep regular hours.Go to bed at the same
time every night and dispel this notion that
you can play “catch up” at weekends.
2. Sleep in a cool temperature. By decreasing
body temperature and regulating
room temperature, you can create an
environment that will sustain REM sleep.
Building Networks
Connecting Business
Creating Opportunities 34 Feature: Focus on Health:
Why Sleep is a Necessity, not a Luxury
3. Make your bedroom a Batcave! REM sleep
can be easily be affected by noise pollution
and light interference so make your
bedroom as dark and as quiet as possible.
Go as far as switching off electrical devices
that have standby lights on, and if you
travel a lot use hotel towels to block out
the light that often comes through from
hotel corridors. Light interference can
easily create a sensory marker in the brain
that disturbs REM sleep, therefore it is vital
to establish the best sleep environment.
Even the slightest light contact with the
skin will reduce the quality of REM sleep,
so the darker the bedroom, the more likely
one is able to gain quality REM sleep.
4. Use Magnesium. This mineral is vital in
aiding cortisol management and it therefore
assists deep wave sleep by resetting insulin
sensitivity. Magnesium is also a catalyst in
re-establishing adrenal health through the
cortisol/insulin connection.
5. Californian poppy extract is a great herbal
adaptogen that relaxes brain waves into
deep wave sleep. It also acts as a liver
detoxifier and has a secondary pathway
in slowly aiding the removal of toxins that
affect the sleep cycle.
6. Our diets also have a significant impact
upon the sleep cycle. Foods that are
Light interference can
easily create a sensory
marker in the brain that
disturbs REM sleep,
therefore it is vital to
establish the best sleep
environment.

3. About the Author:
Chris Richards is a motivated
body composition expert and
manager with a results-driven
record of changing individuals’
quality of life and physique.
He has worked with a wide
range of personal training
clients including CEOs and
celebrities and his personable
results driven approach ensure
clients feel value in the service
they invest in. Through his
experience of previously
running his own business
and as Operations Manager
at Ultimate Performance’s
Mayfair gym, Chris is now
General Manager at Ultimate
Performance Singapore. He
is able to both manage and
mentor the trainers working in
the gym alongside the behind
the scenes operations that
are required for an effective
service. For more information
visit http://upfitness.com.sg/
WWW.BRITCHAM.ORG.SG
high in carbohydrates may increase
serotonin production (the neurotransmitter
responsible for a calm, happy, and relaxed
state of mind), but the downside is that
once blood sugar levels decline the body
will go into a natural hunger mode and it is
possible that you may wake up as a natural
reaction to low blood sugar. Foods that are
high in essential fats will aid in establishing
a constant blood glucose level, which is
beneficial as the body will be able to go into
a fasting state while slow-release energy
is being made available for metabolic
function. Therefore, one option to try is to
stay away from carbohydrate-rich meals
at least two hours before bed and try to
include a meal rich in essential fatty acids.
7. If you are waking up after 2-4 hours’ sleep
you may benefit from a protocol that will
assists your liver’s ability to detoxify.
For example:
i) Increase fibre intake and consider a
morning and evening addition of a high
quality fibre supplement
ii) Glucuronic acid is vital in unbinding
phase two detoxified substances for
removal from the GI tract. Take two
calcium d-glucarate capsules three
times daily for 16 days
iii) Use an estrogen control protocol
for 16 days
iv) As an ongoing liver support
formula mix one to three tablespoons
of a good quality greens powder
with 1.5ltr water and consume daily:
maintaining pH levels will aid not only
GI detoxification but also positively
influence proper cortisol management.