Fri, Nov-18-05, 07:20
|
|
Finding the Pieces
Posts: 17,049
|
|
Plan: Mishmash
Stats: 365/308.0/185
BF:
Progress: 32%
Location: Maryland, US
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by kallyn
I just checked this book out of the library after reading this thread on it, and I have to say I'm finding it a very hard read. The writing style is very sensationalistic, and, to my mind, annoying. The author also seems to contradict herself constantly and a lot of the information is "touchy feely" kind of stuff at best. I was really hoping for a more scientific approach, but ah well. I may slog through the rest of it.
Now here is the real point of interest for me. Everything you read nowadays about sleep is about how we never get enough of it. I have the exact opposite of this problem, and I can find almost nothing written on the subject of TOO MUCH sleep (except for a few things written about hypersomnia and atypical depression). I sleep at least 10 hours every night, even during the summer. I can't seem to sleep any less than that, and I could certainly sleep longer if I had the freedom to do so (some weekends I sleep for 12 hours and I bet I could do 14 if no one bothered me). According to the authors of this book, I should be in perfect health, but this is not the case. Moreover, I can't even function with less than 10 hours of sleep. If I get less, I'm exhausted all day and have to take a nap. Is this normal or desirable? Anyone have any opinions? (if it helps at all, I've been like this my whole life, not just since I started putting on the pounds in college)
|
Lack of vitamin D. Vitamin D sets circadian rythmns. You live in Seattle. I assume you work full time. Seattle is known for its lack of sun. Vitamin D production only occurs between the hours of 10-3 during late spring-early fall on unsunscreened skin at the latitude of Newport News, VA or further south. To make enough vitamin D from the sun for daily needs an to build a reserve, 85% of the skin should be exposed during that time span.
Given D production requirements I assume you are not meeting them and are, in fact, running a huge deficit. If you're of African, Asian or Northern European descent, the effect worsens. Thus your sleeping habits. I wouldn't be surprised if you had other signs of vitamin D deficiency. As you say you've been like this your whole life, I assume you have SAD to some level, which is also a vitamin D deficiency. Having SAD also interupts normal circadian rhythms, makes you crave carbs, promotes fat storage/weight gain, and raises insulin levels. Do you feel energetic or need less sleep for a brief period during the summer? Do a few days of cloudy weather during the summer saps your energy and mood? Do you have problems staying on plan or staying away from carbs? These are all SAD symptoms and symptoms of vitamin D deficiency. If you have any immune system problems these are vitamin D deficiency related too.
I suggest, JMO, that you get your vitamin D tested and treat the deficiency. Vitamin D is tested using a 25(OH)D serum measurement. Standard lab values are inadequate for assessing status. Rather, use the following values to interpret 25(OH)D test results:
< 20 ng/mL: deficient
< 30 ng/mL: insufficient
40-65 ng/mL: optimal
> 80 ng/mL: excess
Or you can take 1800 mg calcium, 900-1300 mg magnesium and as much high potency vitamin D3 in 1,000 IU capsules as you can stand from 4,000 up to 12,000 IU/day. The range is so wide because only you can tell how much you need to fill the deficit and the deficit must be filled first before you can go on maintenance dose. Otherwise, you will never obtain a healthy level of vitamin D in your blood.
There's an overview of vitamin D in the supplement forum. And more than you ever wanted to know about vitamin D if you click on the link in my sig.
|