During the most challenging periods of the COVID pandemic, I gave a talk at Core Collective Singapore on multidisciplinary approaches to sleep. This discussion came at a critical time when many individuals were struggling with their sleep. In this talk, I delved into three vital aspects of sleep that are foundational to health and vitality: the Circadian Rhythm, the Glymphatic System, and the management of blood sugar imbalances when it comes to optimum sleep. Even though there is new research in the field of sleep every day, the principles I covered in this talk are as relevant today as ever. My deep focus on sleep stems from the belief that it is the cornerstone of optimum health—whether someone is dealing with autoimmune conditions or metabolic issues, proper sleep allows the body to heal, rejuvenate, leading to the restoration of homeostasis across all systems. Sleep isn’t just a function; it is, as I often say, “mother nature’s best attempt at immortality.” Sleep is anabolic in nature and when someone tells me that their bodies are not building muscle or their brains aren’t as sharp as they used to be, I always first look at sleep. One of the key points I emphasized at the beginning of my talk was the impact of sleep on energy, adrenal health, and thyroid function. These systems are the first to become depleted when sleep is disrupted due to an axis called the hypothalamus, adrenal, gut, thyroid axis (HAGTA). This depletion creates a ripple effect throughout the body, particularly on gut health where everything resides, and we see a reduction in Lactobacillus species. This disruption causes a build up of adiposity and an imbalance in satiety hormones, resulting in an increase in the hunger hormone ghrelin.
Understanding the Circadian Rhythm is crucial to opimising rest, as it regulates not just sleep, but overall bodily function by syncing with natural light cycles. When this rhythm is thrown off—whether due to poor sleep habits, artificial light, or erratic schedules—the consequences on hormone regulation, energy levels, and overall well-being are profound. Circadian Rhythm is also crucial to mental health, as is sleep. Similarly, the Glymphatic System plays an integral role during sleep. This waste-clearing system is most active during deep sleep, helping to remove toxins from the brain, including amyloid beta, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A lack of sleep impairs this essential cleaning process, leading to the accumulation of toxic substances that can disrupt neural function and heighten the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. We lightly touch on stages of sleep, both REM and deep sleep.
I hope you enjoy my talk and find it useful! This is a long talk so gear up for a lot of information.