Iron Man’s Leading Lady Gwyneth Paltrow is Ironing Out a Way to Get More Sleep
Thirty-seven year old Gwyneth Paltrow looked terrific in Iron Man 2. She’s an actress who believes in balance for a healthy lifestyle and overall women’s fitness.
This used to include a healthy diet and an active lifestyle, but recently Paltrow discovered something equally if not more important than either of those. She found that even diet and exercise couldn’t replace the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
Juggling the duties of mom and working-woman, Paltrow, like many women risk the dangers of sleep deprivation in order to get each day’s tasks completed. "Basically everyone I know is knackered, me included. But I didn't imagine that there could be health problems associated with not getting a good night's rest,” writes Paltrow, in an interview with Goop.com.
Getting your beauty sleep is not just a phrase. When a woman doesn't get enough rest, it shows in her face. Inadequate sleep wreaks havoc on the complexion, with fluid retention causing unsightly bags under bloodshot eyes.
But more importantly, women more so than men, who don't get enough rest, are at a greater risk of getting heart disease and diabetes. Females need far more sleep than males, yet the average woman gets less than seven hours of rest each night.
For women’s fitness, the female body requires rest. Rest and sleep provide an opportunity for the body to cleanse, repair, and rejuvenate on a deep cellular level. More and more doctors report that a good night's sleep plays a big part in weight control.
According to experts, there is a critical link between sleep deprivation and obesity. Increased cortisol levels, due to lack of sleep, cause increased appetite and weight retention. Remember, cortisol kicks in when the body is stressed, lack of sleep puts stress on the body sending a message to the brain to produce more cortisol and the cycle begins.
Women's roles as caregivers cause them to sleep less than men. As a rule, women tend to worry about finances and family relationships before falling off to sleep. It’s important to make your sleeping environment as pleasant and conducive to sleep as possible, but many times the problem is in your mental or physical condition.
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