A new study identifies four key factors that make a difference in waking up well in the morning – powering through to lunchtime alert and refreshed at one end of the scale, or Fighting through grogginess Multiple taps on this snooze buttonThe other.
These factors can be altered to improve our morning start, regardless of genetics.
“Why do we humans fluctuate in alertness?” Raphael Vallat (UC Berkeley) was leading the team of researchers. Publication of paper.
“Why is it that we wake up feeling awake one morning and then feel sluggish the next morning?”
The study involved 833 people, many of them twins. This allowed researchers to filter out genetic variation. Over the course of two weeks, participants were asked to record their food intake, sleep patterns, and glucose levels. Additionally, they were asked to rate their alertness at various points during the day.
Sleep profile is the first thing that matters. It refers to how long, when and how efficiently you sleep overnight. Better morning alertness was associated with longer sleep and earlier waking hours than usual.
The second was how much exercise they did the day before. Higher levels of exercise BewegungIn the day (as opposed to less physical activity)(At night) were Sleep that is more consistent and less disturbed has been associated with better sleep quality. Participants were more alert in the morning, it was predicted.
Third, breakfast. More carbohydrates in morning meals led to higher alertness levels. However, more protein had the opposite effect. Researchers could concentrate on the nutritional content by limiting the amount of calories in the meals.
Lastly, a surge in blood sugar levels after breakfast – tested using a pure glucose liquid drink – was associated with reduced alertness. The participants who had high-carb breakfasts showed a decrease in blood glucose levels, which was associated with increased alertness.
This means that too much sugar is detrimental to the body’s ability to process food. This can lead to a sugar crashInstead of feeling sugary in the morning.
The mood and age of volunteers are also factors that influence daily alertness, but these are not as easily controlled as when you go to bed at night and what you eat for breakfast.
“Our findings reveal that there are a number of key factors that contribute to alertness, but they can’t be fixed.” The majority of alertness-related factors can be altered and are therefore open to behavioral intervention.” Vallat, Vallat, and coworkers.
To gather more data, the team wants to explore the mechanisms that underlie these associations. Participants reported their alertness levels using a variety of instruments.
However, participants were required to report their daily activities and also ate standardized meals. They also wore an accelerometer wristwatch (to track sleep and activity) as well as a continuous glucose monitor (to check blood sugar levels after meals). This is a better option than other studies that rely solely on questionnaires.
Another challenge for future studies will be determining how and why sleeping longer and sleeping later, relative to that person’s typical norm, boosts morning alertness – at least in this study. Other research has shown that this is what we know. Oversleeping can also affect your well-being.
Improved sleep quality can have a profound impact on many areas of our lives. This includes safety for those who work in dangerous jobs such as firefighters, nurses, or pilots.
“This question is not only scientifically important, but also of societal importance because the inability to maintain alertness throughout the day can be a major cause of road traffic accidents and occupational accidents that account for thousands of deaths each year.” Write to the researchers.
“Moreover, it has been shown that insufficient sleep can lead to impaired daytime alertness, a greater use of healthcare, and significant work-related losses in productivity.”
The research was published in Nature Communications.
