Best Of Lynchburg Frenzy

Our annual Best Of Lynchburg contest returned with gusto! Over the past two months, our website was in overdrive as the community voted for their local favorites—in categories from restaurants to healthcare providers to destinations and much more. As of Aug. 15, 74,448 votes had been cast at lynchburgliving.com.

Look for the winners in the January/February issue of Lynchburg Living!

Daily Bread Donation

We were thrilled to partner with Lynchburg Daily Bread for our 1st Annual Idea House events in July. After tallying event donations and furniture proceeds, Lynchburg Living donated $500 to the nonprofit, so they can continue their mission to help those in need, one hot meal at a time.

Turn the page to find a recap of our Idea House open house events!

Be Well Lynchburg Makes a Splash

Have you heard about our newest publication, Be Well Lynchburg? This magazine is full of fitness, nutrition, and wellness advice to help you live your best life. We received this note from Vickie Spencer after she picked up a copy: “LOVE, LOVE, LOVE your new magazine, Be Well. Taking it home with me tonight and reading it cover to cover. Congratulations.”

Look for Be Well Lynchburg on local stands next to Lynchburg Living!

BEHIND THE SCENES

When considering cover options for this issue, the Lynchburg Living team had an idea to try out a drone shoot at Lynchburg General Hospital’s helipad, which is located right in front of the emergency department.

After getting the “okay” from Centra, photographer Woody Watts, editor Shelley Basinger and three of the magazine’s Healthcare Heroes met at the helipad to give it a try. Woody fired up his drone (one of two that he owns) and worked with Shelley on finding the perfect angle.

The hard part? Woody was hoping for a partly cloudy day (a photographer’s dream!) but unfortunately there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Woody instructed the Healthcare Heroes to close their eyes in between photographs to reduce squinting… and save their eyesight.

A huge thanks to Centra, Woody and those sun-blinded Healthcare Heroes for making this shoot a reality!

Read about all 10 of this year’s Healthcare Heroes on pages 71-77.

This basic stir fry is not only delicious and quick to make, it’s also an example of a dish where the ingredients can be replaced based on preferences and what’s available. There’s no gluten or dairy—and you can substitute corn starch for another thickener (see sidebar on page 111).

The Sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce (low-sodium, gluten-free)
1 cup chicken stock (easy to make from scratch)
2 tablespoons honey or sugar (or give monk fruit a try)
1 tablespoon corn starch (see more about alternative thickeners on page 111)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated

The Stir Fry
2 tablespoons avocado oil (handles heat better than olive oil)
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
2 carrots, sliced
4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into strips
1 batch of your homemade stir fry sauce Rice, spring onions and lime wedges for serving

Essential tools

Wok: A wok pan is relatively inexpensive ($15-$20) and can be found in most supermarkets or in your neighborhood Asian grocery store. The rounded shape is ideal for cooking large amounts of food quickly and the thin carbon steel gets hot fast. A regular stainless steel pan will do an acceptable job, but avoid non-stick coated pans since the high heat may result in toxic gases from the coating releasing.

Wooden spatula: Your regular plastic spatula may get damaged from the heat so look for a bamboo spatula or spoon that can tolerate some heat.

Instructions

Start by placing all the ingredients for the sauce into a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat until the sauce starts to thicken and set aside. (Note: If you are using egg yolks as thickener instead of corn starch, add 3 large egg yolks to the sauce and heat slowly over medium-low heat while whisking constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.)

Prepare all the ingredients for the stir fry before turning on the burner. (Note: Since this dish cooks fairly quickly you may not have time to step away.)

Turn on your exhaust fan and start heating up your wok dry over high heat for 2-3 minutes then add the avocado oil. You will be cooking the ingredients in batches.
Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook until done, about 4 minutes depending on how hot you managed to get the pan. Set aside.

Follow the same process with the carrots, broccoli and bell pepper, separately. Once all ingredients have been cooked, mix them into the wok pan over medium heat and add the sauce.

Heat through and serve over rice with sliced spring onions and lime wedges for decoration!

Whole Food Super Smoothie

This is the perfect breakfast! It’s packed full of macro- and micro-nutrients you may have a hard time getting without taking supplements. Everything is either frozen or dry from the pantry. And just like with the stir fry, the exact ingredients can be altered based on what you have available and your personal preference. It’s gluten- and corn-free and the milk can be substituted with Kombucha, coconut water or regular tap water.

Essential Equipment

High-speed blender: Any Vitamix will do the job flawlessly. A NutriBullet or Ninja blender may struggle with whole seeds but if you buy ground seeds, those will do fine.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 banana (buy in bulk and freeze, peeled and halved)
1/2 cup frozen strawberries
1/4 cup frozen, wild blueberries
1 tablespoon peanut butter (or your nut butter of choice)
1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (full fat, like Fage 5%)
1/4 cup frozen spinach
1/2 cup frozen kale
1 1/2 cup whole milk (or coconut water, Kombucha and/or tap water)
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
1 tablespoon unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Instructions

Add all ingredients in a high-speed blender. Blend on half speed for 30 seconds and then on max for 90 seconds. Serve in pretty glasses—or pour into a protein shaker for an amazing on-the-go breakfast.

Seed Cracker

If you are sensitive to gluten AND corn, you probably have a hard time finding things that provide some crunch in your life. These seed crackers are delicious and are great with toppings such as cream cheese, peanut butter, fruit preserves—or just some good spreadable butter.

INGREDIENTS

7 ounces sunflower seeds, raw
1/4 cup whole flax seeds
2 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons psyllium husk (thickener, available in health food stores)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, raw
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup poppy seeds, for sprinkling on top

Instructions

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except the poppy seeds in a bowl and mix until combined. Let sit for 8-10 minutes to allow the psyllium husk to absorb the water. Spread out the mixture into a square shape on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle the top with poppy seeds (and some flake salt if you like). Bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts becoming golden. Break or cut into pieces and serve with a cheese tray or simply with your favorite topping.

About Thickeners

Thickeners are food products intended to help thicken up sauces, gravy, pudding, pie fillings, soup, stews and more. As the name indicates these ingredients are only included for their ability to thicken and rarely affect the taste, which means that if you are sensitive to one, there are options for substitutions. Or, in some cases, you can forego a thickener altogether.

Corn starch and white flour (wheat) are the most common thickeners and both tend to make trouble for tender tummies. The most commonly available alternatives include potato starch, tapioca starch or arrowroot starch. They all thicken in different ways, so you may want to test more than one.

However, if starch itself is something you are trying to avoid there are still options, even if they are more limited:

Psyllium husk is a plant-based, gluten-free product that is a good replacement in certain recipes and is worth experimenting with. It is especially useful in baking and sauces.

Gelatin is a protein typically derived from animals and is wonderful when making desserts that will be served chilled. It has virtually no expiration date when stored air-tight.

Egg yolks are often used as emulsifiers (binding an oil and a liquid) in French sauces, like Béarnaise, Hollandaise, or their condiment cousin, mayonnaise. But it can also work as a thickener, like when you make custard for homemade ice cream.

Let it be known that I am not a dancer. I have little to no rhythm and am pretty uncoordinated. I struggle to avoid bumping into coffee tables and bruising my legs on a daily basis. So, when my friend invited me to attend a dance workout class with her, I was nervous to say the least. After my first “Dance2Fit” class, though, I was dripping with sweat, had burned more than 500 calories, and was instantly hooked.

The title of the class says it all—it’s about dancing your way to fitness. Dance is the ultimate full-body workout, and people of all ages and abilities are lining up to be a part of the new craze. The Vibe Studio of Lynchburg, located on Timberlake Road, and Dancing With Theo, on Main Street in downtown Lynchburg, recently opened at the beginning of this year and both are thriving.
The Vibe’s classes feature hip hop music and are 60 minutes long, but the time flies by thanks to owner and dance instructor Stephanie Manning’s incredible energy. She works hard each and every class to pump up the group, make everyone feel comfortable, and provide a fun and unique atmosphere for all. “Watching people come in here and gain confidence in themselves each and every time is my favorite thing to see,” Manning says. “There are many people who started out dancing in the back of my class, but now they rush to get here for a spot right up front. It’s amazing watching people lose weight and feel better in their own bodies.”

Manning opened her studio after being inspired by her own weight loss journey of losing 60 pounds.

“I’ve always been super self-conscious about my body and the way I looked until now,” she says. “I first fell in love with Zumba, then started teaching hip hop cardio, and eventually got certified for Dance2Fit. I’ve always dreamed of having my own space, so one day I just decided to pursue opening a studio, and here I am living my dream.”

Her ultimate desires are to share dance fitness with as many people as possible, empower others and help them reach their goals, while also building a community.

“A lot of people who come to my classes want to lose weight but don’t like going to a gym,” Manning says. “Dance is a really fun alternative to that. You don’t have to think about a workout since I tell you what to do each step of the way, there is no monthly membership you have to commit to, and you don’t need to have any sort of prior experience or training to be able to do it.”

There are some days where I may be extremely tired or stressed out from work, and heading to a dance class feels like the last thing I want to do. But once I step foot through those doors, Manning’s energy exudes, and I can’t help but get excited and ready to tackle the workout.

“There has not been a single day that I have not wanted to come here,” she says. “Even if I’m having a bad day, coming in here and being around all these people is just always a really good time.”
Manning hopes to soon move her studio into a bigger place so she won’t have to limit class sizes or have a wait list.

As for Theo Coates, of Dancing With Theo, owning a dance company or studio has always been his dream. He feels that his purpose in life is to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the art of dance and help people become their best selves.

“Through dance, people are able to push themselves to their limits and beyond,” he says. “In most cases, they end up creating a catalyst for opportunities to improve in other areas of life.”
Coates started out as a group fitness instructor at the YMCA, where he ended up gaining a following complete with merchandise, DVDs and digital streaming. The business name, Dancing With Theo, actually began as a Facebook group in 2013 and grew into a brand by 2018.

“A t-shirt turned into a flash mob, which turned into a DVD, which turned into a hoodie, that became a studio,” Coates says. “With support from my business partner Nour Elkhamra, as well as Lashonda Delivuk, Josh Delivuk, Jawansa Hall, Robert Williams, my entire groove squad, and my family and friends, we have created something that is growing into greatness.”

Coates emphasizes that with his classes, you’re getting more than just a workout—it’s an experience.

“In each class, whether dancercise or choreography, you are getting some form of training,” he says. “I’m teaching you rhythm, creating and following patterns, placement, moving from the core, some terminology, and dance moves you can use outside of the class. Yes, you will burn calories. Yes, you will build muscle. However, you also learn how to be a better dancer.”
As Dancing With Theo continues to grow, groups will be performing for upcoming shows and events including Get Downtown, Central Virginia Fashion Week, The Black Theater Festival in Washington, D.C., and many others.

“Ultimately, I love dancing,” Coates says. “So, the fact that I get to do it almost every day and I get paid for it is amazing by itself. However, I love the look on people’s faces when they take class. I love the fact that I am able to touch so many lives while doing something I love to do.

I love the people that are there with me.”

Top Chest Straps Monitor How Your Blood Pumps While You Run and Jump

These days, getting the most from your workouts means wearing a heart rate sensor that tracks your beats per minute. These devices can make you aware of when you need to push yourself harder or take a deep breath and slow down a bit. They can assure you that you’ve achieved your max heart rate at least once or twice during a sweat session and that you’re staying in your training or aerobic zone for a recommended amount of time if that is a workout goal. Most can also count calories burned, are Bluetooth-capable and come with plenty of memory so you can exercise phone free and sync later. Since some argue that a monitor worn closer to the heart provides greater accuracy, we decided to research the best chest straps this time around rather than watches or other wrist options. These picks get us pumped.

You can use the Polar H10 with popular fitness apps as well as gym equipment and other Bluetooth devices. As an added bonus, it is waterproof and can even transmit heart rate data in water. This is the chest strap for swimmers. $89.95. Polar.com.

The creators of Viiiiva claim this strap is 10 times more sensitive than other models. Other features include the ability to pair with a variety of cardio equipment and tap-to-pair connectivity that lets you touch your iOS or Android device for an instant connection. $79.99. 4iiii-Innovations.Myshopify.com.

The Garmin Heart Rate Monitor gets top reviews for comfort, with a heart rate module made of flexible plastic. The part of the strap that goes around your back is made of a soft fabric and is adjustable to your size. $49.99. Buy.Garmin.com.

MyZone MZ-3 can connect with gym equipment at participating clubs so you see a live display of your workout and compare/compete with other members. Sync with the MyZone App, earn points, and interact with other users with the social network. Also includes 16 hours of memory and keeps a charge for up to 7 months. $149. MyZone.org.

Wahoo TICKRx counts much more than just heart beats. Keep track of reps during HIIT workouts, and use motion analytics to monitor indoor cycling and running cadence. $79.99. WahooFitness.com.

Zephyr HxM
is Bluetooth capable and compatible with Android and iOS systems. Besides heart rate, you can also keep track of your speed and the distance you’ve covered. When paired with a smartphone, you can also track your GPS location, make calls and play your favorite music. $44.95. ZephyrAnywhere.com. 

Made for Lifters

Open since June 1, Legendary Strength Gym on Lakeside Drive is already seeing a growing membership. The facility brands itself as the “first and only premiere powerlifting gym in Lynchburg”—and after a quick scroll through their website and social media, you see why. This gym provides access to competition-grade powerlifting equipment and strongman workouts—the best perk, though, is that you will train alongside like-minded lifters to keep you motivated.

Learn more at legendarystrengthgym.com.

YMCA Express Expansion

The YMCA’s “Express” location on Old Forest Road is getting a makeover. The new additions include more parking, additional changing spaces (some with showers), new rooms and studios, and a Child Watch Center. Since opening in early 2011, the Y Express had only been open to those 18 and up and offered no child care. The initial expansion is expected to be completed in July.

Learn more at www.ymcacva.org.

Wanna Dance with Somebody?

You know that sweat you work up when dancing around the living room with your kids? Or the burn you feel the next day after breaking it down at a wedding? Dance isn’t just good for the spirit—it can burn major calories. Two dance-centered workout studios have opened in Central Virginia this year—Dancing With Theo on Main Street and The Vibe Studio of Lynchburg on Timberlake Road.

Learn more about this fun workout trend and these two studios on pages 36.

Take It Outside

The “world’s best little town” is now putting itself on the map for a different reason—a state-of-the-art outdoor gym that’s the first of its kind in Virginia. The National Fitness Campaign “Fitness Court®”, located in Bedford’s Liberty Lake Park, is a bodyweight circuit training facility for people of all ages. Users can also track their training progress, learn new routines and compete in challenges with the free Fitness Court App.

Visit the outdoor gym at Liberty Lake Park, 939 Burks Hill Road, Bedford.

Back and Better Than Ever

Snap Fitness opened on Boonsboro Road 10 years ago and was recently purchased by Billy and Lisa Mays. In May, they celebrated that milestone and the remodeling of the gym with a grand re-opening ceremony. Snap Fitness offers a little bit of everything—circuit training and cardio equipment, free weights, yoga, personal training, and virtual training. It’s open 365 days a year, 24/7.

Learn more at snapfitness.com/us/gyms/lynchburg-va/.

Skiing is just the tip of the iceberg. This Nelson County resort offers outdoor fun all year-round!

If you are looking for a new place to make memories this summer and fall, don’t let Wintergreen Resort’s seasonal-sounding name keep you away. Warm weather fitness opportunities for all ages and skill levels abound at this unique destination that’s located just an hour drive from the Hill City. “It feels like a world away,” explains Betsy Dunkerton, the resort’s director of marketing.

“But it’s very close.”

Still seeing snow? We asked Dunkerton and Zach Marlowe, Wintergreen’s director of ski operations, to give us the lowdown on the fun that’s happening there… in higher temperatures.

Hiking Wintergreen visitors can access 30 miles of hiking trails for hikers of all abilities—some are gentle strolls through the woods and others are more strenuous, leading to spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A few of the “favorites” include The Plunge, Shamokin Falls and Paul’s Water Creek. You can also hike with a naturalist and learn more about the trees and wildlife in the Wintergreen area. Those hikes are available on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Tennis

Wintergreen has two tennis facilities—Devils Knob on the mountain and Stoney Creek in Rockfish Valley—for a total of 19 clay courts outside open spring through fall and three indoor deco-turf courts open all year. According to Marlowe, many players prefer clay courts since they are easier on your joints. Another perk—the mountain breeze. “The beautiful thing about us is the weather at Wintergreen is so much nicer and cooler during the summertime… it’s much more inviting to play tennis up here,” he says.

Wintergreen also has been turning heads with its Tennis Academy, which is ranked as a top 10 resort tennis program in the world. There are clinics for adults and children as well as private lessons—the resort also hosts tournaments.

Discovery Ridge Adventure Center

Family fun awaits you here with so many activities to keep everyone busy, including ziplining, a bungee trampoline, tubing, archery, a climbing tower and mini golf. Brand new updates completed this year include gem mining and an indoor Ninja Warrior Course. “Every month we will change the course. So you can return and have a new experience each time,” says Marlowe.

Golf

Two golf courses on the mountain and in the valley are adjacent to the Devils Knob and Stoney Creek tennis courts and provide 45 holes of play in addition to a driving range. “The valley is the more forgiving course. The mountain course is more challenging… but the views are stunning,” says Marlowe. “Golf is a great way to connect with friends and take that two or three hours to be with each other and have fun.”

With their Golf Academy, Wintergreen provides schools, clinics and lessons for adults and children. “They tailor a lot of their lessons to what you need. The goal is to get you ready to play better golf and, ultimately, enjoy it more,” says Dunkerton.

Lake Monocan

A nearby outing at the 20-acre Lake Monocan gives you a chance to swim, fly-fish, kayak, canoe, play volleyball or—simply plop down and have a picnic. You can also get some steps in by taking a walk on the two-mile path around the lake. Lake Monocan is staffed daily with a lifeguard Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting.

Learn more about these activities at Wintergreen Resort, and others, by visiting www.wintergreenresort.com.

A local father of four shares his journey
of losing more than
200 pounds

Name: David Soward
Age: 50
Be Well Lynchburg Editor Shelley Basinger: Has maintaining a healthy weight always been a struggle for you?

David Soward: I’ve been kind of overweight my whole life. Growing up, I played football so I had some exercise. But as I got older, had kids, then ended up in a sit-down job at age 34, things started to get bad. I started to gain weight so fast—I felt like there was nothing I could do to stop it.

SB: When was your “wake up” moment?

DS: Well, one day I literally woke up and didn’t feel right. I went to the doctor and I was in AFib. (Editor’s note: AFib is short for atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure or other complications.) At the time, I was 41 years old and weighed 520 pounds. The doctor had a very frank conversation with me: “The track you are on right now, you aren’t going to live long. AFib is just the start. Even if you had a heart attack right now, we couldn’t even put you on the table to fix you.” That scared me, because at the time I had four young children.

SB: Did you jump into a diet and exercise routine right then?

DS: I started to lose weight on my own, going back and forth on starvation diets. I was about 460 pounds two years later. But I felt terrible—I could barely walk. My wife noticed that Jerry Falwell, Jr. and some other staff members at Liberty University had lost a bunch of weight. I know Jerry so I asked him what he had done. He told me, “I met Ben Crosswhite (owner of Crosswhite Fitness) and everything changed.” My wife said, “You better email that man (Ben) right now!” So I emailed Ben and told him I didn’t know what to do about my weight. He invited me into his gym to talk to one of their trainers, which ended up being Lauren Wooldridge (now Lauren Morris)..

SB: What was her approach?

DS: When I met Lauren, she didn’t judge me and from that day forward in 2013, my life was transformed. First, she changed my diet—I cut out dairy, grain and ate only whole foods. I was as sick as a dog as I detoxed. All I can say is that if it means your life to you, you do it. I had faith in what she was telling me.

SB: When did you add in exercise?

DS: After two weeks of my diet change, I came in for a training session—that was one of the hardest days of my life. I would almost pass out. She would say, “Stop, just walk back and forth until your heart rate comes back down.” This type of training went on for four or five months.

During that time, the weight was coming off so fast. In a year, I went from not being able to walk to doing a strenuous workout. I started going one day a week, then two days, and now I go three days. So far, I’ve lost a total of right at 200 pounds. I’m more physically fit today than I was in my late 20s.

SB: How did you feel walking into the gym for the first time?

DS: To say I was self-conscious was an understatement. But what I liked about Crosswhite Fitness—and what my current gym, New London Athletics, has become to me now—is no one judges you.

Everybody is on a journey of some kind. When I met Lauren, there was a certain amount of kindness she showed. Lauren smiled at me and said, “Don’t stress, there are so many people making the same journey that you are making.” During my first couple of weeks training with her, there were a couple of guys I met who told me that they were in my shoes just six months before. One of the things I’m enjoying now… is now I’m one of those guys, encouraging people and telling them, “I used to be right where you are. I feel your pain. Hang in there and you will make it.”

SB: What does your diet look like now?

DS: I don’t call it a diet, I call it a lifestyle. I started out not eating dairy or grains, but I do introduce a little bit of dairy now, from time to time. It’s more of a Whole 30 diet. I’m very careful to not eat preservatives and that still works for me. But it can’t be considered a diet. It has to be a lifestyle change.

SB: What does a typical day at the gym look like for you?

DS: I start out with a warm up such as 500 meters on a skier and 500 meters on rowing machine—very cardio-focused. Once that’s over, Lauren will put me on several super sets, meaning I will go through a super set of a chest press, then a TRX band squat, then a bench fly. The way she stacks my exercises are designed to focus on a set of muscles and keep your heart rate up. During that one hour, you are sweating and building muscle while burning calories.

SB: You mentioned your kids and wife earlier. What has this transformation done to improve life at home?

DS: I used to sit and watch my son play baseball or my kids would go on a hike and I couldn’t really do it. That tormented me. Now, I go hiking with them, we ride bikes. I don’t have to sit and watch.

It’s been life-changing. That’s the main reason I did this. I want to see my grandkids, I want to see my grandkids’ kids.

SB: Has your passion for exercise rubbed off on your family?

DS: When I started to lose the weight, my second oldest daughter and my wife started running and eating a similar, clean diet. Now they have done half marathons, 10Ks. It’s had an impact on my entire family in some way.

SB: Looking forward, what is your ultimate goal?

DS: I still want to lose about 80 more pounds, which would put me around 250. I’m 6 foot 4 and I’m not a small guy so that would be a good weight for me. So, I still have a ways to go. I had hip surgery in February 2017 and gained about 30 pounds during that recovery time. Those 30 pounds have been very difficult to drop but I’m working on it every day.

But putting all numbers on the scale aside, my ultimate goal is just to be well. And if I don’t feel well, I want to get back in the gym.

SB: What’s your final advice for anyone who is reading this who wants to change their life, too?

DS: The first step is the hardest. Once you have the first step behind you the journey gains momentum, it becomes easier. Also, you are going to fail on occasion. But you can’t give up. Just get up and take another step. It’s way too easy just to give up, but you have to remember why you started. The hardest battle you face is the one you have with yourself.

You’ve been thinking about it all day—the moment your head would hit the pillow and you could finally shut your eyes. But there you are, once again… and that five-letter word, SLEEP, is elusive and just out of reach.

Whether it’s falling asleep or staying asleep, you have plenty of company if the above scenario describes you on a regular basis. According to a new report from P&S Market Research, the sleeping aids market will be worth $101.9 billion by 2023—that forecast is attributed partly to the growing prevalence of insomnia and a surge in the demand for sleeping pills because of our stressful lifestyles.

But you don’t have to visit your medicine cabinet to get a better night’s sleep. Practicing better sleep hygiene can work wonders to improve your nightly snooze session. We sat down with Lisa Morrone, P.T., author of Sleep Well Again, to get some pointers.

Be Well Lynchburg Editor Shelley Basinger:

Lisa, you’ve really done your homework on sleep. What moved you to focus on this topic?

Lisa Morrone: When I started doing research for my book Get Healthy…for Heaven’s Sake, I included a chapter in it on the subject of sleep. As I researched, I found quotes from sleep researchers who said sleep is the most important predictor of longevity. It wasn’t obesity, as many people might think. It’s actually being sleep deprived. When I found that out, I said to myself, “I need to write a whole book on this.”

SB: Where do you think, as a society, we went wrong?

LM: Back before electricity we couldn’t be sleep deprived because the sun would set and our candles would burn down. Once we had electricity, our workdays started to spread. With cell phones and laptops, we started to pack more and more into our schedules. We feel like the more we can cram into a day, the more productive we are. We squeeze our hours of sleep from 7 or 8… down to 5 or 6.

And because many of us can get up after 5 or 6 hours and “function,” we think we’ve beaten the system. But we haven’t because our bodies were created to sleep one third of the time that we are alive in order to be well.

SB: If we aren’t getting that extra hour or two at night, what’s happening to our bodies?

LM: Sleep deprivation has some consequences which are obvious. Brain fog—you aren’t thinking clearly, you are more accident prone, you might fall down the stairs or even get into a car accident.

But there are some non-obvious consequences to chronic sleep deprivation. Our bodies need those 7 or 8 hours each night to repair, restore, and replenish everything from our nerves to our muscle cells to our hormones. So, if we take some of that reparative time away, we accelerate our aging, our organs can become diseased and we can even gain weight as a result.

SB: How is weight gain connected to sleep?

LM: Our brains produce two hormones, one hormone that tells our body when it’s hungry and another that tells our body when it’s satisfied. A full night of sleep will allow us to produce a balance of hormones that regulate hunger. But when you are sleep deprived, you make more of the “I’m hungry” hormone and less of the “I’m satisfied” hormone. So you are left with a chemical imbalance which expands your waistline.

SB: You mentioned longevity earlier. How much can chronic sleep deprivation shorten our lifespans?

LM: Most studies state lifespans are “statistically” decreased. Some have found lifespans can be diminished by a full four to seven years! Interestingly, studies have shown sleeping less than 7 hours a night on a regular basis decreases your longevity…. as does sleeping more than 8 hours on a regular basis. We have this sleep window, between 7 and 8 hours, which is perfect for our bodies.

SB: When we hear the word “hygiene,” we usually think about brushing our teeth and washing our face. How does that apply to sleep?
LM: Hygiene is defined as the practices and conditions that are conducive to maintain our health and prevent disease. So when we are talking about sleep hygiene, we are talking about the specific practices and conditions that can help us get a good night sleep.

SB: Where should we start?

LM: The first thing we need to do is we need to keep a consistent “to bed” time. Most people think they can have one bedtime during the workweek and another on the weekends. But because we have a biological clock which regulates our sleepiness, we need to keep our bedtime as consistent as possible. If you have to be up at 6 a.m. during the workweek, count back 7 or 8 hours and that’s your bedtime.

SB: What about our eating/drinking habits?

LM: To enhance sleepiness, you should not consume caffeine after about 4 p.m. The half-life in caffeine is about 6 hours. I also tell my patients not to drink alcohol after about 7 p.m. because the half-life of alcohol is 2 to 3 hours. People think alcohol is a sedative since it helps them wind down and fall asleep. But it has been proven to disrupt deep sleep and dream phases of sleep. That’s when you are getting the most restorative sleep.

SB: Seems like we need to really be focusing in on those final few hours of our day.

LM: Exactly, for example, you don’t want to exercise too late at night. When your body temperature is elevated and your metabolism is revved up, that’s going to disrupt your sleep cycles. Another thing we do, which works against a good night’s sleep, is work late at night. We sit in our beds with our laptops open, answering emails right up until lights out. An hour before bed, it’s best to shut your laptop down. Coming into those bedtime hours, you shouldn’t be reading work emails or engaging in stressful conversations with your family. Save all that for tomorrow.
SB: What can we do to make our homes and bedrooms more sleep-friendly?

LM: It all starts with lighting. As the sun starts to go down, our bodies are cued to naturally make melatonin. This is the hormone that makes us sleepy and sustains our sleep throughout the night. If your pre-bedtime environment is too brightly lit, you won’t produce enough melatonin. So, dim your house lights an hour or two before bedtime. Inside our bedrooms, we also need to look around and remove anything that makes the space less peaceful. If there are piles of laundry, move those to another room. We also need to remove stimulants—if your phone is a stimulant for you (this is especially important for teenagers), leave it in the kitchen and use an old-fashioned alarm clock instead. I also don’t believe there is any reason to have a TV in your bedroom—your bedroom should be for sleep and sleep only.

For a more in-depth read on the topic of sleep, pick up Lisa’s book, Sleep Well Again, and visit her at lisamorrone.com.