Most of the osteoporosis that develops on adults is caused by persistently elevated cortisol levels. That elevated cortisol sets the scene for a raging osteoclast/osteoblaast battle in which the osteoclasts gain the upper hand - reducing bone density and weakening the bones. Our modern world is resplendent with opportunities for giving cortisol a boost at all the wrong times. But once those opportunities are identified they can be dealt with and the battle can be turned in the osteoblasts' favour.
The bedroom offers a great starting point for reducing cortisol and stacking the odds in the osteoblasts' favour. Sleep is the time when cortisol needs to be at its lowest, so adjustments that remove cortisol boosters have the greatest impact here.
What can I do?
- Keep bedroom noise to a minimum
- Remove electrical equipment and turn off wireless devices
- Spend the hour before bed in low light, low noise, low concentration conditions
- Take a gentle stroll around the block before bed
- Keep the bedroom dark
- For more suggestions and a better understanding of how the body sees its surroundings and the impact those surroundings can have, read 'Sleep-Powered Wellness: Better Bedrooms for Turbocharged Zzzz's' by Angela Hobbs
Recommended Reading - Books
The Sleep-Powered Wellness Workbook: Better Bedrooms for Better Sleep, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs guides the reader through the 24 hour hormone rhythm revealing the many ways that a person's surroundings can be used to support it. A workbook packed with simple, inexpensive, non-invasive suggestions for making the bedroom more conducive to sleep and health.
Sleep-Powered Wellness: Better Bedrooms for Turbocharged Zzzz's, by Angela Hobbs
Hobbs discusses the impact that noise, wireless, light, electricity, chemicals and air pollutants can have on the hormones responsible for sleep and alertness, and ultimately on many common symptoms of ill health.
The Whole-Body Approach to Osteoporosis: How to Improve Bone Strength and Reduce Your Fracture Risk, by R. McCormick
McCormick provides a comprehensive overview of osteoporosis with a holistic, nutritional emphasis to restoring bone density.
The Myth of Osteoporosis, by Gillian Sanson
Sanson discusses the realities of osteoporosis and the simple lifestyle actions that maintain bone health.